Reverse Dictionary: ACTOR

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

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

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

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

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