Definition of "exact" in English

adjective

1. Precisely agreeing with a standard, a fact, or the truth; perfectly conforming; neither exceeding nor falling short in any respect.

   • The clock keeps exact time.
   • He paid the exact debt.
   • an exact copy of a letter
   • exact accounts

2. Habitually careful to agree with a standard, a rule, or a promise; accurate; methodical; punctual.

   • a man exact in observing an appointment
   • In my doings I was exact.

3. Precisely or definitely conceived or stated; strict.

4. (not comparable, homological algebra, of a sequence of morphisms in an abelian category) Such that the kernel of each morphism is the image of the preceding one.

5. (not comparable, homological algebra, of a functor of abelian categories) Such that it preserves short exact sequences.

verb

1. (ambitransitive) To demand and enforce the payment or performance of, sometimes in a forcible or imperious way.

   • to exact tribute, fees, or obedience from someone
   • She was a superb judge who gave her best and exacted the best from each of us, whether in agreement or disagreement.

2. (transitive) To make desirable or necessary.

3. (transitive) To inflict; to forcibly obtain or produce; to visit.

   • to exact revenge on someone

adverb

1. exactly

   • She's wearing the exact same sweater as I am!