act out

act out
verb
1. represent an incident, state, or emotion by action, especially on stage (Freq. 1)
-

She could act neurotic anxiety

• Hypernyms: ↑act, ↑play, ↑represent
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

2. act out; represent or perform as if in a play (Freq. 1)
-

She reenacted what had happened earlier that day

• Syn: ↑enact, ↑reenact
• Derivationally related forms: ↑enactment (for: ↑enact)
• Hypernyms: ↑act, ↑play, ↑represent
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

* * *

misbehave, esp. when unhappy or stressed

many children who act out while awaiting placement in a health care facility end up in juvenile detention

* * *

act out [phrasal verb]
1 a : to behave badly especially because you are feeling painful emotions (such as fear or anger)

What can parents do when their kids start acting out?

1 b act out (something) or act (something) out : to show that you are feeling (a painful emotion) by acting in ways that are not good or acceptable

children acting out their emotions in inappropriate ways

He tries not to act out his anger/frustrations.

2 act out (something) or act (something) out
2 a : to perform (a play, a character in a movie, etc.)

plays acted out on stage

She skillfully acted out the role of a young queen.

2 b : to do and say the things that happen in (a movie, past event, etc.)

At their last party, they acted out [=reenacted] scenes from old movies.

The children were acting out what they saw on television.

adults acting out their childhood dreams/fantasies [=doing the things they wanted to do when they were children]

• • •
Main Entry: ↑act

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • act out — {v.} 1. To show an idea, story, or happening by your looks, talk, and movements. * /He tried to act out a story that he had read./ 2. To put into action. * /All his life he tried to act out his beliefs./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • act out — {v.} 1. To show an idea, story, or happening by your looks, talk, and movements. * /He tried to act out a story that he had read./ 2. To put into action. * /All his life he tried to act out his beliefs./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • act out — ( )akt au̇t vt to express (as an impulse or a fantasy) directly in overt behavior without modification to comply with social norms <act out an adolescent fantasy> vi to behave badly or in a socially unacceptable often self defeating manner… …   Medical dictionary

  • act out — index impersonate Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • act out — phrasal verb [transitive] Word forms act out : present tense I/you/we/they act out he/she/it acts out present participle acting out past tense acted out past participle acted out 1) to show the events that happened in a situation by doing them… …   English dictionary

  • act out — verb Date: 1611 transitive verb 1. a. to represent in action < children act out what they read > b. to translate into action < unwilling to act out their beliefs > 2. to express (as an …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • act out — verb a) To go through the process of a scene from a play, a charade or a pointless exercise. Despite already being aware, he will act out the pretence of a surprise. b) To express ones feelings through disruptive actions. I know youre angry, but… …   Wiktionary

  • act\ out — v 1. To show an idea, story, or happening by your looks, talk, and movements. He tried to act out a story that he had read. 2. To put into action. All his life he tried to act out his beliefs …   Словарь американских идиом

  • act out — PHRASAL VERB If you act out an event which has happened, you copy the actions which took place and make them into a play. [V P n (not pron)] The group acts out the stories in such a way that the members experience really being there. [Also V n P] …   English dictionary

  • act out — to behave badly because you are unhappy or upset. These kids are very angry and act out because their lives are a mess. Etymology: based on the idea of acting out a story (= telling a story through physical actions) …   New idioms dictionary

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