ACTUAL, something that is real and effective, or that exists truly and absolutely. Thus philosophers use the terms actual heat, actual cold, &c. in opposition to virtual or potential. Hence, among physicians, a red-hot iron, or fire, is called an actual cautery; in distinction from cauteries, or caustics, that have the power of producing the same effect upon the animal solids as actual fire; these last are called potential cauterics. Boiling water is actually hot; brandy, producing heat in the body, is potentially hot, though of itself cold.