2 ADJ [ADJ n] You use exact before a noun to emphasize that you are referring to that particular thing and no other, especially something that has a particular significance. [EMPHASIS ] □ I hadn't really thought about it until this exact moment. □ It may be that you will feel the exact opposite of what you expected. ● ex|act|ly ADV □ These are exactly the people who do not vote. □ He knew exactly what he was doing.
3 ADJ If you describe someone as exact , you mean that they are very careful and detailed in their work, thinking, or methods. □ Formal, exact and obstinate, he was also cold, suspicious, touchy and tactless.
4 VERB When someone exacts something, they demand and obtain it from another person, especially because they are in a superior or more powerful position. [FORMAL ] □ [V n + from/for ] Already he has exacted a written apology from the chairman of the commission.
5 VERB If someone exacts revenge on a person, they have their revenge on them. □ [V n] She uses the media to help her exact a terrible revenge. [Also V n on n]
6 VERB If something exacts a high price, it has a bad effect on a person or situation. □ [V n] The sheer physical effort had exacted a heavy price. □ [V n + on ] The strain of a violent ground campaign will exact a toll on troops.
7 → see also exactly
8 PHRASE You say to be exact to indicate that you are slightly correcting or giving more detailed information about what you have been saying. □ A small number–five, to be exact–have been bad. SYNONYMS exact ADJ 1
accurate: This provides an accurate way of monitoring levels of carbon dioxide.
detailed: Yesterday's letter contains a detailed account of the decisions.
precise: What he has to say is precise and to the point.
correct: The following information was correct at time of going to press.
specific: I asked him to be more specific.
ex|act|ing / I gzæ kt I ŋ/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use exacting to describe something or someone that demands hard work and a great deal of care. □ The Duke was not well enough to carry out such an exacting task.
ex|acti|tude / I gzæ kt I tjuːd, [AM ] -tuːd/ N‑UNCOUNT Exactitude is the quality of being very accurate and careful. [FORMAL ] □ [+of ] …the precision and exactitude of current genetic mapping.
ex|act|ly ◆◇◇ / I gzæ ktli/
1 ADV You use exactly before an amount, number, or position to emphasize that it is no more, no less, or no different from what you are stating. [EMPHASIS ] □ Each corner had a guard tower, each of which was exactly ten meters in height. □ Agnew's car pulled into the driveway at exactly five o'clock.
2 ADV If you say ' Exactly ', you are agreeing with someone or emphasizing the truth of what they say. If you say ' Not exactly ', you are telling them politely that they are wrong in part of what they are saying. □ Eve nodded, almost approvingly. 'Exactly.'. □ 'And you refused?'—'Well, not exactly. I couldn't say yes.'
3 ADV [not ADV , usu ADV group] You use not exactly to indicate that a meaning or situation is slightly different from what people think or expect. [VAGUENESS ] □ He's not exactly homeless, he just hangs out in this park.
4 ADV [not ADV , usu ADV group] You can use not exactly to show that you mean the opposite of what you are saying. [EMPHASIS ] □ This was not exactly what I wanted to hear. □ Sailing is not exactly cheap.
5 ADV You use exactly with a question to show that you disapprove of what the person you are talking to is doing or saying. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ What exactly do you mean?
6 → see also exact SYNONYMS exactly ADV 1
accurately: The test can accurately predict what a bigger explosion would do.
precisely: Nobody knows precisely how many people are still living in the camp.
correctly: You have to correctly answer each question.
ex|act|ness / I gzæ ktnəs/ N‑UNCOUNT Exactness is the quality of being very accurate and precise. □ He recalls his home town with cinematic exactness.
ex|a ct sci |ence N‑SING If you say that a particular activity is not an exact science , you mean that there are no set rules to follow or it does not produce very accurate results. □ Forecasting floods is not an exact science.
ex|ag|ger|ate / I gzæ dʒəre I t/ (exaggerates , exaggerating , exaggerated )
1 VERB If you exaggerate , you indicate that something is, for example, worse or more important than it really is. □ [V ] He thinks I'm exaggerating. □ [V n] Sheila admitted that she did sometimes exaggerate the demands of her job. ● ex|ag|gera|tion / I gzæ dʒəre I ʃ ə n/ (exaggerations ) N‑VAR □ Like many stories about him, it smacks of exaggeration. □ It would be an exaggeration to call the danger urgent.
2 VERB If something exaggerates a situation, quality, or feature, it makes the situation, quality, or feature appear greater, more obvious, or more important than it really is. □ [V n] These figures exaggerate the loss of competitiveness.
ex|ag|ger|at|ed / I gzæ dʒəre I t I d/ ADJ Something that is exaggerated is or seems larger, better, worse, or more important than it actually needs to be. □ They should be sceptical of exaggerated claims for what such courses can achieve. □ Western fears, he insists, are greatly exaggerated. ● ex|ag|ger|at|ed|ly ADV [ADV adj/-ed, ADV after v] □ …an exaggeratedly feminine appearance. □ She laughed exaggeratedly at their jokes.