| activism |
the belief in or practice of trying to make social or political changes through active, militant, or demonstrative involvement, esp. in particular issues. |
| activist |
one who advocates a cause with vigor or militance. |
| activity |
the condition or state of being active. [4 definitions] |
| act of God |
in law, a sudden unforeseen event, esp. a natural disaster such as an earthquake, flood, or tornado, that is caused entirely by forces of nature and could not have been prevented. |
| actor |
one who plays roles in dramatic productions on stage, in films, or on radio and television. [2 definitions] |
| actress |
a woman or girl who plays roles in dramatic productions. |
| Acts |
see "Acts of the Apostles." |
| Acts of the Apostles |
the fifth book of the New Testament of the Christian Bible, believed to have been written by Luke, which describes the work of Jesus Christ as it was carried on after his death by his apostles. |
| actual |
truly existing or happening, not just potentially or in the imagination. [3 definitions] |
| actuality |
the state or fact of truly or currently existing; reality. [2 definitions] |
| actualize |
to make real; to give substance to. |
| actually |
as a matter of fact; really. [2 definitions] |
| actuary |
a person who calculates insurance rates, risks, and dividends on the basis of statistical probabilities. |
| actuate |
to put into action or set in motion; cause to operate. [2 definitions] |
| act up |
to behave in a bad or mischievous way; misbehave. [3 definitions] |
| acuity |
sharpness or keenness, as of sense perception or understanding. |
| acumen |
superior insight; quickness and shrewdness of judgment, esp. in practical matters. |
| acuminate |
tapering to a sharp point, as a leaf or claw; pointed. [2 definitions] |
| acupressure |
a process or technique intended to relieve pain or cure disease by the application of pressure with the hands to specific parts of the body. [2 definitions] |
| acupuncture |
a traditional Chinese practice of pricking certain parts of the body with fine needles to relieve pain or cure disease. [2 definitions] |
| acupuncturist |
a person, esp. a physician, chiropractor, or healthcare professional, who practices acupuncture. |