Act
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [1]
primarily signifies "caught in the act of theft" (epi, "upon," intensive, autos, "self," phor, "a thief"); then, "caught in the act" of any other crime, John 8:4 . In some texts the preposition epi is detached from the remainder of the adjective and appears as ep' autophoro.
signifies "an act of righteousness, a concrete expression of righteousness," as in the RV of Romans 5:18 , in reference to the Death of Christ; the AV wrongly renders it "the righteousness of One." The contrast is between the one trespass by Adam and the one act of Christ in His atoning Death. In Revelation 15:4; 19:8 , the word is used in the plural to signify, as in the RV, "righteous acts," respectively, of God and of the saints. See Judgment , Justification , Ordinance , Righteousness.
"to do, to practice," is translated "act" in the RV of Acts 17:7 (AV, "do"). See Commit , Do , Exact , Keep , Require , Use.
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(1): (v. i.) To behave or conduct, as in morals, private duties, or public offices; to bear or deport one's self; as, we know not why he has acted so.
(2): (v. i.) To perform on the stage; to represent a character.
(3): (n.) The result of public deliberation; the decision or determination of a legislative body, council, court of justice, etc.; a decree, edit, law, judgment, resolve, award; as, an act of Parliament, or of Congress.
(4): (v. t.) To assume the office or character of; to play; to personate; as, to act the hero.
(5): (v. t.) To move to action; to actuate; to animate.
(6): (v. t.) To perform; to execute; to do.
(7): (v. i.) To perform actions; to fulfill functions; to put forth energy; to move, as opposed to remaining at rest; to carry into effect a determination of the will.
(8): (v. i.) To exert power; to produce an effect; as, the stomach acts upon food.
(9): (v. t.) To feign or counterfeit; to simulate.
(10): (n.) That which is done or doing; the exercise of power, or the effect, of which power exerted is the cause; a performance; a deed.
(11): (v. t.) To perform, as an actor; to represent dramatically on the stage.
(12): (n.) A state of reality or real existence as opposed to a possibility or possible existence.
(13): (n.) Process of doing; action. In act, in the very doing; on the point of (doing).
(14): (n.) A formal solemn writing, expressing that something has been done.
(15): (n.) A performance of part of a play; one of the principal divisions of a play or dramatic work in which a certain definite part of the action is completed.
(16): (n.) A thesis maintained in public, in some English universities, by a candidate for a degree, or to show the proficiency of a student.
King James Dictionary [3]
ACT, Gr., Lat. to urge, drive, lead, bring, do, perform, or in general to move, to exert force.
1. To exert power as, the stomach acts upon food the will acts upon the body in producing motion. 2. To be in action or motion to move
He hangs between in doubt to act or rest.
3. To behave, demean, or conduct, as in morals, private duties, or public offices as, we know not why a minister has acted in this manner. But in this sense, it is most frequent in popular language as, how the man acts or has acted.
To act up to, is to equal in action to fulfil or perform a correspondent action as he has acted up to his engagement or his advantages.
