enact

English

Etymology

From Middle English enacten, from en-, from Old French en- (“to cause to be”), from Latin in- (“in”) and Old French acte (“perform, do”), from Latin actum, past participle of ago (“set in motion”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪˈnækt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ækt

Verb

enact (third-person singular simple present enacts, present participle enacting, simple past and past participle enacted)

1. (transitive, law) To make (a bill) into law.
   • 2023 December 27, Mel Holley, “Network News: Minimum Service Levels legislation comes into force”, in RAIL, number 999, page 14:

     The practical effect of the Government's new anti-strike bill on the rail disputes in Great Britain is awaited, after the legislation was enacted.

2. (transitive) To act the part of; to play.
   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

     I did enact Julius Caesar.

3. (transitive) To do; to effect.
   • c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv]:

     The king enacts more wonders than a man.

Derived terms

• enactability
• enactable
• enactably
• enaction
• enactor

 

Related terms

• act

Translations

to make (a bill) into law

• Bulgarian: прокарвам (bg) (prokarvam)
• Finnish: säätää laki, hyväksyä laki
• French: promulguer (fr)
• Greek: θεσπίζω (el) (thespízo)

  Ancient: νομίζω (nomízō)

• Irish: reachtaigh, achtaigh
• Italian: promulgare (it), approvare (it)
• Latin: scisco
• Manx: slattysee
• Maori: whakature, pāhi
• Portuguese: promulgar (pt), passar (pt)
• Russian: постановлять (ru) (postanovljatʹ), принима́ть (ru) (prinimátʹ)
• Spanish: promulgar (es)
• Swedish: anta (sv), stadga (sv), föreskriva (sv)

to act the part of; to play

• Bulgarian: играя ролята на (igraja roljata na)
• Finnish: näytellä (fi), esittää (fi)
• French: jouer (fr)
• German: spielen (de)
• Italian: interpretare (it)
• Latin: scisco
• Manx: cloie
• Portuguese: interpretar (pt)
• Russian: игра́ть (ru) (igrátʹ)
• Spanish: interpretar (es)
• Swedish: spela (sv), uppföra (sv)

to do; to effect

• Finnish: soveltaa (fi)
• German: ausführen (de)
• Italian: realizzare (it), apportare (it)
• Latin: scisco
• Portuguese: realizar (pt)
• Spanish: hacer efecto
• Swedish: utföra (sv)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Spanish: actuar (es)

Further reading

• “enact”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.