act
gb/ˈækt/ us/ˈækt/
A2
English
~ 700
cselekszik, lép, játszik, szerepel, törvény, cselekedet, cselekmény, tett, felvonás
VERB
A2
1
cselekszik
B1
lép
B1
Usage pattern:
to act [in a way]
You need to act quickly if you want to help.
Gyorsan kell cselekedned, ha segíteni akarsz.
The government must act to protect the environment.
A kormánynak lépnie kell a környezet védelme érdekében.
She acted without thinking about the consequences.
We should act responsibly during emergencies.
Learner examples
I must act now to help.
Most kell cselekednem, hogy segítsek.
He acted to stop the fire.
Lépett, hogy megfékezze a tüzet.
They act when they see danger.
We should act to save the animals.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'act' with 'play' in the sense of performing in a theater or movie; context determines meaning.
Meaning
Do something intentionally
Collocations
act quickly
|act responsibly
|act decisively
|act immediately
|act accordingly
Synonyms
do (A very general term for performing an action, less formal than 'act'.)
Antonyms
refrain (Means to deliberately not take action.)
Themes
daily life
|behavior
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To do something for a reason or because of a situation.
To perform an action, especially deliberately, to achieve a result or respond to a situation.
VERB
A2
2
Usage pattern:
to act [as/like a character]
He acted in several blockbuster films.
Több nagy sikerű filmben is szerepelt.
She is acting in a new stage production.
Egy új színpadi előadásban játszik.
They acted out the scene beautifully.
Learner examples
I want to act in movies.
Filmekben szeretnék játszani.
She acts on the stage every week.
Minden héten színpadon játszik.
He acts as the main hero.
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'act' with 'react'; 'act' here means to perform for an audience.
Meaning
Perform as a character
Collocations
act in a movie
|act on stage
|act the part
|act as Hamlet
Synonyms
perform (General term for presenting a role or work to an audience.)
Antonyms
direct (The opposite role in production—guiding rather than performing.)
Themes
arts
|entertainment
|arts_entertainment
Definition
To play a role in a movie, TV show, or play.
To portray a character in a play, film, television show, or other performance.
NOUN
B1
3
törvény
B1
The Act was passed by Parliament last year.
A törvényt tavaly fogadta el a parlament.
This is illegal under the new Act.
Ez az új törvény értelmében tilos.
The Act protects workers’ rights.
Learner examples
The Act says we must wear seat belts.
A törvény kimondja, hogy be kell kötnünk a biztonsági övet.
This Act helps poor families.
Ez a törvény segíti a szegény családokat.
The Act is new this year.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'act' with 'action'; an 'act' here is a legal document, not just any deed.
Meaning
Law made by government
Collocations
pass an act
|under the act
|according to the act
Synonyms
statute (A formal legal term for a written law.)
Antonyms
custom (An unwritten rule based on tradition rather than formal law.)
Themes
law
|government
|politics
Definition
A law made by the government and written down officially.
A formal written law passed by a legislative body.
NOUN
B1
4
It was an act of great bravery.
Nagy bátorságról tanúskodó tett volt.
Stealing is a criminal act.
A lopás bűncselekmény.
Helping her was an act of kindness.
Learner examples
It was an act of love.
Szeretetből fakadó cselekedet volt.
That was a bad act.
Ez rossz cselekedet volt.
He did an act of kindness.
Meaning
Single deed or action
Collocations
a kind act
|an act of kindness
|criminal act
Synonyms
deed (Often more formal or literary than 'act'.)
Antonyms
inaction (Failure to do anything when action is expected.)
Themes
behavior
|core_vocabulary
|law
Definition
One thing that a person does, often judged as good or bad.
A single deed, especially one that has moral or legal importance.
NOUN
A2
5
felvonás
B2
The first act ends with a dramatic scene.
Az első felvonás egy drámai jelenettel ér véget.
There are three acts in this play.
Ebben a darabban három felvonás van.
The second act is my favorite.
Learner examples
The first act was very short.
Az első felvonás nagyon rövid volt.
Act two is funny.
A második felvonás vicces.
The last act made me cry.
Meaning
Part of a play or show
Collocations
first act
|final act
|two-act play
Synonyms
section (A general term for any part of something; less specific to performance.)
Themes
arts
|arts_entertainment
|education
Definition
A main part of a play or show, usually with several scenes.
One of the main divisions of a play, opera, or other performance.
Grammar
Dictionary form
act
IPA
GB/ˈækt/
US/ˈækt/
Syllables & stress
act (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (act)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: act
- 3rd Person Singular: acts
- Present Participle: acting
- Past: acted
Word family
Forms
acts
verb
acting
verb
acted
verb
Negative and opposite forms
inactive
adjective B1
inactivity
noun
Advanced or less common
Expressions
act on
1/ˈækt ˈɔn/
phrasal verb
Take action based on advice/info
To do something because of advice, information, or instructions you got.
Examples
- The police acted on the tip they received.
- She is acting on her doctor’s advice.
act out
1/ˈækt ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
Perform or express through actions
To show something by acting it like in a play, or to show feelings by behaving badly instead of talking about them.
Examples
- The students acted out the story in class.
- He’s been acting out since his parents divorced.
act up
1/ˈækt ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
informal
Misbehave or malfunction
To not work properly or to behave badly.
Examples
- My car is acting up again and won’t start.
- The children started acting up during dinner.
catch someone in the act
1/kˈæt͡ʃ sˈʌmwˌʌn ˈɪn ðə ˈækt/
idiom
See someone doing wrong thing
To see someone doing something bad or illegal at the moment it happens.
Examples
- The police caught him in the act of stealing the car.
- I caught her in the act of cheating on the test.
get your act together
1/ɡˈɛt jˈʊɹ ˈækt təɡˈɛðɚ/
idiom
informal
Organize and improve behavior/work
To become organized and start working well or behaving correctly.
Examples
- If you want to pass the exam, you need to get your act together.
- He finally got his act together and found a job.