act sb. (S. has several ordinary uses; earliest known example of ‘act’ of a play H8 Epil. 3).
1.
performance, action,
operation, execution Mer.V. I. iii.
84, All'sW. I. ii. 30, John III. i. 274,
H8 III. ii. 183
“the honour of it Does
pay the act of it.”
2.
event
Oth. V. ii. 370
“This heavy act.”
