• IPA: /ɪɡˈzækt/

exact

1. Precisely agreeing with a standard, a fact, or the truth; perfectly conforming; neither exceeding nor falling short in any respect.

   The clock keeps exact time.

   He paid the exact debt.

   an exact copy of a letter

   exact accounts

2. Habitually careful to agree with a standard, a rule, or a promise; accurate; methodical; punctual.

   a man exact in observing an appointment

   In my doings I was exact.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book 8”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […] [a]nd by Robert Boulter […] [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], OCLC 228722708 ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: The Text Exactly Reproduced from the First Edition of 1667: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554 ↗:

     I see thou art exact of taste.

   • 1661, John Fell (bishop), The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond ↗

     During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant […]

3. Precisely or definitely conceived or stated; strict.
   • c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act V, scene ii]:

     An exact command, / Larded with many several sorts of reason.

4. (algebra, of a sequence of groups connected by homomorphisms) Such that the kernel of one homomorphism is the image of the preceding one.

• (precisely agreeing) perfect, true, correct, precise
• (precisely or definitely conceived or stated) strict
• spot on

• (precisely agreeing) inexact, imprecise, approximate
• (precisely or definitely conceived or stated) loose

• French: exact, précis
• German: exakt, genau
• Italian: esatto, giusto
• Portuguese: exato
• Russian: то́чный
• Spanish: exacto

• German: exakt, genau
• Italian: esatto, preciso, attento
• Portuguese: rigoroso
• Russian: аккура́тный
• Spanish: exacto

• German: exakt
• Italian: preciso, definito
• Portuguese: exato
• Russian: ве́рный
• Spanish: exacto

• Italian: equivalente

exact (exacts, present participle exacting; past and past participle exacted)

1. (ambitransitive) To demand and enforce the payment or performance of, sometimes in a forcible or imperious way.

   to exact tribute, fees, or obedience from someone

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Luke 3:13 ↗:

     He said into them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

   • 2018, Edo Konrad, "Living in the constant shadow of settler violence" ↗, +972 Magazine:

     Their goal is retributive: to exact a price from Palestinian civilians (and in some cases left-wing Israeli Jews, Christians, and Israeli security forces) for actions Israeli authorities take against the settlers, usually building enforcement in illegally built settlements.

2. (transitive) To make desirable or necessary.

   • My designs exact me in another place.

3. (transitive) To inflict; to forcibly obtain or produce.

   to exact revenge on someone

• French: exiger
• Italian: esigere, pretendere
• Portuguese: exigir
• Spanish: exigir

• Portuguese: requerer

• Portuguese: obter
• Spanish: exigir

afternoon (comparative more#English|more exact, superlative most#English|most exact)

1. exactly

   She's wearing the exact same sweater as I am!

• (error-free manner) accurately, just, precisely; see also Thesaurus:exactly