a thing done, a deed or performance.

2. AC'TION: act + ion = the act of doing: hence, a thing done.

3. ACT'IVE: act + ive = having the quality of acting: hence, busy,
constantly engaged in action.

4. ACT'OR: act + or = one who acts: hence, (1) one who takes part in
anything done; (2) a stage player.

5. A'GENT: ag + ent = one who acts: hence, one who acts or transacts
business for another.

6. AG'ILE: ag + ile = apt to act: hence, nimble, brisk.

7. CO'GENT: from Latin _cogens_, _cogentis_, pres. part, of _cog'ere_ (=
_co + agere_, to impel), having the quality of impelling: hence, urgent,
forcible.

8. ENACT': en + act = to put in act: hence, to decree.

9. TRANSACT': trans + act = to drive through: hence, to perform.

EXERCISE.

(1.) What two parts of speech is "act"?--Write a sentence containing this
word as a verb; another as a noun.--Give a synonym of "act." _Ans.
Deed._--From what is "deed" derived? _Ans._ From the word _do_--hence,
literally, something _done_.--Give the distinction between "act" and
"deed." _Ans_. "Act" is a _single_ action; "deed" is a _voluntary_ action:
thus--"The _action_ which was praised as a good _deed_ was but an _act_ of
necessity."

(2.) Define "action" in oratory; "action" in law.--Combine and define in +
action.

(3.) Combine and define in + active; active + ity; in + active + ity.--What
is the _negative_ of "active"? _Ans. Inactive_.--What is the _contrary_ of
"active"? _Ans. Passive_.

(4.) Write a sentence containing "actor" in each of its two senses. MODEL:
"Washington and Greene were prominent _actors_ in the war of the
Revolution." "David Garrick, the famous English _actor_, was born in
1716."--What is the feminine of "actor" in the sense of stage player?

(6.) Combine and define agile + ity.--What is the distinction between
"active" and "agile"? _Ans_. "Active" implies readiness to act in general;
"agile" denotes a readiness to move the _limbs_.--Give two synonyms of
"agile." _Ans. Brisk_, _nimble_.--Give the opposite of "agile." _Ans.
Sluggish_, _inert_.

(7.) Explain what is meant by a "_cogent_ argument."--What would be the
contrary of a _cogent_ argument?

(8.) Combine and define enact + ment.--What is meant by the "_enacting_
clause" of a legislative bill?--Write a sentence containing the word
"enact." MODEL: "The British Parliament _enacted_ the stamp-law in 1765."

(9.) Combine and define transact + ion.--What derivative from "perform" is
a syn