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.
A 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:
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:
8
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music 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.
The run in bar 12 is almost impossible with this piano's heavy action.
9
Arts, Crafts, Entertainment, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Lutherie, Music The distance separating the strings and the fingerboard on a string instrument.
You're getting fret buzz because the action is too low.
Law A charge or other process in a law court (also called lawsuit and actio).
13
Mathematics, Sciences 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).
14
Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics The product of energy and time, especially the product of the Lagrangian and time.
15
Literature, Media, Publishing 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.
16
Art, Arts The attitude or position of the several parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or passion depicted.
Painting and sculpture
17
Bowling, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports spin put on the bowling ball.
18
Obsolete A share in the capital stock of a joint-stock company, or in the public funds.
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:
the Euripus of funds and actions1790 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:
19
Christianity A 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:
20
Sciences A process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings).
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:
23
Card games, Poker The opportunity to act during a betting round.
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.
1
Demanding or signifying the start of something, usually a performance.
The director yelled ‘Action!’ after the cameras started rolling.
action
adj
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.
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.
1
Management To act on a request etc, in order to put it into effect.
‘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:
2 more examples
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:
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:
2
Archaic To initiate a legal action against someone.
‘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:
2 more examples
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:
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: