Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-
Proto-Indo-European *-eti
Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti
Proto-Italic *agō
Latin agō
Latin āctum
Proto-Indo-European *-tis
Proto-Indo-European *-Hō
Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō
Proto-Italic *-tiō
Latin -tiō
Latin āctiō
Old French aucionbor.
Middle English accioun
English action
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 tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-
Proto-Indo-European *-eti
Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti
Proto-Italic *agō
Latin agō
Latin āctum
Proto-Indo-European *-tis
Proto-Indo-European *-Hō
Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō
Proto-Italic *-tiō
Latin -tiō
Latin āctiō
Old French aucionbor.
Middle English accioun
English action
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.
Meanings
Demanding or signifying the start of something, usually a performance.
The director yelled ‘Action!’ after the cameras started rolling.
sv börja (signifying the start of something) · es acción (signifying the start of something) · nl actie (signifying the start of something) · ja アクション (signifying the start of something) · he אקשן (signifying the start of something) · pl akcja (signifying the start of something) · mi tautapa (signifying the start of something) · cmn action (signifying the start of something) · hu tessék (signifying the start of something) · fi käy (signifying the start of something) · sv tagning (signifying the start of something) · it azione (signifying the start of something) · pt ação (signifying the start of something) · sv varsågod (signifying the start of something) · fr action (signifying the start of something) · ko 액션 (signifying the start of something) · cmn 開始 /开始 (signifying the start of something) · el πάμε (signifying the start of something)
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-
Proto-Indo-European *-eti
Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti
Proto-Italic *agō
Latin agō
Latin āctum
Proto-Indo-European *-tis
Proto-Indo-European *-Hō
Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō
Proto-Italic *-tiō
Latin -tiō
Latin āctiō
Old French aucionbor.
Middle English accioun
English action
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.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) The effort of performing or doing something.
(countable, uncountable) Something done, often so as to accomplish a purpose.
(countable, uncountable) A way of motion or functioning.
Knead bread with a rocking action.
(countable, uncountable) Fast-paced activity.
a movie full of exciting action
(countable, uncountable) The way in which a mechanical device acts when used; especially a firearm.
Pressing a piano key causes the action of the hammer on the string.
(countable, uncountable) 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.
pump-action shotgun
(countable, uncountable) A physical mechanism of a firearm or other device.
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:
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:
(countable, uncountable) 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.
(countable, uncountable) The distance separating the strings and the fingerboard on a string instrument.
You're getting fret buzz because the action is too low.
(countable, qualifier:typically with a quantifier, slang, uncountable) Sexual intercourse.
She gave him some action.
I hope to get a bit of action with the hot guy from the club.
(countable, uncountable) Combat.
He saw some action in the Korean War.
(countable, uncountable) A charge or other process in a law court (also called lawsuit and actio).
(countable, uncountable) 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).
(countable, uncountable) The product of energy and time, especially the product of the Lagrangian and time.
(countable, uncountable) 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.
(countable, qualifier:painting and sculpture, uncountable) The attitude or position of the several parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or passion depicted.
(countable, uncountable) spin put on the bowling ball.
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) A share in the capital stock of a joint-stock company, or in the public funds.
the Euripus of funds and actions 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:
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:
(countable, uncountable) 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:
(countable, uncountable) A process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings).
(countable, uncountable) A demonstration by activists.
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:
(uncountable) The opportunity to act during a betting round.
The action starts with the small blind.
(broadly, slang, uncountable) Heavy betting activity.
There was a lot of action on the flop; it was an action flop.
agent (Terms etymologically related to action (noun)) · deed · agency (Terms etymologically related to action (noun)) · act (Terms etymologically related to action (noun))
hu cselekedet (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fi toimenpide (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hy շարժում (way of motion or functioning) · fr action (military: combat) · ru дея́ние (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · pl czynność (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · nl actie (fast-paced activity) · ko 행동 (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hy արարք (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · cs žaloba (law: charge) · hy գործողություն (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · km កម្ម (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · la āctiō (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · tl aksiyon (way of motion or functioning) · ia action (way of motion or functioning) · th กรรม (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ko 작동 (way of motion or functioning) · de Aktion (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · mk дејство (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · it azione (fast-paced activity) · pl czyn (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · bg де́йствие (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hu intézkedés (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · es acción judicial (law: charge) · vi hành động (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · aa abina abto (way of motion or functioning) · fa کنش (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · co azzioni (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fi toiminta (effort of performing or doing something) · ja 動作 (way of motion or functioning) · el ενέργεια (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · he תביעה משפטית (law: charge) · uz harakat (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · cmn 訴訟 /诉讼 (law: charge) · pt ação (way of motion or functioning) · cmn 動作 /动作 (way of motion or functioning) · ja 戦闘 (military: combat) · xdq шикь (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hi कर्म (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fi jenga (bowling: spin) · he אופן פעולה (way of motion or functioning) · fi pano (slang: intercourse) · ja 交戦 (military: combat) · eo ago (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hu működés (way of motion or functioning) · nb virkning (mathematics: type of mapping) · sh čȋn (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fi kierre (bowling: spin) · sh ра́дња (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · el δράση (fast-paced activity) · ka ქმედება (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · el κίνηση (way of motion or functioning) · ru бой (military: combat) · sv handling (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · de Action (fast-paced activity) · ru а́кция (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ota یارغو (law: charge) · bg де́йност (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hi कार्य (way of motion or functioning) · grc πρᾶξις (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ko 전투 (military: combat) · fi toimi (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hu mozgás (way of motion or functioning) · io agado (fast-paced activity) · hi करम (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ca acció (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ar عَمَل (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hu harc (military: combat) · hu ténykedés (way of motion or functioning) · fa ژیرش (way of motion or functioning) · pl akcja (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · de Klage (law: charge) · th การกระทำ (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ka მოქმედება (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · bg екшън (fast-paced activity) · fi kielen korkeus (music: distance separating the strings and the fretboard) · uk ді́яння (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · sk čin (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · sv action (slang: intercourse) · nl werking (way of motion or functioning) · it azione (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hi अभियान (military: combat) · ja アクション (fast-paced activity) · fr action en justice (law: charge) · he פעולה \ פְּעֻלָּה (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · id tindakan (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · tl aksiyon (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · cs akce (fast-paced activity) · fa ژیرش (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ru иск (law: charge) · fa ژیرش (military: combat) · hu eljárás (law: charge) · hi काम (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ga aicsean (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · vo dunam (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ga cás (law: charge) · ru движе́ние (way of motion or functioning) · fr action (fast-paced activity) · hi कार्यवाही (military: combat) · hu tevékenykedés (way of motion or functioning) · pl akcja (fast-paced activity) · ms tindakan (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · id aksi (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · la āctus (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · mt azzjoni (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · el αγωγή (law: charge) · zdj itrenɗwa (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ru де́йствие (way of motion or functioning) · sh чи̑н (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hu cselekvés (way of motion or functioning) · ga comhrac (military: combat) · fa عمل (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · tg амал (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ko 액션 (fast-paced activity) · mi hohenga (way of motion or functioning) · la āctiō (law: charge) · ja 行動 (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · it azione legale (law: charge) · fa آکسیون (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · tr amel (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hu művelet (fast-paced activity) · it azione (military: combat) · cs akce (military: combat) · km កិច្ច (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hi अभियोग (law: charge) · sv rörelse (way of motion or functioning) · et tegu (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · tr münasebet (slang: intercourse) · ca acció (fast-paced activity) · ko 교전 (military: combat) · hi क्रिया (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · lo ກຳ (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fr action (way of motion or functioning) · nn verknad (mathematics: type of mapping) · pt ação (military: combat) · cs čin (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hu tett (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · sv action (fast-paced activity) · de Handlung (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fi toiminta (military: combat) · hu akció (fast-paced activity) · nl actie (slang: intercourse) · es acción (effort of performing or doing something) · es acción (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · nl actie (military: combat) · pt ação (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fi liike (painting and sculpture: attitude or position of the several parts of the body) · vi động tác (way of motion or functioning) · bg бой (military: combat) · tr fiil (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · txb yāmor (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · bo ལས (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fi liike (way of motion or functioning) · da handling (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ca acció (law: charge) · bg движение (way of motion or functioning) · ang dǣd (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · cmn 行動 /行动 (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · tl kilos (way of motion or functioning) · ru посту́пок (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · el δίωξη (law: charge) · ia action (fast-paced activity) · ro faptă (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · io kombato (military: combat) · ms aksi (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · gl acción (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fi toiminta (unfolding of the drama of events) · cmn 戰鬥 /战斗 (military: combat) · de Kampf (military: combat) · km កិរិយា (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fi kyyti (slang: intercourse) · fi toiminto (mathematics: type of mapping) · hu cselekmény (way of motion or functioning) · gd gnìomh (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fi teko (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · pl działanie (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fi koneisto (music: set of moving mechanical parts of a keyboard instrument) · hy կռիվ (military: combat) · fr action légale (law: charge) · sl dejanje (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · nl handeling (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · he מַעֲשֶׂה (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · de Funktion (way of motion or functioning) · vo dun (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hu kereset (law: charge) · nds-de Akschoon (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · it azione (way of motion or functioning) · scn azzioni (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · sh rádnja (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · el πράξη (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hi कार्यवाही (way of motion or functioning) · es acción (way of motion or functioning) · ko 소송 (law: charge) · fi tekeminen (effort of performing or doing something) · bg иск (law: charge) · co azzione (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ru де́йствие (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · uk ді́я (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · be дзе́янне (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · io ago (way of motion or functioning) · txb yamalläññe (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · pt ação (fast-paced activity) · la āctiō (way of motion or functioning) · io maniero (way of motion or functioning) · fi kanne (law: charge) · fi vaikutus (physics: product of energy and time) · ro acțiune (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ba ғәмәл (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ml കർമ്മം (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hi काज (way of motion or functioning) · ru акт (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · cmn 作用 (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · nl actie (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · gd gnìomh (military: combat) · ml പ്രവൃത്തി (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · tr aksiyon (fast-paced activity) · tr aksiyon (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fr action (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ha yin abu (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · io ago (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ru сраже́ние (military: combat) · af optrede (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ko 성교 (slang: intercourse) · tr eylem (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hu ütközet (military: combat) · nl beweging (way of motion or functioning) · he אקשן (fast-paced activity) · sa कर्मन् (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ja 訴訟 (law: charge) · ia action (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ru возде́йствие (way of motion or functioning) · egy st-t:a:Z1 (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hu üzemelés (way of motion or functioning) · hy հայց (law: charge) · pt ação (law: charge) · de Bewegung (way of motion or functioning) · sq veprim (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · ota حركت (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · hu csata (military: combat) · hu per (law: charge) · bg сраже́ние (military: combat) · ca acció (way of motion or functioning) · lo ການກະທຳ (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · fi taistelu (military: combat) · hu művelet (something done so as to accomplish a purpose) · nds-de Akschoon (fast-paced activity) · fi toiminta (fast-paced activity) · mi hohenga (something done so as to accomplish a purpose)
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-
Proto-Indo-European *-eti
Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti
Proto-Italic *agō
Latin agō
Latin āctum
Proto-Indo-European *-tis
Proto-Indo-European *-Hō
Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō
Proto-Italic *-tiō
Latin -tiō
Latin āctiō
Old French aucionbor.
Middle English accioun
English action
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.
Meanings
(transitive) To act on a request etc, in order to put it into effect.
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:
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:
‘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:
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:
(archaic, transitive) To initiate a legal action against someone.
“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:
‘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:
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:
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: