act
akt
/ækt/
A law formally passed by a legislative body.
Once a 'bill' has successfully passed through all legislative stages and been signed into law, it becomes an 'act'. It signifies a completed legislative action.
The story behind the word. The word 'act' comes from the Latin 'actus', which means 'a doing' or 'a deed'. In the legal sense, it refers to something that has been formally 'done' or decreed by a legislative body. So, when a bill becomes an 'act', it's no longer just a proposal; it's a completed, official 'deed' of the government.
Word relationships
- statute: Often interchangeable; 'statute' emphasizes the written, established nature of the law, while 'act' emphasizes the legislative action that created it.
- law: More general; an 'act' is a specific type of law, one formally passed by a legislature.
- bill: A 'bill' is a proposed law, not yet an 'act'.
Commonly confused with
- bill: A 'bill' is a proposal; an 'act' is a completed law.
Word family
- act (verb): to take action or perform a role
- action (noun): the process of doing something
- active (adjective): engaging in activity
Collocations
- pass an act
- an act of parliament
- a legislative act
- the act states
Idioms & expressions
- act of God
Example sentences
- "The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin." Legal Document
- "Parliament passed a new act designed to protect consumer privacy online." Historical Legislation
Memory hook
An 'ACT' is a 'C'ompleted 'T'ask of lawmaking. Completed law
When not to use
Do not use 'act' to refer to a proposed law that has not yet been passed. That would be a 'bill'.
Fun facts
- The phrase 'Act of God' is a legal term referring to an unforeseeable natural phenomenon, for which no one can be held responsible.
- Many important historical documents are named 'Acts', such as the Stamp Act or the Magna Carta (which functioned as an early act).
Explore more words
intermission, interlude, interim, interval, production, take action
Also appears in
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