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in the act

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in the act (of doing something)

while doing something. There he was, in the act of opening the door. I tripped while in the act of climbing.

See also: act

in the act

1. In the process of doing something. For example, The police caught the robber in the act, or I was in the act of closing the window. [Second half of 1600s]

2. Performing sexual intercourse, as in Her father caught them in the act. [Late 1500s]

See also: act