act

Act is a term with several distinct but related meanings across different domains. As a noun, an act is something performed—a deed or action. As a verb, to act means to take action or do something; to act can also imply pretending or performing.

In law, an act is a statute or piece of legislation enacted by a legislative body. It may originate as a bill and, after approval, becomes law; acts may be amended or repealed. The term is used to refer to specific laws, such as acts passed by a parliament or congress.

In performance arts, an act is a division of a play, opera, or show, typically containing multiple scenes. A play is usually structured into acts and scenes; acts provide organizational and narrative breaks and may indicate shifts in time, setting, or mood.

In theater and screenwriting structure, the three-act structure is a common framework: setup, confrontation, and resolution.

In religion, the Acts (The Acts of the Apostles) refer to a book in the New Testament that describes early Christian history and missionary work.

In education and assessment, ACT refers to a widely used standardized test in the United States for college admissions, testing English, math, reading, and science reasoning.