action

ac|tion [ `ækʃən ] noun ***

▸ 1 process of doing something

▸ 2 something someone does

▸ 3 movement

▸ 4 effect of drug/chemical

▸ 5 fighting in war

▸ 6 exciting events

▸ 7 events in play/movie

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) uncount the process of doing something, especially in order to stop a bad situation from developing or continuing:

Officials are not planning any immediate action.

take action (=begin to do something to solve a particular problem): We urge the authorities to take action.

course of action (=something that you do in order to achieve a particular purpose): We have three possible courses of action.

a ) count or uncount the process of bringing a case to a court of law. This kind of action is also called legal action:

bring an action (against someone) (=start a legal process against someone): The magazine will fight the libel action brought by the singer.

=> CLASS ACTION

b ) count or uncount the process of stopping work or working less effectively in order to protest about your pay, working conditions, etc.:

Twenty strikers voted to suspend their action.

2. ) count something you do, especially something that seems wrong or unusual to other people:

How can you justify your actions?

3. ) count or uncount a movement that you make with your body:

She found herself copying his actions.

reflex actions such as swallowing

a ) singular or uncount action of the movement of an object as it works or makes progress, especially a particular kind of movement:

This switch slows down the action of the pump.

the erosive action of a great glacier

4. ) singular or uncount the effect that something such as a drug or chemical has:

the action of something (on something): the action of certain chemicals on the brain

5. ) uncount fighting that is part of a war:

Can military action be avoided?

killed/missing/wounded in action: a list of soldiers missing in action

see action (=take part in military fighting): We've been told we're unlikely to see action.

6. ) singular INFORMAL all the exciting or important events that happen in a particular situation or place:

Where's all the action in this town?

7. ) singular the events that form part of a play or movie:

In Scene 1, the action takes place in an expensive restaurant.

actions speak louder than words

used for saying that what you do is more important than what you say you will do

in action

1. ) doing what you are good at or what you are trained to do:

It's interesting to watch a good salesman in action.

2. ) doing what something is designed to do:

How long before we can see the new ski lifts in action?

out of action

1. ) if someone is out of action, they are injured or too sick to perform their usual activities:

Her broken wrist will put her out of action for at least a month.

2. ) if something is out of action, it cannot be used, for example because it is broken or is being repaired or cleaned:

The swimming pool is currently out of action.

put something into action

to start using something such as a plan or idea:

Our plans aren't quite ready to be put into action.