action

Definitions

1. 1noun

   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. 2noun

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

3. 3noun

   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. 4noun

   Movement; as, the horse has a spirited action.

5. 5noun

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

6. 6noun

   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. 7noun

   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. 8noun

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

9. 9noun

   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. 10noun

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

11. 11noun

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

12. 12noun

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

13. 13noun

    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.

14. 14noun

    something done (usually as opposed to something said)

    "there were stories of murders and other unnatural actions"

15. 15noun

    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"

16. 16noun

    a military engagement

    "he saw action in Korea"

17. 17noun

    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

18. 18noun

    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"

19. 19noun

    the operating part that transmits power to a mechanism

    "the piano had a very stiff action"

20. 20noun

    the trait of being active and energetic and forceful

    "a man of action"

21. 21noun

    the series of events that form a plot

    "his novels always have a lot of action"

22. 22noun

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

    "the action of natural forces"

    "volcanic activity"

    Synonyms

    activity
23. 23noun

    the state of being active

    "his sphere of activity"

    "he is out of action"

    Synonyms

    activenessactivity
24. 24verb

    put in effect

    "carry out a task"

    "execute the decision of the people"

    Synonyms

    accomplishexecutefulfilfulfill
25. 25verb

    institute legal proceedings against; file a suit against

    "He was warned that the district attorney would process him"

    "She actioned the company for discrimination"

    Synonyms

    litigateprocesssue