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   Ex·act

   /iɡˈzak(t)/

   

   adjective

   • 1. not approximated in any way; precise: "the exact details were still being worked out"
   • ▪ accurate or correct in all details: "an exact replica, two feet tall, was constructed" Similar preciseaccuratecorrectfaithfulclosetrueveraciousliteralstrictunerringfaultlesserrorlesserror-freeperfectimpeccableexplicitdetailedminutemeticulousthoroughblow-by-blowinch-perfectinformal:on the nailon the markon the beamon the buttonspot onbang onon the moneyOpposite inexactinaccurate
   • ▪ (of a person) tending to be accurate and careful about minor details: "she was an exact, clever manager" Similar carefulmeticulouspainstakingprecisepunctiliousconscientiousrigorousscrupulousexactingmethodicalsystematicwell organizedorderedorderlycontrolledOpposite careless
   • ▪ (of a subject of study) permitting precise or absolute measurements as a basis for rigorously testable theories: "psychomedicine isn't an exact science yet"

   verb

   • 1. demand and obtain (something, especially a payment) from someone: "tributes exacted from the Slavic peoples" Similar demandrequireinsist oncommandcall forimposerequestask forexpectlook forextractcompelforcewringwrestsqueezeobtainarchaic:constrain
   • ▪ inflict (revenge) on someone: "he exacts a cruel revenge against the winning candidate" Similar inflictimposedeliveradministerissueapply

   Word Origin late Middle English (as a verb): from Latin exact- ‘completed, ascertained, enforced’, from the verb exigere, from ex- ‘thoroughly’ + agere ‘perform’. The adjective dates from the mid 16th century and reflects the Latin exactus ‘precise’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. exactable adjective
   • 2. exactor noun

   Scrabble Points: 14

   • E

     1

   • X

     8

   • A

     1

   • C

     3

   • T

     1

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