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Definition of react verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

react

verb
 
/riˈækt/
 
/riˈækt/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they react
 
/riˈækt/
 
/riˈækt/
he / she / it reacts
 
/riˈækts/
 
/riˈækts/
past simple reacted
 
/riˈæktɪd/
 
/riˈæktɪd/
past participle reacted
 
/riˈæktɪd/
 
/riˈæktɪd/
-ing form reacting
 
/riˈæktɪŋ/
 
/riˈæktɪŋ/
Phrasal Verbs
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  1. [intransitive] to change or behave in a particular way as a result of or in response to something
    • I nudged her but she didn't react.
    • You never know how he is going to react.
    • He would have reacted in the same way.
    • react to something Local residents have reacted angrily to the news.
    • react by doing something The market reacted by falling a further two points.
    • react to something by doing something The army has reacted to the situation by increasing investment in recruitment.
    • react with something Her family reacted with horror when she told them.
    • Residents have reacted with fury to the news.
    Extra Examples
    • His insensitive remarks hurt and she reacted accordingly.
    • The committee reacted positively to the proposals.
    • The government reacted by increasing taxation.
    • The industry has been slow to react to these breakthroughs in technology.
    • The police must be able to react swiftly in an emergency.
    • people who react positively to change
    Topics Change, cause and effecta2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • strongly
    • favourably/​favorably
    • positively
    verb + react
    • tend to
    • be slow to
    • not know how to
    preposition
    • against
    • by
    • to
    See full entry
  2. [intransitive] to become ill after eating, breathing, etc. a particular substance
    • react + adv. Some patients may react adversely.
    • react (+ adv.) to something People can react badly to certain food additives.
    • People react differently to these drugs.
    Topics Health problemsb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • strongly
    • favourably/​favorably
    • positively
    verb + react
    • tend to
    • be slow to
    • not know how to
    preposition
    • against
    • by
    • to
    See full entry
  3. [intransitive] (chemistry) (of substances) to experience a chemical change when coming into contact with another substance
    • Silicon reacts chemically like carbon.
    • react with something Iron reacts with water and air to produce rust.
    • react together When an acid and an alkali react together the result is a salt and water.
    Topics Physics and chemistryb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • strongly
    • favourably/​favorably
    • positively
    verb + react
    • tend to
    • be slow to
    • not know how to
    preposition
    • against
    • by
    • to
    See full entry
  4. Word Originmid 17th cent.: from re- (expressing intensive force or reversal) + act, originally suggested by medieval Latin react- ‘done again’, from the verb reagere.
See react in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee react in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
dizzy
adjective
 
 
From the Topic
Health problems
C1
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