action
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈæk.ʃn̩/
rhymes: -ækʃən
Forms: form: actions
Etymology: 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. See also act, active. By surface analysis, act + -ion.
Senses: glosses: The effort of performing or doing something.
coordinate_terms: word: occurrence
english: what verbs can express
translation: what verbs can express
word: state of being
glosses: Something done, often so as to accomplish a purpose.
examples: text: Knead bread with a rocking action.
glosses: A way of motion or functioning.
examples: text: a movie full of exciting action
glosses: Fast-paced activity.
examples: text: Pressing a piano key causes the action of the hammer on the string.
glosses: The way in which a mechanical device acts when used; especially a firearm.
examples: text: pump-action shotgun
topics: engineering
firearms
government
military
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
politics
tools
war
weaponry
glosses: The way in which a mechanical device acts when used; especially a firearm.
The way in which cartridges are loaded, locked, and extracted from the mechanism.
examples: text: The run in bar 12 is almost impossible with this piano's heavy action.
topics: entertainment
lifestyle
music
glosses: 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.
examples: text: You're getting fret buzz because the action is too low.
topics: arts
crafts
entertainment
hobbies
lifestyle
lutherie
music
glosses: The distance separating the strings and the fingerboard on a string instrument.
examples: text: She gave him some action.
text: I hope to get a bit of action with the hot guy from the club.
synonyms: word: aphrodisia
word: carnal knowledge
word: coitus
word: coition
word: commerce
word: commixtion
word: congress
word: conjunction
word: connection
word: consummation
word: conversation
word: copulation
word: coupling
word: intercourse
word: intimacy
word: intimate relations
word: intromission
word: joining
word: lovemaking
word: lustmaking
word: marital embrace
word: mating
word: mounting
raw_tags: for animals
word: pareunia
word: penetration
word: relations
word: sex
word: sexual congress
word: sexual intercourse
word: sexual relation
word: sexual union
word: swiving
word: union
word: the beast with two backs
word: the birds and the bees
word: boom-boom
word: chesterfield rugby
word: horizontal dancing
word: horizontal hula
word: horizontal jogging
word: horizontal mambo
word: horizontal refreshments
word: how's your father
word: love
word: Netflix and chill
word: physical love
word: roll in the hay
word: Ugandan affairs
word: Ugandan discussions
word: action
word: ass
word: bang
word: barney-mugging
word: beef injection
word: bonking
word: cuntfuck
word: fucking
word: frig
word: fucky-fucky
word: hot beef injection
word: hump
word: humpa humpa
word: jig-jig
word: jiggy-jiggy
word: lay
word: legover
word: meat injection
word: nookie
word: old hat
word: pipe
word: plow
word: plough
word: poon
word: poontang
word: punani
word: pussy
word: ride
word: root
word: rumpo
word: rumpy-pumpy
word: seeing-to
word: sexy time
word: sexy times
word: screw
word: screwing
word: shag
word: skin
word: snu snu
word: tang
word: trim
word: hanky-panky
word: funny business
word: making whoopee
word: jiggery-pokery
word: monkey business
word: fooling about
word: fooling around
word: playing around
qualifier: typically with a quantifier
glosses: Sexual intercourse.
examples: text: He saw some action in the Korean War.
topics: government
military
politics
war
glosses: Combat.
topics: law
glosses: A charge or other process in a law court (also called lawsuit and actio).
topics: mathematics
sciences
glosses: A 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).
topics: natural-sciences
physical-sciences
physics
glosses: The product of energy and time, especially the product of the Lagrangian and time.
topics: literature
media
publishing
glosses: 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.
topics: art
arts
qualifier: painting and sculpture
glosses: The attitude or position of the several parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or passion depicted.
topics: bowling
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: spin put on the bowling ball.
examples: text: So saying he presented him with two actions of above two thousand livres each.
ref: 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC:
text: the Euripus of funds and actions
ref: 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:
glosses: A share in the capital stock of a joint-stock company, or in the public funds.
examples: text: The Action Sermon is quite simply, then, the eucharistic sermon.
ref: 2008, Duncan B. Forrester, Doug Gay, Worship and Liturgy in Context, scm Press, page 88:
topics: Christianity
glosses: A religious performance or solemn function, i.e. action sermon, a sacramental sermon in the Scots Presbyterian Church.
topics: sciences
glosses: A process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings).
topics: economics
sciences
glosses: Purposeful behavior.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 1987 April 11, Kim Westheimer, “NY Protesters Rip FDA”, in Gay Community News, page 1:
glosses: A demonstration by activists.
Synonyms: sense: something done
word: deed
word: act
word: action
word: acting
word: cocky
word: doing
Hyponyms: word: action at a distance
word: direct action
word: social action
word: exploit
word: maneuver
word: misdeed
word: performance
word: perpetration
Derived terms: sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actant
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actionable
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action adventure
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actional
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action doll
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actionee
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actioner
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actionfest
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action figure
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action film
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action-forcing
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action game
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action group
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action hero
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action hoe
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action house
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actionism
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actionist
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action item
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actionize
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actionless
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actionlet
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actionlike
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action man
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action movie
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actionness
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action noun
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action-packed
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action painter
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action painting
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action plan
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action point
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action potential
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action replay
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action research
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: ActionScript
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action song
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action space
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action sport
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actions speak louder than words
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action star
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action stations
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action teaching
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action verb
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: action word
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actiony
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: actious
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: after-action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: all talk and no action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: alternate action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: apefirmative action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: back action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: backaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: bioaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: bolt-action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: bolt action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: call to action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: capillary action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: cause of action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: chose in action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: civil action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: class-action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: class action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: coaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: collective action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: counteraction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: course of action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: cowboy action shooting
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: cross action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: double-action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: double action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: ecoaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: enemy action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: evasive action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: falling action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: false action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: galvanic action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: general intelligent action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: geriaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: get action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: grand action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: holding action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: hyperaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: in action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: inaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: industrial action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: job action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: jump into action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: killed in action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: labor action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: labour action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: leap into action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: legal action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: lever action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: lights, camera, action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: live action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: lost in action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: man of action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: material action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: microaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: misaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: missing in action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: no-action letter
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: no further action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: nonaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: out of action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: overaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: party to the action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: Peabody action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: permissive-action link
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: Phineas action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: piece of the action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: plan of action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: play-action pass
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: police action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: popular action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: positive action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: pre-action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: preaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: principle of least action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: pump action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: put into action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: quantum of action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: radius of action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: rearguard action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: repose in action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: representative action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: retroaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: rising action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: romaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: secondary action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: self-action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: shareholders' derivative action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: slide action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: spooky action at a distance
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: spring into action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: stop-action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: subaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: suit the action to the word
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: superaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: swing into action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: take action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: unaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: underaction
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: unity of action
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: western action shooting
sense: Terms derived from action (noun)
word: zone of action
Related terms: sense: Terms etymologically related to action (noun)
word: act
sense: Terms etymologically related to action (noun)
word: agency
sense: Terms etymologically related to action (noun)
word: agent
word: deed