Act and Opponency
Preserved but no longer current.
An ~Act," in our University language, consists of a thesis publicly maintained by a candidate for a degree, with the "disputation" thereon. The person "disputing" with the "keeper of the Act" is called the "opponent," and his func- tion is called an "opponency". In some degrees the student is required to keep his Act, and then to be the opponent of another disputant.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Act and Opponency” mean?
An ~Act," in our University language, consists of a thesis publicly maintained by a candidate for a degree, with the "disputation" thereon. The person "disputing" with the "keeper of the Act" is called the "opponent," and his func- tion is called an "opponency". In some degrees the student is required to keep his Act, and then to be the opponent of another disputant.
Is “Act and Opponency” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.