Reverse Dictionary: ACTOR

ADJECTIVES
► DEAD LETTER PERFECT of an actor: absolutely certain of your lines → 1952 UK sl. 

NOUNS
► CATCHWORD the last word of an actor’s speech, serving as a prompt to another actor to speak or take the stage; a cue → 1755 theatre usage

NOUNS – PERSON
► ACTING LADY an incapable or inferior actress → 1883 theatrical usage 
► ACTORINE an actress → 1896 Amer. sl. 
► ACTOR-MAN a male theatrical actor → 1774 obs. 
► ACTORVIST a politically involved actor → 1995 Amer. political sl. 
► ACTRICE an actress → 1589 obs. 
► ARK-FLOATER  a veteran actor → L19 sl. 
► BARNSTORMER an actor → 19C theatrical usage 
► BIG TIMER a Broadway actor; one who participates in big time activity → 1980 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► BIT PLAYER an actor with a very small acting role with few lines to speak; a person with a very small part in something → 1936 
► CABOTIN a low-class actor; a charlatan → 1903 
► CACKLE-FAKER an actor of utility parts → 1891 theatrical usage (Bk.)
► CACKLER an actor or showman who has a talking part → 1840 circus and showmen’s usage 
► CACKLING-COVE an actor → 1830 theatrical usage 
► CHEST-PLASTER a young actor → 1883 theatrical usage 
► COMEDY MERCHANT an actor → 19C theatrical usage 
► DAY PLAYER an actor who is called for a single day’s work on a television program or film set → 1988 US sl. 
► FACE ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR, THE an actor or actress cut out of a picture because, after the picture has been completed, it is found that the role is superfluous → 1920 film industry usage 
► FAKIR an actor → L19 US sl. 
► GAGGER an actor, a player → 1823 UK sl. 
► GAME-PLAYER an actor or athlete → 1952 UK sl. 
► GAMESTER an actor → 1596 obs.
► GENERAL UTILITY an actor used for any part → 1902 (Bk.)
► GEORGE SPELVIN a pseudonym used to hide the identity of an actor → 1908 chiefly US 
► GESTICULATOR an actor, one who uses gestures or gesticulations → 1693 
► GESTURER an actor, one who gestures → 1576 
► GLAM TOAST FROM GOLD COAST an actor, a movie star → 1945 jive usage (Bk.)
► GLAMOUR GIRL a glamorous, attractive young woman, esp. a model or film star → 1935 colloq. 
► HAM an actor who overacts → 1882 sl. 
► HAM ACTOR an ineffective or over-emphatic actor; one who rants or overacts → 1911 sl. 
► HAM ACTRESS an ineffective or over-emphatic actress; one who rants or overacts → 1911 sl. 
► HAMBO an untalented actor or variety performer, esp. one given to overacting → 1926 US sl. 
► HAMBONE an inferior or amateur actor, esp. one who speaks in a spurious Black accent → 1949 US sl. 
► HAMFATTER an ineffective actor or performer → 1880 US sl. 
► HAMFATTO an ineffective actor or performer → 1911 US sl. 
► HAMOLA an untalented actor or variety performer, esp. one given to overacting → 1941 US theatrical sl. 
► HAM-SLINGER a ranting actor; a second-rate actor → 1930 obs. 
► HAND an actor, artist, musician, writer, etc., as the performer or originator of a work → 1587 
► HEAVY an actor playing a serious or tragic part in a melodrama; occasionally used of an actress → 1877 US sl. 
► HEAVY MAN an actor playing a serious or tragic part in a melodrama → 1859 US sl. 
► HEAVY MERCHANT an actor playing a serious or tragic part in a melodrama → 1909 sl. (Bk.)
► HIS HAMLETS an amateur actor of talent, or of leading parts → 1917 Amer. students’ sl. (Bk.)
► HISTRIO an actor, a stage-player → 1589 
► HISTRION an actor, a stage-player → 1566 now usually contemptuous usage 
► HISTRIONIAN an actor → 1607 
► HISTRIONIC an actor, a stage-player → 1647 obs. 
► JAY a poor actor; an amateur → 1896 theatrical sl. (Bk.)
► LAKER an actor, a player → 1808 Eng. dial. 
► LUVVIE ► LUVVIE-DARLING ► LUVVY an actor of either sex, esp. one given to public extravagance or theatrical gesture; an actor who is considered intensely serious about theatre work → 1988 UK colloq., gently derogatory 
► MILK MAN an actor who steals more bows than the applause warranted at the finish → 1926 US sl., Vaudeville usage
► MONOLOGIST an actor in a monologue → 1858 
► MOVIE QUEEN a successful or glamorous film actress → 1914 
► MUG-FAKER an actor → 19C theatrical usage 
► MUGGER an actor who makes free play with his face → 19C theatrical usage 
► MUMMER an actor, esp. a bad one → 1773 theatrical sl.
► MUMMERY-COVE an actor → 19C theatrical usage 
► MUTE an actor who performs in mime → 1579 theatre usage, obs.
► PASH FLAP a young girl with a sentimental admiration for actors → 1934 US theatrical sl. (Bk.)
► POMPING FOLK people involved in acting; esp. itinerant players → 1968 
► PRO an actor → 19C theatrical usage 
► PROTAGONIST a leading actor in Greek dramas → 1671 
► PUPPET a person who impersonates another; an actor, esp. an inferior one → 1592 obs.
► RAG-AND-STICK a contemptuous epithet applied to an actor → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► ROSCIUS a Roman comedian; hence, an actor, usually one of outstanding ability or success → 1600 
► RUMPOT HAM an actor → 1930 Amer. dial. 
► SCAFFOLD-PLAYER an actor in a scaffold-play (mystery play) → 1559 obs. 
► SOUBRETTE an actress playing a young woman, esp. a flirtatious lady’s maid in a comedy or comic opera → 1753 
► SPEAR-CARRIER an actor who appears in the background or only plays minor roles → 1984 UK sl. 
► STROLLER an actor → 19C theatrical usage 
► STROLLING-PLAYER an itinerant actor → 1652 
► SUPERNUMERARY a person outside a regular acting company who is employed to appear on stage in a non-speaking role; an extra → 1755 
► SURF an actor → 19C theatrical usage 
► TAG an actor → M19 sl. 
► TALENT, THE the actors; the performers → 1991 US sl., entertainment industry
► TEAR BUCKET a dramatic actress → 1945 jive usage (Bk.)
► TEAR-JERKER an actor or speaker able to elicit sympathy from his audience → 1935 Amer. sl. 
► TEAR-MOUTH a ranting actor → 1601 obs. 
► THESPIAN an actor or actress → 1827 
► TRAGEDY MERCHANT an actor → 19C theatrical usage 
► TROUPER an actor or other performer having considerable experience → 1890 
► WALKING GENTLEMAN an actor playing a part requiring gentlemanlike appearance, but with little or nothing to say → 1769 theatrical usage 
► WALKING LADY an actress playing a part requiring gentlemanlike appearance, but with little or nothing to say → 1860 theatrical usage 

PHRASES
► COME DOWN FROM THE FLIES addressed to an actor or actress with a tendency to self-inflation over a minor success → 20C theatrical usage
► ON THE ACT working as an actor → L19 sl. 

VERBS
► CORPSE to confuse an actor in the performance of his or her part; to spoil a scene or piece of acting by some blunder → 1859 actors’ sl.
► GET THE BIG BIRD ► GET THE BIRD of an actor: to be hissed by the audience; hence, to be dismissed → 1865 sl. 
► PONG of an actor: to amplify or expand the text of a part; to speak loudly, to project, to declaim → 1893 theatre sl.