action

plural actions

1. countableuncountableThe effort of performing or doing something.
2. countableuncountableSomething done, often so as to accomplish a purpose.

   Synonyms: deed

3. countableuncountableA way of motion or functioning.

   Knead bread with a rocking action.

4. countableuncountableFast-paced activity.

   a movie full of exciting action

5. countableuncountableThe way in which a mechanical device acts when used; especially a firearm.

   Pressing a piano key causes the action of the hammer on the string.

   1. countableuncountableengineeringThe way in which cartridges are loaded, locked, and extracted from the mechanism.

      pump-action shotgun

6. countableuncountableA physical mechanism of a firearm or other device.

   Spinola was hovering about the external fittings of the figure with unusual fussiness. When at length he released the left hand it seemed for an almost perceptible moment that the action hung. Then the arm descended and carried out the discard.

   1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC

   1 more example

   He then took from under his shirts in another drawer a very flat ·25 Beretta automatic with a skeleton grip, extracted the clip and the single round in the barrel and whipped the action to and fro several times, finally pulling the trigger on the empty chamber.

   1953, Ian Fleming, “Pink Lights and Champagne”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 57

7. countableuncountableentertainmentThe mechanism, that is the set of moving mechanical parts, of a keyboard instrument, like a piano, which transfers the motion of the key to the sound-making device.

   The run in bar 12 is almost impossible with this piano's heavy action.

8. countableuncountableartsThe distance separating the strings and the fingerboard on a string instrument.

   You're getting fret buzz because the action is too low.

9. countableslanguncountabletypically with a quantifierSexual intercourse.

   She gave him some action.

   1 more example

   I hope to get a bit of action with the hot guy from the club.

   Synonyms: aphrodisia, carnal knowledge, coitus, coition, commerce, commixtion, congress, conjunction

10. countableuncountablegovernmentCombat.

    He saw some action in the Korean War.

11. countableuncountablelawA charge or other process in a law court (also called lawsuit and actio).

    Synonyms: suit, cause, lawsuit, litigation, suit

12. countableuncountablemathematicsA way in which each element of some algebraic structure transforms some other structure or set, in a way which respects the structure of the first. Formally, this may be seen as a morphism from the first structure into some structure of endomorphisms of the second; for example, a group action of a group G on a set S can be seen as a group homomorphism from G into the set of bijections on S (which form a group under function composition), while a module M over a ring R can be defined as an abelian group together with a ring homomorphism from R into the ring of group endomorphisms of M (which is also called the action of R on M).
13. countableuncountablenatural sciencesThe product of energy and time, especially the product of the Lagrangian and time.
14. countableuncountableliteratureThe event or connected series of events, either real or imaginary, forming the subject of a play, poem, or other composition; the unfolding of the drama of events.
15. countableuncountablepainting and sculptureartThe attitude or position of the several parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or passion depicted.
16. countableuncountablebowlingspin put on the bowling ball.
17. countableobsoleteuncountableA share in the capital stock of a joint-stock company, or in the public funds.

    the Euripus of funds and actions

    1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC

    1 more example

    So saying he presented him with two actions of above two thousand livres each.

    1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC

18. countableuncountableChristianityA religious performance or solemn function, i.e. action sermon, a sacramental sermon in the Scots Presbyterian Church.

    The Action Sermon is quite simply, then, the eucharistic sermon.

    2008, Duncan B. Forrester, Doug Gay, Worship and Liturgy in Context, scm Press, page 88

19. countableuncountablesciencesA process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings).
20. AustriancountableuncountableeconomicsPurposeful behavior.
21. countableuncountableA demonstration by activists.

    The protest was set up in less than three weeks by an ad hoc group called Act Up […] According to Kramer, Act Up will continue AIDS-related organizing, possibly including an action at an early June Washington, D.C., AIDS conference for scientists worldwide.

    1987 April 11, Kim Westheimer, “NY Protesters Rip FDA”, in Gay Community News, page 1

22. uncountablecard gamesThe opportunity to act during a betting round.

    The action starts with the small blind.

23. broadlyslanguncountablecard gamesHeavy betting activity.

    There was a lot of action on the flop; it was an action flop.

1. Demanding or signifying the start of something, usually a performance.

   The director yelled ‘Action!’ after the cameras started rolling.

   Antonyms: cut

comparative more action · superlative most action

1. Manglisharrogant

present singular third person actions · participle present actioning · participle past actioned · past actioned

1. transitivemanagementTo act on a request etc, in order to put it into effect.

   Do say: “I can action that for you going forward, my little summer squash.”

   2024 May 13, “Spice up your spreadsheets! Should you run your relationship like a business?”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   3 more examples

   ‘Here, give me the minutes of Monday’s meeting. I’ll action your points for you while you get on and sort out the open day.’

   2004, Ros Jay, Richard Templar, “Fast thinking: project”, in Fast Thinking Manager's Manual, 2nd edition, Pearson Education, →ISBN, Fast Thinking Leader, page 276

   Violent reactions from the Jewish authorities were expected and difficulties of actioning the new guidelines were foreseen.

   2005, Fritz Liebreich, “The physical confrontation: interception and diversion policies in theory and practice”, in Britain's Navel and Political Reaction to the Illegal Immigration of Jews to Palestine, 1945-1948, Routledge, →ISBN, page 196

   HMRC said that one reason they had not actioned her appeal was because she had said in her appeal form ‘I am appealing against the overpayment for childcare for 2003-04, 2004-05’, thus implying she was disputing her ‘overpayment’.

   2007, Great Britain: Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, “Case study: 11257”, in Tax Credits: Getting it wrong? 5th report session 2006-2007, The Stationery Office, →ISBN, Chapter 2: Changes and developments since June 2005, page 26

2. archaictransitiveTo initiate a legal action against someone.

   I have actioned him for Libel, but he won’t plead, and says he will make himself bankrupt & won’t pay a penny.

   1871, Michael Shermer, quoting Alfred Russell Wallace, In Darwin’s shadow: The Life and Science of Alfred Russell Wallace, Oxford University Press US, published 2002, →ISBN, Chapter 10. Heretic Personality, page 261

   3 more examples

   ‘I have no business to settle with you—arrest me, Sir, at your peril and I’ll action you in law for false imprisonment.’

   1856, Thomas Chandler Haliburton, The Attaché: or Sam Slick in England, new revised edition, Stringer & Townsend, Chapter XLVII: The Horse Stealer; or All Trades Have Tricks But Our Own, page 270

   “Scrip threatened me at first with an action for slander—he spoke of actions to the wrong man though—action! no, no no. I should have actioned him—ha! ha! [...]”

   1844, Robert Mackenzie Daniel, The Grave Digger: A novel by the author of The Scottish Heiress, volume I, T. C. Newby, Chapter IX: How the Grave-differ entertained a lady, pages 189–190

   In 1589 the Court went so far as to effect a reconciliation between Michel le Petevin and his wife after she actioned him for ill treatment and adultery with their chambermaid.

   1996, Darryl Mark Ogier, “Discipline: Enforcement”, in Reformation and Society in Guernsey, Boydell & Brewer, →ISBN, Part Two: The Calvinist Regime, page 148