ac·tion
Pronounced:
/ˈækʃən/
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural ac·tionsMeaning:
1 [count] : something that a person or group does ▪ As its first official action [=act], the committee elected Ms. Jones as its president. ▪ He was critical of the government's actions before the war. ▪ a military action against another country ▪ criminal/illegal actions ▪ She tried to explain/defend/justify her actions. ▪ I accept full responsibility for my actions. —often used with take ▪ The school has been asked to take certain actions to fix the problem. ▪ This is just one of the many actions that they could have taken. ◊The saying actions speak louder than words means that the things that you do are more important than the things that you say. ▪ They say they want peace, but actions speak louder than words.
2 [noncount] : things done to achieve a particular purpose ▪ The situation demanded immediate action. ▪ The problem may require military action. ▪ The school took disciplinary action against the drunken students. ▪ They decided that no further action was necessary. ▪ We need to agree on a plan of action. [=need to agree on what we will be doing] ▪ What's the best course of action? [=what's the best way to proceed?] ▪ The protesters criticized the administration's lack of action [=inaction] on many issues. —often used with take ▪ We were ready to take action. [=to do something] ▪ Because the company failed to take action [=failed to act], many people were hurt. ▪ The company took no action. ▪ The police are now taking appropriate action. ▪ She's all talk and no action. [=she says that she will do things, but she does not do them] ◊A man of action or woman of action is a man or woman who works in an active way to do things. ▪ He was a scholar and thinker but was also a man of action. —see also affirmative action, political action committee
3 [noncount] : fighting that happens in a war ▪ His unit first saw action [=fought in a battle] on June 20th. ▪ soldiers who were killed or wounded in action [=in battle] ▪ soldiers who are missing in action [=soldiers who cannot be found after a battle and might have been killed, captured, or wounded] —see also in action (below)
4 the action : the most exciting or interesting activities that are happening in a particular place ▪ The new theater places the audience closer to the center/middle of the action. ▪ I moved to New York City to be (a) part of the action. ▪ Downtown is where the action is. [=downtown is a very active and exciting place]
5 [noncount] a informal : a chance or opportunity to make money ▪ Do any of you guys want to get in on the action? [=participate in a plan to make money] ◊A piece of the action or (chiefly US) a cut of the action or (chiefly Brit) a slice of the action is a portion or share of the money that can be earned from something. ▪ He saw that his friends were making money illegally, and he wanted to get a piece of the action. b slang sometimes offensive : sexual activity ▪ I met a girl who was ready for some action.
6 [noncount] : the events that happen in a story, movie, etc. ▪ Most of the play's action takes place in a restaurant. ▪ the action [=plot] of the novel
7 [noncount] : events that happen quickly and that cause feelings of danger and excitement ▪ The movie is two hours of nonstop action. [=excitement] ▪ We went out looking for action. ▪ That's when the action really starts. —often used before another noun ▪ action movies ▪ the film's final action sequence —see also live action
8 —used as a director's command to start filming part of a movie or television show ▪ Lights, camera, action!
9 law : the process of having a court of law make a decision about an argument [count] ▪ The court dismissed the action. [=case, lawsuit] ▪ She brought/filed an action against the company for damages. ▪ civil actions [=lawsuits about a person's rights] [noncount] ▪ They are threatening/considering legal action. ▪ bringing/taking action against companies for damages —see also class action
10 [noncount] : a process in which one thing causes a change in another thing ▪ the action [=effect] of certain chemicals on the brain ▪ The medicine blocks the action of these proteins. [=it stops the proteins from working] ▪ The cave was formed by the action of an underground river.
11 : the way that something works or moves [noncount] ▪ Food is swallowed by the action of the tongue. ▪ the action of the heart ▪ the mechanical action of a pulley ▪ the drill's twisting action ▪ a single-action revolver [singular] ▪ The gears meshed with a smooth action.
2 [noncount] : things done to achieve a particular purpose ▪ The situation demanded immediate action. ▪ The problem may require military action. ▪ The school took disciplinary action against the drunken students. ▪ They decided that no further action was necessary. ▪ We need to agree on a plan of action. [=need to agree on what we will be doing] ▪ What's the best course of action? [=what's the best way to proceed?] ▪ The protesters criticized the administration's lack of action [=inaction] on many issues. —often used with take ▪ We were ready to take action. [=to do something] ▪ Because the company failed to take action [=failed to act], many people were hurt. ▪ The company took no action. ▪ The police are now taking appropriate action. ▪ She's all talk and no action. [=she says that she will do things, but she does not do them] ◊A man of action or woman of action is a man or woman who works in an active way to do things. ▪ He was a scholar and thinker but was also a man of action. —see also affirmative action, political action committee
3 [noncount] : fighting that happens in a war ▪ His unit first saw action [=fought in a battle] on June 20th. ▪ soldiers who were killed or wounded in action [=in battle] ▪ soldiers who are missing in action [=soldiers who cannot be found after a battle and might have been killed, captured, or wounded] —see also in action (below)
4 the action : the most exciting or interesting activities that are happening in a particular place ▪ The new theater places the audience closer to the center/middle of the action. ▪ I moved to New York City to be (a) part of the action. ▪ Downtown is where the action is. [=downtown is a very active and exciting place]
5 [noncount] a informal : a chance or opportunity to make money ▪ Do any of you guys want to get in on the action? [=participate in a plan to make money] ◊A piece of the action or (chiefly US) a cut of the action or (chiefly Brit) a slice of the action is a portion or share of the money that can be earned from something. ▪ He saw that his friends were making money illegally, and he wanted to get a piece of the action. b slang sometimes offensive : sexual activity ▪ I met a girl who was ready for some action.
6 [noncount] : the events that happen in a story, movie, etc. ▪ Most of the play's action takes place in a restaurant. ▪ the action [=plot] of the novel
7 [noncount] : events that happen quickly and that cause feelings of danger and excitement ▪ The movie is two hours of nonstop action. [=excitement] ▪ We went out looking for action. ▪ That's when the action really starts. —often used before another noun ▪ action movies ▪ the film's final action sequence —see also live action
8 —used as a director's command to start filming part of a movie or television show ▪ Lights, camera, action!
9 law : the process of having a court of law make a decision about an argument [count] ▪ The court dismissed the action. [=case, lawsuit] ▪ She brought/filed an action against the company for damages. ▪ civil actions [=lawsuits about a person's rights] [noncount] ▪ They are threatening/considering legal action. ▪ bringing/taking action against companies for damages —see also class action
10 [noncount] : a process in which one thing causes a change in another thing ▪ the action [=effect] of certain chemicals on the brain ▪ The medicine blocks the action of these proteins. [=it stops the proteins from working] ▪ The cave was formed by the action of an underground river.
11 : the way that something works or moves [noncount] ▪ Food is swallowed by the action of the tongue. ▪ the action of the heart ▪ the mechanical action of a pulley ▪ the drill's twisting action ▪ a single-action revolver [singular] ▪ The gears meshed with a smooth action.
in action
: in the act of doing something : performing a usual job or function ▪ We came to the court to see our country's judicial system in action. [=at work] ▪ The fans have come to see their favorite players in action. ▪ After a two year break from baseball, he's finally back in action. [=he's playing baseball again] —see also action 3 (above)
into action
: to an active state ▪ They had already put the plan into action. [=started using the plan] ▪ Firefighters are ready to leap/spring/swing into action [=quickly start working] at a moment's notice. ◊When people or things are called into action, they are asked to start working or doing a particular task. ▪ As a doctor, she can be called into action at any time of the day. ▪ Our military unit was called into action at the start of the war.
out of action
: unable to perform a usual job or function : not in action ▪ He broke his leg and the doctors say that he'll be out of action [=out of commission] for at least a month. ▪ His broken leg will put/keep him out of action for at least a month.