Link Centre Dictionary

action

ac·tion

UK/ˈækʃən̩/ US/ˈækʃn̩/ common slang
noun (10) verb (2)

noun

1.

something done (usually as opposed to something said)

  • “there were stories of murders and other unnatural actions”
2.

the state of being active

  • “his sphere of activity”
  • “he is out of action”
Synonyms
Antonyms
3.

a judicial proceeding brought by one party against another; one party prosecutes another for a wrong done or for protection of a right or for prevention of a wrong

Synonyms
4.

an act by a government body or supranational organization

  • “recent federal action undermined the segregationist position”
  • “the United Nations must have the power to propose and organize action without being hobbled by irrelevant issues”
  • “the Union action of emancipating Southern slaves”
5.

a military engagement

  • “he saw action in Korea”
Synonyms
6.

a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings)

  • “the action of natural forces”
  • “volcanic activity”
Synonyms
7.

the series of events that form a plot

  • “his novels always have a lot of action”
8.

the operating part that transmits power to a mechanism

  • “the piano had a very stiff action”
Synonyms
9.

the trait of being active and energetic and forceful

  • “a man of action”
10.

the most important or interesting work or activity in a specific area or field

  • “the action is no longer in technology stocks but in municipal bonds”
  • “gawkers always try to get as close to the action as possible”

verb

1.

institute legal proceedings against; file a suit against

  • “He was warned that the district attorney would process him”
  • “She actioned the company for discrimination”
Synonyms
2.

put in effect

  • “carry out a task”
  • “execute the decision of the people”
  • “He actioned the operation”
Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English accioun, accion, from Old French aucion, acciun, from Latin āctiō(n) (“act of doing or making”), from āct(us) + action suffix -iō(n), perfect passive participle of agere (“do, act”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti.

Phrases

  • action adventure Terms derived from action (noun)
  • action doll Terms derived from action (noun)
  • action figure Terms derived from action (noun)
  • action film Terms derived from action (noun)
  • action game Terms derived from action (noun)
  • action group Terms derived from action (noun)
  • action hero Terms derived from action (noun)
  • action hoe Terms derived from action (noun)

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

Parts

Part of

Related verbs

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.