plural acts
plural acts
Learner's definition of ACT
1
[count] : something that is done行为；行动；举动 -
His first official act [=action] as President was to sign the bill.他作为总统的第次正式行为是签署本法案。
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We were grateful for her many acts of kindness.她的多次善心之举让我们很感激。
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an act of bravery = a brave act英勇行为
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criminal/illegal/unlawful/wrongful acts违法行为
— see also sex act ◊ An act of God is a natural event (such as a storm or earthquake) that cannot be controlled by people.天灾；不可抗力
2
[count] : a law made by a group of legislators法令；法案 3
[count] : one of the main divisions of a play or opera（戏剧或歌剧的）一幕 -
Please read act II, scene 1 of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.请阅读莎士比亚《罗密欧与朱丽叶》的第二幕第一场。
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In the first/opening act, two characters are talking in a restaurant.在第一幕/开场戏中，两个人物在餐馆里谈话。
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a play in three acts = a three-act play一出三幕剧
4 [count]
a : one of the performances in a show一段表演 b : a show that a person or group performs often经常的表演；常规表演 c : a person or group that performs in shows表演者；演出团体 ◊ A balancing act or juggling act is an attempt to do several different things or deal with several different situations at the same time.平衡（或兼顾）几件事的做法
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It's a difficult balancing act, but many students hold full-time jobs while attending school.这事很难平衡，可许多学生一边上学一边做全职工作。
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Working and raising children can be a real juggling act for parents.为人父母，可能真的要兼顾工作和养育孩子。
— see also class act, a hard/tough act to follow at follow 5
[singular] : a way of behaving that is not honest or sincere装模作样；装腔作势 -
He said he was sorry, but I realize now that it was all just an act.他说他很难过，可我现在意识到那不过是装装样子而已。
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He wasn't really sorry. He was just putting on an act.他并不是真的难过，只是做做样子而已。
clean up your act
— see clean up at 2clean
get into the act
or get in on the act
: to start to participate in an activity加入；参加
get your act together
— see get together at get
in the act (of doing something)
: while doing something正在（做某事）；当场 -
When they arrived, I was just in the act of starting to make dinner.他们到的时候我正要开始做晚饭。
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He tried to rob a bank and was caught in the act. = He was caught in the act of robbing a bank.他抢银行，被当场抓获。
2 act /ˈækt/ verb
acts; acted; acting
acts; acted; acting
Learner's definition of ACT
1
[no object] : to do something : to take action做事；行动 -
Think before you act.三思而后行。
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He knew he had to act quickly/fast.他知道他必须迅速采取行动。
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The government was slow to act.政府行动迟缓。
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The firefighters acted with great courage. = They acted courageously.消防员们表现英勇。
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She acted on behalf of her father, who was not at the meeting.她代表父亲参加了会议。
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I believe that the killer acted alone.我认为杀手是单独行动的。
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She had acted in self-defense when she killed her attacker.她出于自卫杀死了袭击者。
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We were acting in the best interests of our children.我们这样做是为孩子们着想。
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If he refuses to cooperate, he'll be acting against his own (best) interests. [=he'll be acting in a way that is harmful to himself]他如果拒绝合作，就是在损害自己的（最大）利益。
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We must act soon to end this crisis.我们必须马上采取行动结束这场危机。
2
[no object] : to behave in a particular way举动；表现 -
She learned at an early age how to act properly in social situations.她从小就学会了如何在社交场合表现得体。
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People are always telling me how I should act and what I should say.人们总是告诉我该怎么表现、该说什么。
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I noticed that the dog was acting funny/differently/strangely this morning.我注意到这只狗今天早晨的表现很好笑/异常/奇怪。
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acting more naturally/aggressively/responsibly表现得更加自然强势/值得信赖
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She's been acting kind of crazy lately.她最近的表现有点疯狂。
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Please learn the new rules and act accordingly. [=follow the new rules]请学习新的规定，并按其行事。
◊ To act the part is to behave the way that people in a particular role usually behave.表现出…的样子
◊ To act your age is to behave the way that people your age should behave and not to behave like a younger person.稳重点，别耍孩子气
◊ To act like a particular kind of person or thing is to behave the way that person or thing behaves.表现得像（某人或某事物）
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You two are acting like children.你们俩表现得像孩子。
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It's time you start acting like a man.是你开始表现得像个男子汉的时候了。
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I'm sorry about yesterday. I acted like a fool/jerk.我为昨天的事道歉。我失态了。
— see also 2act 3c (below) 3
a [no object] : to behave in a way that is not sincere or honest装模作样；装腔作势 b [linking verb] : to pretend to be something假装佯装 -
Stop acting innocent.别再假装无辜了。
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She was terribly nervous, but she acted confident.她紧张得要命，却做出一副自信的样子。
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I know you're bored, but can you at least try to act interested.我知道你感到乏味，但你能最起码装作感兴趣吗？
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He did his best to act excited.他竭力装出兴奋的样子。
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There she goes, offering advice and acting the expert. [=pretending to be an expert]她又来那一套了，提出建议，装成专家的样子。
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If anybody asks you where I am, act dumb. [=pretend that you do not know]要是有人问你我在哪儿，就装作不知道。
c [no object] : to pretend that something is true装作…的样子 —
usually used in the phrases act as if, act as though, and (chiefly US) act like 通常用于短语act as if, act as though和act like -
She acted as if nothing had happened.她装作好像什么事也没发生过。
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We acted as though we knew what was going on.我们假装知道发生了什么事。
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I tried to act like it didn't bother me, but it did.我竭力装出无所谓的样子，可它的确是影响我了。
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Even if you don't like your gift, you should act like you do.即使你不喜欢收到的礼物，也应该装出喜欢的样子。
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I didn't act like it, but I really was happy.我并不是装的，我是真的很高兴。
— see also act like at 2act 2 (above) 4
: to perform the words and actions of a character in a play, movie, etc. : to perform as an actor表演；演出 [no object]
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It had always been his dream to act.当演员一直是他的梦想。
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She can sing, dance, and act.她会唱歌、跳舞和表演。
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As a child, she began acting in television commercials.她从小就在电视广告中表演。
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Both actors have agreed to act in the movie.两位演员都同意出演这部影片。
[+ object]
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He'll be acting the part of Romeo in tonight's play.在今晚的剧中他将扮演罗密欧的角色。
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The role of Romeo was wonderfully acted by Mr. Jacob Smith.罗密欧这个角色，雅各布·史密斯先生演得很出色。
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a beautifully acted movie [=a movie in which the acting is excellent]一部表演精彩的电影
5
[no object] : to do the work of a particular kind of person or thing : to perform a certain function or role充当；担任 —
+ as -
A young man acted [=served] as our guide through the city.一位年轻人充当我们在城里游览的导游。
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She'll be acting as her own attorney during the court trial.庭审时她将充当自己的辩护律师。
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She agreed to act as his secretary.她同意做他的秘书。
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The trees act as a source of shade and protection from the wind.这些树起到遮阴避风的作用。
6
[no object] : to make something happen : to have a particular effect起作用；见效 —
often + on — see also act on/upon (below)
act on/upon
[phrasal verb] act on/upon (something)
: to use (something, such as a feeling or suggestion) as a reason or basis for doing something按照…行事 -
They never acted on the information they had.他们从未根据了解到的信息采取行动。
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We were too late to act upon his suggestion.我们按照他的建议行事已为时太晚。
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It's okay to feel angry or jealous, but you mustn't act on those feelings.生气或嫉妒都可以，可你千万不要因此有所行动。
— see also 2act 6 (above)
act out
[phrasal verb] 1
a : to behave badly especially because you are feeling painful emotions (such as fear or anger)发泄；宣泄 b act out (something) or act (something) out : to show that you are feeling (a painful emotion) by acting in ways that are not good or acceptable用行动来发泄 2 act out (something) or act (something) out
a : to perform (a play, a character in a movie, etc.)（在戏剧、电影中）表演，演出 b : to do and say the things that happen in (a movie, past event, etc.)表演（电影、过往事件等的场景） -
At their last party, they acted out [=reenacted] scenes from old movies.在他们的上一次聚会上，他们表演了老电影中的几场戏。
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The children were acting out what they saw on television.孩子们把他们从电视上看到的又演了出来。
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adults acting out their childhood dreams/fantasies [=doing the things they wanted to do when they were children]实现孩提时梦想的成年人
act up
[phrasal verb] 1
: to behave badly : to act in a way that is not polite or acceptable淘气；捣蛋 2
of a machine : to not work properly（机器）发生故障 3
of a disease : to become worse and to start causing pain or physical problems（疾病）发作 -
His asthma acts up when it's cold outside.外面天气冷的话他的哮喘病就会发作。
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Whenever it rains, my arthritis starts acting up.只要一下雨，我的关节炎就会发作。