What does action mean?

Definitions for action
ˈæk ʃənac·tion

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word action.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. actionnoun

    something done (usually as opposed to something said)

    "there were stories of murders and other unnatural actions"

  2. action, activity, activenessnoun

    the state of being active

    "his sphere of activity"; "he is out of action"

  3. military action, actionnoun

    a military engagement

    "he saw action in Korea"

  4. natural process, natural action, action, activitynoun

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

    "the action of natural forces"; "volcanic activity"

  5. actionnoun

    the series of events that form a plot

    "his novels always have a lot of action"

  6. actionnoun

    the trait of being active and energetic and forceful

    "a man of action"

  7. action, action mechanismnoun

    the operating part that transmits power to a mechanism

    "the piano had a very stiff action"

  8. legal action, action, action at lawnoun

    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

  9. actionnoun

    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"

  10. actionverb

    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"

  11. action, sue, litigate, processverb

    institute legal proceedings against; file a suit against

    "He was warned that the district attorney would process him"; "She actioned the company for discrimination"

  12. carry through, accomplish, execute, carry out, action, fulfill, fulfilverb

    put in effect

    "carry out a task"; "execute the decision of the people"; "He actioned the operation"

Wiktionary

  1. actionnoun

    Something done so as to accomplish a purpose.

  2. actionnoun

    A way of motion or functioning.

    Knead bread with a rocking action.

  3. actionnoun

    A fast-paced activity.

    an action movie

  4. actionnoun

    A mechanism; a moving part or assembly.

    a rifle action

  5. actionnoun

    The 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.

  6. actionnoun

    sexual intercourse.

    She gave him some action.

  7. actionnoun

    The distance separating the strings and the fretboard on the guitar.

  8. actionnoun

    Combat.

    He saw some action in the Korean War.

  9. actionnoun

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

  10. actionverb

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

  11. actionverb

    To initiate a legal action against someone.

  12. actionnoun

    A homomorphism from a group to a group of automorphisms.

    One of the earliest uses of groups, according to lore, was the study of the action of uE00013481uE001 on the equilateral triangle.

  13. actioninterjection

    Demanding or signifying the start of something, usually an act or scene of a theatric performance.

    The director yelled Action!' before the camera started rolling.

  14. Etymology: From accion, from action, from actio, from actus, perfect passive participle of ago, + action suffix -io; see act.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Actionnoun

    Etymology: action, Fr. actio, Lat.

    O noble English, that could entertain
    With half their forces the full power of France;
    And let another half stand laughing by,
    All out of work, and cold for action. William Shakespeare, Henry V.

    This action, I now go on,
    Is for my better grace. William Shakespeare, Winter’s Tale.

    God never accepts a good inclination instead of a good action, where that action may be done; nay, so much the contrary, that, if a good inclination be not seconded by a good action, the want of that action is made so much the more criminal and inexcusable. Robert South, Sermons.

    It is better therefore, that the earth should move about its own center, and make those useful vicissitudes of night and day, than expose always the same side to the action of the sun. Richard Bentley, Sermons.

    He has settled laws, and laid down rules, conformable to which natural bodies are governed in their actions upon one another. George Cheyne, Philosophical Principles.

    This action should have three qualifications. First, it should be but one action; secondly, it should be an entire action; and, thirdly, it should be a great action. Joseph Addison, Spectat. №. 267.

    —— He that speaks doth gripe the hearer’s wrist,
    While he that hears makes fearful action
    With wrinkled brows. William Shakespeare, King John.

    Our oratours are observed to make use of less gesture or action than those of other countries. Joseph Addison, Spectat. №. 407.

    There was never man could have a juster action against filthy fortune than I, since all other things being granted me, her blindness is the only lett. Philip Sidney.

    For our reward then,
    First, all our debts are paid; dangers of law,
    Actions, decrees, judgments, against us quitted. Ben Jonson, Catiline.

Wikipedia

  1. ACTION

    ACTION is a bus operator in Canberra, Australia owned by the ACT Government.

ChatGPT

  1. action

    Action refers to the process of doing something, typically to achieve a certain objective or accomplish a particular task. It can also refer to an act that one consciously wills or to a series of activities carried out for a specific purpose. In the context of law, it refers to a case or lawsuit. In drama or literature, action pertains to the main events or sequence of events in a story. In physics, it's a property of a system measured as the product of energy and time.

  2. action

    Action refers to the process of doing something, typically to achieve a goal, aim or objective. It can also refer to the fact or state of doing something to deal with a problem or situation. In other contexts, action can represent a physical movement or function, or it can be a legal term referring to a lawsuit or legal proceeding.

  3. action

    Action refers to the process of doing something, often to achieve an aim or goal. It can also denote the manner in which an entity behaves or functions. In broader terms, it can describe a series of events occurring as part of a play, movie, or story.

  4. action

    An action refers to the act of doing something, typically to achieve a goal or objective. It can involve physical movement or mental activity. In broader terms, it can also refer to the process of functioning or to the effect that a particular entity has on another. Actions can also refer to the events or series of events in a plot within literature or film.

  5. action

    Action refers to the process of doing something, typically to achieve a specific goal or objective. It can refer to a physical movement, a legal step, or a series of activities performed consciously, often involving effort and decision making. In other contexts, it might relate to the event or sequence of events in a narrative or dramatic work, or to a traditional sequence of activities in a process or system.

  6. action

    Action refers to the process of doing something, typically in order to accomplish a specific goal or objective. It can also refer to acts or deeds as represented in various forms of art or legal procedures. In the context of a narrative such as a film or book, action signifies events or sequences that involve physical activity, excitement, or suspense. In physics, action is a specific property of the path taken by a system from a start to an end state.

  7. action

    Action refers to the process of doing something, typically to achieve a specific goal, objective, or aim. It can also refer to the fact or process of doing something, typically to deal with a problem or difficult situation. In a broader sense, action can also refer to the functioning or workings of something or the effect produced by it. In drama or literature, it denotes the events or sequence portrayed in a story or play.

  8. action

    Action refers to the process of doing something, typically in order to achieve a particular objective or goal. It can also refer to an act that one consciously wills or the operational part of a certain mechanism. In a broader context, it can signify activities, movements or operations.

  9. action

    Action refers to the process or act of doing something, typically to achieve a specific goal or objective. It may involve physical or mental activity and can be an individual or collective activity. In a broader context, action can also refer to a series of events or the plot in a story, film, or play. It is essentially the deliberate or intentional behavior that is taken to accomplish a particular result.

  10. action

    An action is any deed or task performed by an individual, group, or system. It could be a physical movement, like running or driving, or intangible, like thinking or deciding. Actions can also refer to the process of doing something to achieve an aim or the way something operates or functions. In legal terms, action often refers to a lawsuit. In a screenplay or novel, 'action' refers to the events that take play in the plot.

  11. action

    An action refers to the process of doing something, typically to achieve a particular aim or objective. It can also refer to the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim; in law, it means a lawsuit; in entertainment, it signifies exciting activity or events in a film, book, play, etc.

  12. action

    An action is the process of doing something, typically to achieve a goal or objective. It can refer to any human behavior or conduct, including both physical movements or activities, and mental or verbal activities. In a broader context, it can also refer to activities taken by entities or groups such as countries, organizations, or systems.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Actionnoun

    a process or condition of acting or moving, as opposed to rest; the doing of something; exertion of power or force, as when one body acts on another; the effect of power exerted on one body by another; agency; activity; operation; as, the action of heat; a man of action

  2. Actionnoun

    an act; a thing done; a deed; an enterprise. (pl.): Habitual deeds; hence, conduct; behavior; demeanor

  3. Actionnoun

    the 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

  4. Actionnoun

    movement; as, the horse has a spirited action

  5. Actionnoun

    effective motion; also, mechanism; as, the breech action of a gun

  6. Actionnoun

    any one of the active processes going on in an organism; the performance of a function; as, the action of the heart, the muscles, or the gastric juice

  7. Actionnoun

    gesticulation; the external deportment of the speaker, or the suiting of his attitude, voice, gestures, and countenance, to the subject, or to the feelings

  8. Actionnoun

    the attitude or position of the several parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or passion depicted

  9. Actionnoun

    a suit or process, by which a demand is made of a right in a court of justice; in a broad sense, a judicial proceeding for the enforcement or protection of a right, the redress or prevention of a wrong, or the punishment of a public offense

  10. Actionnoun

    a right of action; as, the law gives an action for every claim

  11. Actionnoun

    a share in the capital stock of a joint-stock company, or in the public funds; hence, in the plural, equivalent to stocks

  12. Actionnoun

    an engagement between troops in war, whether on land or water; a battle; a fight; as, a general action, a partial action

  13. Actionnoun

    the mechanical contrivance by means of which the impulse of the player's finger is transmitted to the strings of a pianoforte or to the valve of an organ pipe

Wikidata

  1. ACTION

    ACTION is a public bus service operating in Canberra, ACT, Australia. It is a division of the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate of the ACT Government. The Minister responsible for TAMS is Shane Rattenbury MLA and the Director of ACTION is James Roncon. Its name was derived as an acronym of Australian Capital Territory Internal Omnibus Network, but it is now officially known as ACTION. Other bus services in Canberra are operated by Deane's Transit Group and Royale Limousines. There are no other modes of public transport operating within the ACT.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Action

    ak′shun, n. a state of acting: activity in the abstract: a deed: operation: gesture: a battle: a lawsuit, or proceedings in a court: the movement of events in a drama, novel, &c.—adj. Ac′tionable, liable to a lawsuit.—n. Ac′tion-tak′ing (Shak.), resenting an injury by a lawsuit instead of fighting it out like a man of honour.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms

  1. action

    Synonymous with battle. Also a term in mechanics for the effort which one body exerts against another, or the effects resulting therefrom.--Action and reaction, the mutual, successive, contrary impulses of two bodies.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer

  1. action

    An engagement between two armies, or bodies of troops. The word is likewise used to signify some memorable act done by an officer, soldier, detachment, or party.

Editors Contribution

  1. action

    The process of to act or do

    They took action as it was vital to ensure the house was warm and cosy for the family.


    Submitted by MaryC on January 19, 2020  


  2. action

    To act, do or contribute to a plan, project, purpose or task.

    They took action immediately to ensure that they had everything they needed for their family gathering.


    Submitted by MaryC on January 19, 2020  


  3. actionverb

    To do something on a contractual, legal, or paid basis with a net electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more priorities. 1.) The fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim.

    I am about that action so I use verbs to throw my lyrical faction.

    Etymology: Life Living


    Submitted by Tehorah_Elyon on March 5, 2024  

Suggested Resources

  1. action

    Song lyrics by action -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by action on the Lyrics.com website.

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'action' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #404

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'action' in Written Corpus Frequency: #904

  3. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'action' in Nouns Frequency: #104

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

Anagrams for action »

  1. atonic

  2. cation

How to pronounce action?

How to say action in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of action in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of action in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of action in a Sentence

  1. Democratic Senator Barbara Mikulski:

    No deal is perfect, especially one negotiated with the Iranian regime. I have concluded that this Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is the best option available to block Iran from having a nuclear bomb.

  2. Mustafa Qadri:

    Only concerted FIFA action to prevent abuses on World Cup sites will save the soul of the 2022 World Cup.

  3. Mandy Gunasekara:

    This action is recalibrating EPA so it aligns with being the agency to protect public health and the environment in a way that respects the limits of the law.

  4. David Malpass:

    By 2030, nearly 9 in 10 extremely poor people will be Africans, and half of the world's poor will be living in fragile and conflict-affected settings, this calls for urgent action, by countries themselves, and by the global community.

  5. Olivo Miotto:

    The speed at which these resistant malaria parasites have spread in Southeast Asia is very worrying, other drugs may be effective at the moment but the situation is extremely fragile and this study highlights that urgent action is needed.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

action#1#473#10000

Translations for action

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • optredeAfrikaans
  • عملArabic
  • ғәмәлBashkir
  • механизъм, екшън, действие, бой, дейност, сражение, движение, искBulgarian
  • accióCatalan, Valencian
  • čin, akce, žalobaCzech
  • Funktion, Bewegung, Klage, action, Handlung, Mechanismus, Aktion, KampfGerman
  • πράξη, αγωγή, πάμε, ενέργεια, δίωξη, κίνηση, δράσηGreek
  • acciónSpanish
  • teguEstonian
  • ژیرش, کنش, آکسیونPersian
  • toiminta, akti, teko, toimenpideFinnish
  • action, action en justice, mechanisme, action légaleFrench
  • gnìomhScottish Gaelic
  • acciónGalician
  • אקשן, מנגנון, פעולה, תביעה משפטית, מעשה, אופן פעולהHebrew
  • कार्यHindi
  • szerkezet, mozgás, kereset, akció, per, tett, csata, cselekedet, ütközetHungarian
  • հայց, գործողություն, արարք, կռիվ, շարժումArmenian
  • action, mechanismoInterlingua
  • tindakan, aksiIndonesian
  • azione, meccanismo, azione legaleItalian
  • פעולהHebrew
  • 行動, 動作Japanese
  • āctiōLatin
  • കര്‍മ്മം, പ്രവൃത്തിMalayalam
  • aksi, tindakanMalay
  • werking, actie, handeling, mechanisme, bewegingDutch
  • czynność, akcjaPolish
  • ação, mecanismoPortuguese
  • acțiune, faptăRomanian
  • действие, работа, поступок, механизм, воздействие, движениеRussian
  • veprimAlbanian
  • action, handlingSwedish
  • amel, münasebet, eylemTurkish
  • hành độngVietnamese
  • 行動Chinese

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