to do something in order to achieve a result or solve a problem
When the kitchen caught fire, Jason decided to act at once and grabbed the extinguisher.
Governments must act quickly to protect endangered animals.
to perform a role in a play, film, or television show
Emma loves to act in school plays and wear different costumes.
He dreams of moving to Hollywood to act in big movies.
to behave or conduct yourself in a particular way
Please act politely when our guests arrive.
He acted like he didn’t hear the question.
to become smaller or shorter, or to make something smaller, often because of cold or tightening
When the weather turned cold, the metal pipes began to contract.
She watched the balloon contract as the air slowly leaked out.
to arrange and agree to do work or provide something by signing a formal agreement
The city decided to contract a new company to collect its trash.
Our firm has contracted with a software developer to build the app.
to communicate with someone, especially by phone, email, or letter
You can contact me at this number if you have any questions.
The travel agent contacted the hotel to confirm our reservation.
✦ Verb sense developed from the noun in early 20th-century English, when new communication tools like telephone appeared.
to pull something toward another thing by a natural force such as magnetism or gravity
A strong magnet can attract iron nails from several centimeters away.
The Moon’s gravity attracts ocean water, causing tides on Earth.
✦ Same origin as other senses: from Latin ‘attrahere’, meaning ‘to draw toward’.
to affect or influence one another in a chemical, physical, or other scientific process
Certain medicines can cause dangerous effects when they interact with alcohol.
Scientists observed how two magnetic fields interacted during the experiment.
✦ same origin as the general sense; applied to scientific contexts from the late 19th century onward
