English

Noun

class act ‎(plural class acts)

1. An entity exhibiting high class especially through refinement of demeanor, conscientiousness of behavior, and/or skillfulness in performance; or an exhibition of high class especially of one or more of those types:
   1. A person or organization displaying the above characteristics

      Jackie? Now she was a real class act.

   2. A display of the above characteristics, e.g., an event or an individual or collective action
      
      
2. Used sarcastically, a person, entity, event, or action entity exhibiting the opposite of the above characteristics, i.e., boorish, unprincipled, and/or bungling behavior

   Did you hear about Peter's "milk-milk-lemonade" toast to Lois at their wedding reception? After a class act like that, I'm surprised that anyone in the Pewterschmidt family is still speaking to him.

Synonyms

• Of sense "person exhibiting conscientiousness of behavior":
  • mensch
• Of sense "person exhibiting skillfulness in performance":
  • virtuoso

Antonyms

• opposite sense of same term (see contranym)
• boor

See also

• high-class
• top drawer