action

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the process of doing something to achieve a result

   The government must take action to reduce pollution.

2. 2
   noun

   something that a person does

   You should think carefully about the actions you take.

3. 3
   noun

   exciting events, such as fast movement and fighting in a story

   The film is full of action from start to finish.

4. 4
   noun

   fighting during a war

   Many soldiers saw action during the war.

Common collocations

• action movie Adjective + noun

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Latin āctum Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō 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.

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