Etymology Compare Latin subactio a working up, discipline.
1
Obsolete The act of reducing to any state, such as of mixing two bodies completely.
there are of concoction two periods ; the one assimilation , or absolute conversion and subaction ; the other maturation1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “IX. Century.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
the whole masse of spawne may also bee imbibed by bole or frankincense or minium or cerusse incorporated by agitation or subaction.a. 1682, Thomas Browne, Observations on frogs:
subaction
noun
Etymology From sub- + action.
1
An action that makes up part of a more complex action.
This is so because efforts, exertions, and endeavorings, if they were to exist, would need to be actions themselves, or parts of actions, or subactions or behaviors of some sort […]2012, Timothy O'Connor, Constantine Sandis, A Companion to the Philosophy of Action: