English
exact
Etymology

From Latin exāctus (the verb via Middle English exact), perfect passive participle of exigō ("demand, claim as due; measure by a standard, weigh, test"), from ex ("out") + agō ("drive").

Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ɪɡˈzækt/
Adjective

exact (comparative exacter, superlative exactest)

  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 VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC ↗:
      I see thou art exact of taste.
    • 1661, John Fell, 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 (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 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.
Synonyms Antonyms Translations Translations Translations Translations Verb

exact (exacts, present participle exacting; simple 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), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Luke 3:13 ↗:
      He said into them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
    • 2020 September 19, statement of Clarence Thomas on the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg:
      She was a superb judge who gave her best and exacted the best from each of us, whether in agreement or disagreement.
    • 2020, Kristine Henriksen Garroway, John W. Martens, Children and Methods, page 139:
      […] a generic, strikingly universal, deity, “ha-elohim,” who tests, who exacts and extracts, and who is the object of fear […]
  2. (transitive) To make desirable or necessary.
    • c. 1621–1623 (date written), Philip Massinger, The Maid of Honour. […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Robert Allot, […], published 1632, →OCLC ↗, Act IIII, scene iv, signature I, verso ↗:
      I vvait, Madam, / To knovv vvhat your commands are; my deſignes / Exact me in another place.
  3. (transitive) To inflict; to forcibly obtain or produce; to visit.
    to exact revenge on someone
Translations Translations Translations Adverb

exact

  1. exactly
    She's wearing the exact same sweater as I am!
Synonyms

This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.001
Offline English dictionary