• ACT
n. 1. 1709 obs. – a burning of heretics
n. 2. L19 sl., orig. US – a routine, a way of behaving, a performance
n. 3. 1934 – an instance of insincere behaviour; a display of pretended feeling; an affected pretense
n. 4. 1940s US criminals’ sl. – cross-examination of a prisoner
n. 5. 1940s Aust. sl. – pretended illness or ill-temper
n. 6. Amer. sl. – a dramatic mimicking
n. 7. 1991 US sl. – the disguise and staged personality assumed by an expert card counter playing blackjack in a casino in the hope of avoiding detection and ejection
vb. 1. c1475 obs. – to put in motion, to move to action, to impel; to actuate, to influence, to animate
vb. 2. 1594 obs. – to bring into action, to bring about, to produce, to perform, to work, to do a thing or process
• THE ACT
n. 1532 euphemism – copulation; sexual intercourse
• ACTABLE
adj. 1966 Amer. dial. – active, capable of lively activity
• ACTAEON; ACTEON
n. 1. 1567 rare and arch. – a cuckold; the husband of an unfaithful wife
n. 2. Bk1922 – a hunter
vb. 1582 obs. – to cuckold
• ACT AS IF ONE’S KNICKERS WERE ON FIRE
vb. 1960s sl. – to panic, to behave hysterically
• ACT-ASS
n. 1970 Amer. dial. – one who gives rude answers, a smart-alec, a show-off, a braggart
• ACTATIVE
n. 1605 obs. rare – ? a thing that animates or energizes
• ACT CATCHER
n. Bk1942 Amer. theatre sl. – a drama critic
• ACT CUTE
vb. 2002 Singapore sl. – to behave in an annoyingly adorable fashion
• ACTEON
n. 1567 rare and arch. – a cuckold
• ACTEON’S BADGE
n. 1596 sl. – the stigma of cuckoldom
• ACTING DICKY
n. Bk1921 sl. – a man acting in the name of an enrolled solicitor
• ACTING GADGET
n. Bk1944 services’ sl. – acting corporal
• ACTING JACK
n. 1. 1917 US, Korean war usage – a lance sergeant
n. 2. 1942 US sl. – a soldier temporarily appointed to higher rank, esp. to serve as platoon leader in basic training
• ACTING LADY
n. 1883 colloq., theatre usage – an incapable or inferior actress
• ACTING OVER
n. 1646 – a re-enacting, repetition
• ACTION
n. 1. 1533 obs. – a proposition, motion, or question for discussion
n. 2. 1540 obs. – acting of plays, performance
n. 3. 1579 obs. – a military engagement, a battle
n. 4. 1662 obs. – a share in a joint-stock company
n. 5. 1679 obs. rare – a theatrical performance; a play
n. 6. 1885 US sl. – in betting; gambling; a crap game or other game of chance
n. 7. 1913 US sl. – in pool: spin imparted on the cue ball to affect the course of the object ball or the cue ball after striking the object ball
n. 8. 1920s sl., orig. African-American – what is going on or happening; thus a situation or state of affairs, anything exciting, current, interesting, depending on the context, e.g. the chance for sex, a musical performance, a night’s gambling
n. 9. c1930 – coition; sexual activity; intrigue with the opposite sex
n. 10. 1950s Amer. sl. – a party or gathering; excitement, activity in general; whatever is happening
n. 11. 1951 criminals’ sl. – acts of crime; commerce in drugs; illegal activity
n. 12. 1952 sl. – the potential client for a prostitute; a victim of a confidence trick, etc.
n. 13. 1950s sl. – in gambling: the total amount that a gambler will bet
n. 14. 1950s US sl. – one’s choice, one’s preference
n. 15. 1960s sl. – the effects of a drug
n. 16. 1969 US sl. – a revolver
n. 17. 1960s sl. – manipulations, activities, esp. when illegal or corrupt
n. 18. 1960s drugs sl.- the current availability of drugs and the best place to obtain them
n. 19. 1963 sl., orig. African-American – a woman
n. 20. 1970s US African-American sl. – a look, a smile, a verbal response
n. 21. 1971 US sl. – a political act, often confrontational or violent
n. 22. 1990 US sl. – in pool: a game played with wagers
n. 23. 1990s Aust. prison sl. – homosexuality
n. 24. 1991 US sl. – the amount that a gambler is willing to bet
• ACTIONABILITY
n. 1820 – the fact of giving cause for legal action
• ACTIONABLE
adj. 1. a1601 – giving cause for legal action
adj. 2. 1913 – able to be acted upon; useful, practical
• ACTIONARY
n. 1728 obs. – a share-holder in a joint-stock company
• ACTION BEAVER
n. 1974 US sl. – a film featuring full nudity and sexual activity short of intercourse
• ACTION CITY
n. Bk1970 US sl., derogatory – Las Cruces, New Mexico
• ACTIONER
n. 1. 1825 obs. rare – a shareholder
n. 2. 1881 obs. rare – an artisan who makes the action of an instrument, as of a gun, piano, etc.
n. 3. 1940 colloq. – an action film
• ACTION FACTION
n. 1968 US sl. – a subset of the political left that advocated forceful, confrontational tactics
• ACTIONIST
n. 1. 1720 obs. – a shareholder in a joint-stock company; one who owns actions
n. 2. 1812 – a person who believes in action; one who takes action
• ACTIONIZE
vb. 1. 1614 – to act upon; to put into action
vb. 2. 1872 obs. rare – to bring a legal action against; to sue
• ACTION ON A SOLID HALF TRACTION; ACTION ON THE SOLID HALF TRACTION
phr. 1940s African-American sl. – ready for anything
• ACTION ON TRACTION
n. Bk1947 Amer. sl. – speed
• ACTION-PACKED
adj. 1924 – full of action or excitement
• ACTION PIECE
n. 1. 1960s African-American sl. – a pistol, a revolver, a shotgun
n. 2. 1983 African-American sl. – a woman
• ACTION PLAYER
n. Bk1998 sl. – a gambler who bets heavily and, often, unwisely
• ACTION ROOM
n. 1. 1972 US sl. – a pool hall where betting is common
n. 2. 1972 US sl. – a place where betting and gambling take place
• ACTION-TAKING
adj. 1608 obs. rare – prone to taking legal action; litigious
• ACTIOUS
adj. 1441 rare – abounding in or giving rise to action; active, energetic, brisk
• ACTITATION
n. 1. 1661 obs. rare – debating of lawsuits
n. 2 1755 obs. rare – rapid frequent action
• ACTIVABLE
adj. 1606 obs. – excitable, active
• ACTIVATED
adj. Bk2000 Amer. sl. – tipsy; alcohol intoxicated
• ACTIVE
n. 1. a1425 – a person devoted to the active life, esp. a member of an active religious order; an active person
n. 2. 1840 chiefly US – a member of the military in active service
n. 3. 1931 chiefly baseball and American football usage – in sports: a player on a team who is eligible to play in a given game or season
n. 4. Bk1984 UK police sl. – an enthusiastic and efficient officer
vb. 1620 – to make active; to activate
• ACTIVE CITIZEN
n. 1. E19 sl. – a louse
n. 2. E19 sl. – a flea
n. 3. Bk1992 criminals’ sl. obs. – a law-abiding person
• ACTIVE PARTNER
n. Bk1972 homosexual sl. – a homosexual who is the active participant in anal intercourse
• ACTIVE SERVICE
n. Bk1916 sl. – the woman uppermost in an act of coition
• ACTIVE SODOMIST
n. 19C sl. – an active homosexual
• ACTIVISTIC
adj. 1907 – active; activist
• ACTIVITY
n. 1542 obs. – physical exercise, gymnastics, athletics
• ACTIVITY BOOSTER
n. M20 US drugs sl. – an amphetamine tablet
• ACTIVO-PASSIVE
adj. 1860 obs. rare – characterized by both activity and passivity
• ACTLESS
adj. 1654 rare – without action, inactive
• ACT LIKE A TEE HEE’S NEST WITH A HAW HAW’S EGG IN IT
vb. 1958 Amer. dial. – to act laughably
• ACT LIKE ONE’S SHIT (DOESN’T) DON’T SMELL
vb. 1960s sl., orig. US – to behave affectedly and in an arrogant manner
• ACT LIKE ONE’S SHIT (DOESN’T) DON’T STINK
vb. 1960s sl., orig. US – to behave affectedly and in an arrogant manner
• ACT LIKE SANCHO
vb. 1869 Amer. dial. – of a child: to act in an unruly or mischievous way; to misbehave
• ACT LIKE SHIT WOULDN’T MELT IN ONE’S MOUTH
vb. 1960s sl., orig. US – to behave affectedly and in an arrogant manner
• ACT LIKE THE DEAD LICE ARE DROPPING OFF ONE
vb. c1960 Amer. dial. – to be inactive, slow, or lethargic
• ACT OF ANDROGYNATION
n. M17 euphemism – copulation
• ACT OF DARKNESS
n. Shakespeare euphemism – copulation
• ACT OF GENERATION
n. L19 Brit. euphemism – copulation
• ACT OF GRACE
n. 1638 – a formal pardon
• ACT OF KIND
n. 19C Brit. euphemism – copulation
• ACT OF LOVE
n. 1638 Brit. euphemism – copulation
• ACT OF PARLIAMENT
n. Bk1921 sl. – small beer, five pints of which, by an act of Parliament, a landlord was formerly obliged to give gratis to each soldier billeted upon him
• ACT OF SHAME
n. Shakespeare usage – an act of copulation
• ACT OF SPORT
n. L19 Brit. euphemism – copulation
• ACT ONE’S BUTT OFF
1960s sl., orig. US – to work very hard
• ACTOR
n. 1. a1325 obs. – in law: a person who instigates or is involved in a legal action; a plaintiff or complainant; in Roman History: a public prosecutor; an advocate in civil cases
n. 2. 1382 obs. – a manager, overseer, agent, or factor
n. 3. c1384 obs. – a guardian, a steward; a person who acts on behalf of another
n. 4. 1413 obs. – a pleader; he who conducts an action at law; the plaintiff or complainant; an advocate in civil cases; a public prosecutor
n. 5. c1425 – a person who performs or takes part in an action; a doer, an agent
n. 6. 1844 African-American sl. – anyone out to deceive or project a phony image; a con-man; a liar
n. 7. 1964 US sl. – a troublemaker
n. 8. 20C Amer. sl. – an athlete who is good at pretending he has been hurt or fouled, esp. a baseball player who very convincingly mimes the pain of being hit by a pitch
• ACTORINE
n. 1892 Amer. sl. rare – an actress
• ACTORISH
adj. 1941 – characteristic of a dramatic actor; affectedly theatrical
• ACTORLY
adj. 1957 – characteristic of a dramatic actor; affectedly theatrical
• ACTOR-MAN
n. 1774 rare – a male theatrical actor
• ACTORNEY
n. 1713 Sc. obs. – an attorney
• ACTOR-PROOF
adj. 1973 US sl. – denoting a part in a play or performance so well written than no amount of bad acting can ruin it
• ACTOR’S BIBLE
n. 1981 US sl. – Variety magazine
• ACTOR’S REACH
n. 1999 US sl. – a seemingly sincere effort to pay for your meal when eating in a group at a restaurant, masking a secret hope that someone else will pay
• ACTORVIST
n. 1995 Amer. political sl. – a politically involved actor
• ACTORY
adj. 1917 – characteristic of a dramatic actor; affectedly theatrical
• ACT POSSUM
vb. 1844 US sl. obs. – to feign; to pretend to be ill or dead
• ACTRESS
n. 1. 1586 rare – a woman who performs an action; a female doer or actor
n. 2. 1917 euphemism – a prostitute
n. 3. Bk1972 US homosexual sl. – an egocentric show-off, who is nonetheless amusing and witty; a homosexual who hogs the limelight
• ACTRESSY
adj. 1893 – characteristic of an actress; affectedly theatrical
• ACTRICE
n. 1589 obs. – an actress
• ACT THE ANGORA
vb. 1942 Aust. & NZ sl. – to play the fool
• ACT THE GIDDY GOAT
vb. L19 sl. – to behave foolishly
• ACT THE GOAT
vb. L19 sl. – to behave foolishly
• ACT THE HOG
vb. 1. 1900s sl. – to play the fool
vb. 2. 1940s sl. – to malfunction
• ACT THE JINNIT
vb. 20C Irish sl. – to play the fool; to act irrationally
• ACT THE LINNET
vb. 20C Irish sl. – to flirt
• ACT THE MAGGOT
vb. 1937 Irish sl. – to play the fool
• ACT THE MOHAWK
vb. 1960s Irish sl. – to misbehave
• ACT THE MONKEY
vb. 1. 1900s sl. – to play the fool
vb. 2. 1940s sl. – to malfunction
• ACT THE NIGGER
vb. 1. M19 US sl., derogatory – to play the fool
vb. 2. M19 US African-American sl. – to act in a manner White racists expect of Black people, i.e. foolish, subservient, clownish
• ACT THE PRICK
vb. 1980s sl. – to behave foolishly
• ACT THE WET DOG
vb. L19 US sl. – to make a fuss, to complain
• ACTUABILITY
n. 1682 rare – capability of being acted upon or actuated
• ACTUAL
adj. 1. c1315 obs. – pert. to acts; exhibited in deeds; practical, active, doing
adj. 2. 1470-85 obs. rare – abounding in action; active, energetic, vigorous
n. 1. 1856 sl. – money
n. 2. 1991 US sl. – in the Vietnam war: a unit commander
• THE ACTUAL
n. 1. 1832 – that which is actual or real; actuality, reality
n. 2. 1856 sl. – money, especially cash
• ACTUALISTIC
adj. 1857 – representative of reality, realistic
• ACTUALITY
n. 1398 obs. – capacity of action, activity, effective power
• ACTUALIZE
vb. 1. 1809 – to make actual or real; to carry out in practice
vb. 2. 1848 rare – to represent or describe realistically
• ACTUALLY
adv. 1. c1449 obs. – in a way that is characterized by doing; with deeds; practically, actively
adv. 2. 1470-85 obs. – actively, energetically
adv. 3. 1663 rare – at present; currently; for the time being
• ACTUALNESS
n. 1. 1398 obs. – active working or operation, activity
n. 2. 1668 – the quality of being actual or real; actuality
• ACTUARY
n. 1. 1553 – a registrar, a clerk; a notary; an officer who records the acts of a court
n. 2. 1769 rare – the managing secretary or accountant of a society or public company
n. 3. 1772 – a person who compiles and analyses statistics of mortality, accidents, etc. and uses them or calculate insurance risks and premiums
n. 4. 1816 rare – a senior official in a savings bank, esp. one who manages the deposits
n. 5. 1971 US sl. – in an illegal betting operation: an oddsmaker
• ACTUATE
adj. 1663 obs. – carried out in action; realized in fact
vb. 1. 1596 obs. – to reduce to a action; to carry out in practice, to perform a command, proposition, etc.
vb. 2. 1603 obs. – to render active, to stir into activity; to stir up, to arouse, to excite
vb. 3. 1642 arch. – to inspire with active properties, to quicken, to enliven, to vivify
• ACTUATION
n. 1. 1623 – enactment, fulfilment
n. 2 1629 – the act of stimulating, animating, or enlivening
• ACTUATOR
n. 1652 – a person who or a thing which actuates something; specifically, God, regarded as the motive force of the universe
• ACTUOSE
adj. 1677 – full of activity; abounding in action; very active
• ACTUOSITY
n. 1660 – abounding activity; energy
• ACTUOUS
adj. 1626 obs. – full of activity; abounding in action; very active
• ACT-UP
adj. 2000s UK Black British & teen sl. – aggressive
vb. 1. 20C sl. – (as ‘act up’) to cause someone trouble
vb. 2. 1903 sl. – (as ‘act up’) to make a fuss in order to attract attention to oneself; to misbehave badly or improperly, esp. to impress
• ACTURE
n. 1593 obs. rare – the process of acting; action, doing
• ACTURIENCE
n. a1866 rare – desire to act
• ACT YOUR AGE!
int. 1920s sl., orig. US – a term of contempt based on condemning someone who the speaker considers is acting childishly
• ACT YOUR AGE NOT YOUR SHOE SIZE
int. 1920s sl., orig. US – a term of contempt based on condemning someone who the speaker considers is acting childishly
vb. 1986 US sl. – to behave in a manner appropriate to your years
• ACUATE
adj. 1471 – sharpened, sharp-pointed
vb. 1542 obs. – to make sharp or pungent; to sharpen
• ACUATING
n. 1678 obs. – the act of sharpening
• ACUATION
n. a1655 rare – sharpening, rendering acute
• ACUITION
n. c1458 rare – the act of sharpening or increasing the strength of something
• ACUITY
n. 1. 1543 – sharpness, acuteness, as of a needle, a disease, an acid, wit
n. 2. 1549 – sharpness or keenness of thought, understanding, or feeling; perceptiveness, shrewdness
• ACULEATE
adj. 1605 – pointed, incisive, stinging
• ACULEATED
adj. 1655 rare – of speech or thought: pointed; incisive, keen, pungent
• ACULEATION
n. 1870 rare – the state of being sharpened or pointed
• ACULEUS
n. a1612 obs. rare – a feeling of compunction; a sting or pang
• ACULTOMANCY
n. Bk2003 – divination using needles
• ACUMBLE
vb. a1325 obs. – to benumb
• ACUMINATE
adj. 1654 obs. rare – having acumen, sharp-witted
n. 1640 obs. rare – a pointed form
vb. 1. 1611 – to sharpen, to make pointed; to give poignancy or keenness to
vb. 2. 1641 obs. rare – to rise or taper to a point
• ACUMINATED
adj. 1833 – of speech: sharp, pointed, stinging
• ACUMINATION
n. 1. 1659 – the product of sharpening; a tapering point
n. 2. 1837 – the act of sharpening or bringing to a point
• ACUMINOUS
adj. 1618 – distinguished by acumen; acute, sharp, shrewd
• ACUPICTION
n. 1663 obs. – an embroidering, or as it were painting with a needle
• ACUPICTOR
n. Bk1717 – an embroiderer, a needle-worker
• ACUPINGE
vb. 1612 obs. rare – to embroider
• ACUPUNCTUATE
vb. 1830 rare – to prick with a needle or pin; to administer acupuncture to
• ACUPUNCTUATION
n. 1821 rare – acupuncture
• ACUPUNCTURATION
n. 1743 – acupuncture
• ACUSHLA
n. 1825 Irish – a form of address, darling, dear heart; a term of endearment
• ACUTANGULAR
adj. 1658 – having acute angles
• ACUTE
adj. 1620 – of tastes or odours: sharp, pungent
vb. 1. 1504 obs. rare – to rise to a high pitch
vb. 2. 1637 obs. rare – to sharpen or quicken a quality; to make more active or intense
• ACUTENESS
n. 1659 rare – shrillness, high pitch
• ACUTIANGLE
adj. 1571 obs. rare – acute-angled
• ACUTITION
n. 1737 obs. rare – the act of sharpening or increasing the strength of something; formerly also sharpness
• ACYROLOGICAL
adj. 1623 rare – incorrect in use of words
n. 1626 rare – an improper speech
• ACYROLOGICALLY
adv. 1651 obs. rare – incorrectly as to use of words
• ACYROLOGY
n. 1577 rare – incorrect use of language or words; improper speech
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Lexicophilia 