action

Where “action” sits in English frequency

Definition

1. 1
   The effort of performing or doing something.
2. 2
   Something done, often so as to accomplish a purpose.
3. 3
   A way of motion or functioning.
4. 4
   Fast-paced activity.
5. 5
   The way in which a mechanical device acts when used; especially a firearm.
6. 6
   The way in which a mechanical device acts when used; especially a firearm.
7. 7
   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.
8. 8
   The distance separating the strings and the fingerboard on a string instrument.
9. 9
   Sexual intercourse.
10. 10
    Combat.
11. 11
    A charge or other process in a law court (also called lawsuit and actio).
12. 12
    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).
13. 13
    The product of energy and time, especially the product of the Lagrangian and time.
14. 14
    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.
15. 15
    The attitude or position of the several parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or passion depicted.
16. 16
    spin put on the bowling ball.
17. 17
    A share in the capital stock of a joint-stock company, or in the public funds.
18. 18
    A religious performance or solemn function, i.e. action sermon, a sacramental sermon in the Scots Presbyterian Church.
19. 19
    A process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings).
20. 20
    Purposeful behavior.
21. 21
    A demonstration by activists.

Etymology

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.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acction,aciton,acsion,actino,actionn,actoin,acttion,atcion

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of action - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

Frequently Asked Questions