- overact
- o|ver|act [ ,ouvər`ækt ] verb intransitive or transitiveif an actor overacts, they perform with too much energy or emotion so that their performance seems false
Usage of the words and phrases in modern English. 2013.
overact
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Overact — O ver*act , v. i. To act more than is necessary; to go to excess in action. B. Jonson. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Overact — O ver*act , v. t. 1. To act or perform to excess; to exaggerate in acting; as, he overacted his part. [1913 Webster] 2. To act upon, or influence, unduly. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] The hope of inheritance overacts them. Milton. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
overact — index overreach Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
overact — (v.) 1610s, to go too far in action, from OVER (Cf. over) + ACT (Cf. act) (v.). Meaning to play a part with too much emphasis, to chew the scenery is from 1630s. Related: Overacted; overacting … Etymology dictionary
overact — ► VERB ▪ act a role in an exaggerated manner … English terms dictionary
overact — [ō΄vərakt′] vt., vi. to act (a dramatic role) in an exaggerated way … English World dictionary
overact — UK [ˌəʊvərˈækt] / US [ˌoʊvərˈækt] verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms overact : present tense I/you/we/they overact he/she/it overacts present participle overacting past tense overacted past participle overacted if an actor overacts, they… … English dictionary
overact — Date: 1611 intransitive verb 1. to act more than is necessary 2. to overact a part transitive verb to exaggerate in acting • overaction noun … New Collegiate Dictionary
overact — verb during dramatic scenes, she has a tendency to overact Syn: exaggerate, overdo it, overplay it; informal ham it up, camp it up … Thesaurus of popular words
overact — o•ver•act [[t]ˌoʊ vərˈækt[/t]] v. t. 1) sbz to perform (a role) in an exaggerated manner 2) sbz to overact a role • Etymology: 1605–15 … From formal English to slang
overact — overaction, n. /oh veuhr akt /, v.t., v.i. to act in an exaggerated manner. [1605 15; OVER + ACT] * * * … Universalium
