action replay 12
**action** 'replay BrE || **instant replay** AmE — n a recording of a piece of action on television, especially in a game of sport, that is shown again immediately after it happens
**'action** ,stations also **battle stations** AmE — interj (an order to soldiers, sailors etc to take up positions ready for battle or other urgent action)
**ac·tiv·ate** /'æktiveit/ v [T] 1 to make (especially an electrical system) active; bring into use: *Treading on any part of this floor activates the alarm system.* 2 tech to cause (a chemical action) to happen more quickly, as by heating 3 tech to make (something) RADIOACTIVE 4 tech to make (SEWAGE) pure by passing air through it. —**ation** /,æktiverən/ n [U]
**ac·tive**¹ /'æktv/ adj 1 doing things or always ready to do things; able or ready to take action: *Although he's over 80 he's still very active.* | *an active member of the club who goes to every meeting* | *soldiers who are abroad on active service (=actually fighting)* 2 able to produce the typical effects or act in the typical way: *an active volcano* | *Don't touch it! The bomb mechanism is still active!* → opposite INACTIVE 3 [no comp.] tech (of a verb or sentence) having the person or thing doing the action as the subject. *In The boy kicked the ball 'kicked' is an active verb.* → compare PASSIVE¹ 4 active duty AmE (in the military) full-time employment by the armed forces, as compared with RETIREMENT: *He's still on active duty.* —ly adv
**active**² also **active 'voice** n tech [the+S] the active form of a verb: '*The boy kicked the ball*' is in the active. → compare PASSIVE²
**ac·tiv·ist** /'æktivst/ n sometimes derog a person taking a very active part, especially in a political movement: *party activists*
**ac·tiv·i·ty** /æk'tiviəti/ n, 1 [U] movement or action: *There's been a lot of activity in the town centre today.* | *a sudden rush/flurry of activity on the stock market* | *political/industrial activity* → opposite INACTIVITY 2 [C often pl.] something that is done or is being done, especially for interest or pleasure: *The centre provides facilities for a whole range of leisure activities.* | *classroom activities* | *a government that supports terrorist activities*
**act of** 'God n pl. **acts of God** a natural event such as a violent storm or flood, which can be neither prevented nor controlled. Acts of God sometimes change the conditions of certain business contracts or insurance policies (POLICY).
**Act of** 'Parliament n a law that has been officially accepted by a parliament, especially the British Parliament. Before a law becomes an 'Act', when it is still being discussed, it is called a 'bill'.
**Act of** 'Union, the 1 the agreement that joined the parliaments of England and Scotland in 1707 2 the agreement that ended the Irish parliament in 1800 and made Ireland part of the United Kingdom in 1801
**act of** 'worship n pl. **acts of worship** an example of the way in which followers of any given religion pay their respects to their god or gods
**ac·tor** /'æktə/ n a person who acts in a play or film or on television: *a good actor*
**'Actors** ',Studio a school in New York that trains actors, which is famous for teaching METHOD acting and for influencing actors such as Marlon BRANDO and James DEAN
**ac·tress** /'æktris/ n 1 a woman who acts in a play or film or on television 2 as the actress said to the bishop BrE (a phrase said when someone has said something that could be understood as completely harmless, but which could be understood as talking about sex)
**ac·tu·al** /'æktʃuəl/ adj [A no comp.] existing as a real fact: *He forecast that the repairs would cost £2000, but the actual cost was a lot less.* *In actual fact (=really) it was quite cheap.* | *He told the newspapermen about the conversation, but would not play them the actual tape of it.* | *No, I'm not joking; those were her actual words.* | *a survey of the problems, both actual and potential* | *a big difference between the opinion polls and the actual election results*
**ac·tu·al·i·ty** /ækt fu'æliti/ n fml 1 [U] the state of being real; existence 2 [C usually pl.] something that is real; a fact
**ac·tu·al·ly** /'æktʃuəli, -tʃǝli/ adv 1 in actual fact; really: *She says it's a good film, though she hasn't actually seen it.* | *Yes, I know he looks very young, but he's actually 45.* | (showing surprise) *He not only invited me in but he actually offered me a drink!* | *For the first time in years, the rate of inflation has actually fallen.* 2 (used in conversation, sometimes when one is disagreeing or complaining, but often without any real meaning): *You actually owe me a little more than this.* | '*Yes, she's very nice.*' '*Well, actually, I don't like her very much.*' | *Perhaps I will stay up and watch the film. Actually, I think I'll just go to bed.*
**USAGE** 1 **Actually** does not mean 'at the present time' in English. Compare '*Have you ever met Simon?*' '**Actually** I met him two years ago.' and '*Is the company doing well?*' '*Yes. It's currently doing very well./It's doing very well at present.*' 2 In conversation, especially in British English, **actually** can be used to make what you are saying softer, especially if you are correcting someone, disagreeing, or complaining: '*This French wine tastes lovely.*' '*Er, actually this is an Australian wine.*' But it can be used with the opposite effect: *I didn't ask your opinion, actually.*
**ac·tu·a·ry** /'ækt fuəri||-tſueri/ n a person who advises insurance companies on how much to charge for insurance, after considering the risks of fire, death etc —**-arial** /,ækt fu'ǝrirəl/ adj
**ac·tu·ate** /'ækt fuert/ v [often pass.] fml to cause to act; ACTIVATE or MOTIVATE: *He is actuated not by kindness but by ambition.*
**'Act-Up** an organization in the US and the UK that demands more help and support for people with AIDS. It is known for its strong active protests against companies or government departments if they treat people with AIDS unfairly.
**ac·u·i·ty** /ə'kju:əti/ n [U] fml fineness or sharpness, especially of the mind or the senses of sight or hearing
**ac·u·men** /'ækjumen, ə'kju:mən/ n [U] fml ability to think and judge quickly and well: *business/political acumen*
**ac·u·pres·sure** /'ækjuprefa/ n [U] the method of stopping pain and other illnesses, which is similar to acupuncture but which uses pressure instead of needles → compare SHIATSU
**ac·u·punc·ture** /'ækjupanktʃǝ/ n [U] the method of stopping pain and curing diseases by putting special needles into certain parts of the body, used first in China. Acupuncture is not generally accepted as an effective medical treatment in Britain or the US, but is used especially by people interested in ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE. → compare SHIATSU
**Ac·u·ra** /'ækjurǝ/ trademark a type of car made by HONDA, which is popular in the US and is typically driven by business people because it is considered a comfortable, good-quality car
**a·cute** /ə'kju:t/ adj 1 (of the senses) able to notice small differences; working very well; sharp: *Dogs have an acute sense of smell.* | *She has very acute hearing.* 2 showing an ability to understand things clearly and deeply; PENETRATING: *an acute analysis of the political situation* 3 severe; very great: *acute pain* | *an acute shortage of water* 4 tech (of a disease) coming quickly to a dangerous condition → compare CHRONIC 5 tech (of an angle) less than 90 degrees → compare OBTUSE; see picture at ANGLE 6 [A] (of an ACCENT put above a letter to show pronunciation) being the mark ( ́ ) over é → compare CIRCUMFLEX, GRAVE —ly adv: *The President is acutely conscious of the need for more doctors and nurses.* | *acutely embarrassing* —~ness n [U]
**ad** /æd/ n infml an advertisement → see also CLASSIFIED AD
**AD** /,ei 'di:/. abbrev. for Anno Domini; used to show that a date is a particular number of years after the birth of Christ: *What will world population be by 2020 AD?* | *in the first century AD* → compare BC
**ad·age** /'ædidʒ/ n an old wise phrase; PROVERB
**a·da·gio** /ə'da:dʒəu/ adj, adv, n (a piece of music) played slowly
**Ad·am** /'ædəm/ 1 the first man, according to the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religions. In the Old Testament of the Bible, Adam lived in the Garden of EDEN with EVE, the first woman. → see also FALL 2 not know someone from Adam infml to have no idea who someone is