playact
Also found in: Thesaurus.
play-act
or play·act (plā′ăkt′)intr.v. play-act·ed, play-act·ing, play-acts also play·act·ed or play·act·ing also play·acts
1. To play a role in a dramatic performance.
2. To play a pretended role; make believe.
3. To behave in an overdramatic or artificial manner.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
play•act
(ˈpleɪˌækt)v.i.
1. to engage in make-believe.
2. to be insincere or affected in speech, manner, etc.
3. to perform in a play.
v.t. 4. to dramatize; act out.
[1895–1900]
play′act`ing, n.
play′ac`tor, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
playact
Past participle: playacted
Gerund: playacting
| Imperative |
|---|
| playact |
| playact |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. |  playact - perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'"perform - give a performance (of something); "Horowitz is performing at Carnegie Hall tonight"; "We performed a popular Gilbert and Sullivan opera" play - perform on a certain location; "The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16"; "She has been playing on Broadway for years" play - be performed or presented for public viewing; "What's playing in the local movie theater?"; "`Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years" act, play, represent - play a role or part; "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master" stooge - act as the stooge; "His role was to stooge for the popular comedian" pantomime, mime - act out without words but with gestures and bodily movements only; "The acting students mimed eating an apple" act - be suitable for theatrical performance; "This scene acts well" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.