acting

Noun

• (n.) acting, playing, playacting, performing (the performance of a part or role in a drama)

Verb

• (v.) act, move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)) "think before you act"; "We must move quickly"; "The governor should act on the new energy bill"; "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel"
• (v.) act, behave, do (behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself) "You should act like an adult"; "Don't behave like a fool"; "What makes her do this way"; "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people"
• (v.) act, play, represent (play a role or part) "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master"
• (v.) act (discharge one's duties) "She acts as the chair"; "In what capacity are you acting"
• (v.) act, play, act as (pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind) "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad"
• (v.) act (be suitable for theatrical performance) "This scene acts well"
• (v.) work, act (have an effect or outcome; often the one desired or expected) "The voting process doesn't work as well as people thought"; "How does your idea work in practice"; "This method doesn't work"; "The breaks of my new car act quickly"; "The medicine works only if you take it with a lot of water"
• (v.) act (be engaged in an activity, often for no particular purpose other than pleasure)
• (v.) dissemble, pretend, act (behave unnaturally or affectedly) "She's just acting"
• (v.) act, play, roleplay, playact (perform on a stage or theater) "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'"

Adjective

• (adj.) acting (serving temporarily especially as a substitute) "the acting president"