act up

act up

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

act up

1. (intransitive, idiomatic) To misbehave; to cause trouble.

   My allergies act up during hay fever season.

   Children may act up in class in an effort to get attention.

2. (intransitive, idiomatic) To perform the duties of an appointment senior to that actually held; to deputise for a superior. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Synonyms

• (misbehave): carry on

Translations

to misbehave, cause trouble

Finnish: kiukutella (fi), vihoitella (fi) French: (informal) enquiquiner (fr), énerver (fr), (colloquial) courir sur le haricot (fr), (formal) importuner (fr), (vulgar) péter les pruneaux (fr)

Maori: haututū, hīanga, tīhoihoi

See also

• act up to
• throw a tantrum

Anagrams

• caput