Entry Word: action

Function: noun

Meaning: 1 something done by someone <judge people by their actions, not by their words>

Synonyms act, deed, doing, exploit, feat, thing

Related Words accomplishment, achievement, attainment; adventure, experience; enterprise, initiative, undertaking; handiwork, performance, work; stunt, trick; activity, dealing; maneuver, measure, move, operation, procedure, proceeding, step, tactic

2 a court case for enforcing a right or claim <filed an action in county court to recover his lawnmower from his neighbor, who claims he “gave” it to her> — see lawsuit
3 active fighting during the course of a war <the battalion saw action soon after it arrived in France> — see combat 1
4 actions pluralthe way or manner in which one conducts oneself <observing the actions of mice in various controlled settings helps scientists understand the effects of certain drugs> — see behavior