Definitions for the word "action" from multiple English dictionaries.
1. n.
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.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
2. n.
An act; a thing done; a deed; an enterprise. (pl.): Habitual deeds; hence, conduct; behavior; demeanor.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
3. n.
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.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
4. n.
Movement; as, the horse has a spirited action.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
5. n.
Effective motion; also, mechanism; as, the breech action of a gun.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
6. n.
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.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
7. n.
Gesticulation; the external deportment of the speaker, or the suiting of his attitude, voice, gestures, and countenance, to the subject, or to the feelings.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
8. n.
The attitude or position of the several parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or passion depicted.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
9. n.
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.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
10. n.
A right of action; as, the law gives an action for every claim.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
11. n.
A share in the capital stock of a joint-stock company, or in the public funds; hence, in the plural, equivalent to stocks.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
12. n.
An engagement between troops in war, whether on land or water; a battle; a fight; as, a general action, a partial action.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
13. n.
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.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
14. n.
1 process of doing or acting (demanded action). 2 forcefulness or energy. 3 exertion of energy or influence (action of acid on metal). 4 deed, act (not aware of his actions). 5 (the action) a series of events in a story, play, etc. B slang exciting activity (missed the action). 6 battle, fighting (killed in action). 7 a mechanism of an instrument. B style of movement of an animal or human. 8 lawsuit. out of action not working. [latin: related to *act]
Source: Oxford English Dictionary, 1884
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Additional Info
This page provides a list of definitions and meanings for "action" from various historical English dictionaries. By displaying multiple definitions, you can compare and
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Important Notes
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