exact
English edit
Etymology edit
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 edit
Adjective edit
exact (comparative exacter or more exact, superlative exactest or most exact)
- 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
- 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], […], →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[1]:
- 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 […]
- 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.
- (algebra, of a sequence of groups connected by homomorphisms) Such that the kernel of one homomorphism is the image of the preceding one.
Synonyms edit
- (precisely agreeing): perfect, true, correct, precise
- (precisely or definitely conceived or stated): strict
- spot on
Antonyms edit
- (antonym(s) of “precisely agreeing”): inexact, imprecise, approximate
- (antonym(s) of “precisely or definitely conceived or stated”): loose
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
precisely agreeing
|
habitually careful
|
precisely conceived or stated
|
such that kernel equals image
|
Verb edit
exact (third-person singular simple present exacts, present participle exacting, simple past and past participle exacted)
- (transitive, intransitive) 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.
- 2018, Edo Konrad, “Living in the constant shadow of settler violence”, in +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.
- 2020 September 19, statement of Clarence Thomas on the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg[2]:
- 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 […]
- (transitive) To make desirable or necessary.
- 1632, Philip Massinger, The Maid of Honour:
- My designs exact me in another place.
- (transitive) To inflict; to forcibly obtain or produce.
- to exact revenge on someone
Usage notes edit
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
To demand and enforce
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To forcibly obtain or produce
|
Adverb edit
exact (comparative more exact, superlative most exact)
- exactly
- She's wearing the exact same sweater as I am!
Synonyms edit
- (error-free manner): accurately, just, precisely; see also Thesaurus:exactly
Further reading edit
- “exact”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “exact”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “exact”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
Dutch edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from French exact, from Middle French exact, from Latin exāctus.
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
exact (comparative exacter, superlative exactst)
Inflection edit
Inflection of exact | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
uninflected | exact | |||
inflected | exacte | |||
comparative | exacter | |||
positive | comparative | superlative | ||
predicative/adverbial | exact | exacter | het exactst het exactste | |
indefinite | m./f. sing. | exacte | exactere | exactste |
n. sing. | exact | exacter | exactste | |
plural | exacte | exactere | exactste | |
definite | exacte | exactere | exactste | |
partitive | exacts | exacters | — |
Derived terms edit
Descendants edit
- Afrikaans: eksak
French edit
Etymology edit
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
exact (feminine exacte, masculine plural exacts, feminine plural exactes)
Derived terms edit
Further reading edit
- “exact”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Romanian edit
Etymology edit
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
exact m or n (feminine singular exactă, masculine plural exacți, feminine and neuter plural exacte)
Declension edit
Declension of exact
Adverb edit
exact