Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To make into law.
  • transitive verb To act (something) out, as on a stage.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An enactment; an act.
  • To decree; establish by the will of the supreme power; pass into a statute or established law; specifically, to perform the last act of a legislature to, as a bill, giving it validity as a law; give sanction to, as a bill.
  • To act; perform; effect.
  • To act the part of; represent on or as on the stage.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun obsolete Purpose; determination.
  • transitive verb To decree; to establish by legal and authoritative act; to make into a law; especially, to perform the legislative act with reference to (a bill) which gives it the validity of law.
  • transitive verb obsolete To act; to perform; to do; to effect.
  • transitive verb To act the part of; to represent; to play.
  • transitive verb that clause of a bill which formally expresses the legislative sanction.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive, law to make (a bill) into law
  • verb transitive to act the part of; to play
  • verb transitive to do; to effect
  • noun obsolete purpose; determination

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb order by virtue of superior authority; decree
  • verb act out; represent or perform as if in a play

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

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")

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Examples

  • The policy Kentucky needs to enact is one in which prisoners are able to worship the religion they choose, even Satanism, and Kentucky need not restrict the prisoners of their fundamental right of freedom of religion according to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

    The Satanic Perspective on the USA’s Troubling Times | Disinformation 2008

  • Just as the power to enact is the power to repeal.

    Balkinization 2006

  • Just as the power to enact is the power to repeal.

    Balkinization 2006

  • Just as the power to enact is the power to repeal.

    Balkinization 2006

  • Just as the power to enact is the power to repeal.

    Balkinization 2006

  • Just as the power to enact is the power to repeal.

    Balkinization 2006

  • Just as the power to enact is the power to repeal.

    Balkinization 2006

  • Just as the power to enact is the power to repeal.

    Balkinization 2006

  • Just as the power to enact is the power to repeal.

    Balkinization 2006

  • Just as the power to enact is the power to repeal.

    Balkinization 2006

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