[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

action \ac"tion\, n. of. action, l. actio, fr. agere to do. see
   act.
   1. 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.
      1913 webster

            one wise in council, one in action brave. --pope.
      1913 webster

   2. an act; a thing done; a deed; an enterprise. pl.:
      habitual deeds; hence, conduct; behavior; demeanor.
      1913 webster

            the lord is a good of knowledge, and by him actions
            are weighed.                          --1 sam. ii.
                                                  3.
      1913 webster

   3. 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.
      1913 webster

   4. movement; as, the horse has a spirited action.
      1913 webster

   5. mech. effective motion; also, mechanism; as, the breech
      action of a gun.
      1913 webster

   6. physiol. 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.
      1913 webster

   7. orat. gesticulation; the external deportment of the
      speaker, or the suiting of his attitude, voice, gestures,
      and countenance, to the subject, or to the feelings.
      1913 webster

   8. paint.  sculp. the attitude or position of the several
      parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or
      passion depicted.
      1913 webster

   9. law
      a 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.
      b a right of action; as, the law gives an action for
          every claim.
          1913 webster

   10. com. a share in the capital stock of a joint-stock
       company, or in the public funds; hence, in the plural,
       equivalent to stocks. a gallicism obs.
       1913 webster

             the euripus of funds and actions.    --burke.
       1913 webster

   11. an engagement between troops in war, whether on land or
       water; a battle; a fight; as, a general action, a partial
       action.
       1913 webster

   12. music 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.
       --grove.
       1913 webster

   chose in action. law see chose.

   quantity of action physics, the product of the mass of a
      body by the space it runs through, and its velocity.
      1913 webster

   syn: action, act.

   usage: in many cases action and act are synonymous; but some
          distinction is observable. action involves the mode or
          process of acting, and is usually viewed as occupying
          some time in doing. act has more reference to the
          effect, or the operation as complete.

                to poke the fire is an act, to reconcile friends
                who have quarreled is a praiseworthy action.
                                                  --c. j. smith.
          1913 webster
see also:
act chose in action chose quantity of action action 

Action >> A Words
Action, definition of term: Action
action_pag1.html

Action Replay >> A Words
Action Replay, definition of term: Action Replay
action+replay_pag1.html

Action Potentia >> A Words
Action Potentia, definition of term: Action Potentia
action+potentia_pag1.html

Direct Action >> D Words
Direct Action, definition of term: Direct Action
direct+action_pag1.html

Civil Action >> C Words
Civil Action, definition of term: Civil Action
civil+action_pag1.html