Action (noun)
Something done so as to accomplish a purpose.
Action (noun)
A way of motion or functioning.
“Knead bread with a rocking action.”
Action (noun)
Fast-paced activity.
“a movie full of exciting action”
Action (noun)
A mechanism; a moving part or assembly.
“a rifle action”
Action (noun)
: 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.
Action (noun)
sexual intercourse.
“She gave him some action.”
Action (noun)
The distance separating the strings and the fretboard on the guitar.
Action (noun)
Combat.
“He saw some action in the Korean War.”
Action (noun)
A charge or other process in a law court (also called lawsuit and actio).
Action (noun)
A mapping from a pairing of mathematical objects to one of them, respecting their individual structures. The pairing is typically a Cartesian product or a tensor product. The object that is not part of the output is said to act on the other object. In any given context, action is used as an abbreviation for a more fully named notion, like group action or left group action.
Action (noun)
The product of Lagrangian and time.
Action (noun)
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.
Action (noun)
The attitude or position of the several parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or passion depicted.
Action (noun)
spin put on the bowling ball.
Action (noun)
A share in the capital stock of a joint-stock company, or in the public funds.
Action (interjection)
Demanding or signifying the start of something, usually an act or scene of a theatric performance.
“The director yelled ‘Action!’ before the camera started rolling.”
Action (verb)
To act on a request etc, in order to put it into effect.
Action (verb)
To initiate a legal action against someone.
Reaction (noun)
An action or statement in response to a stimulus or other event
“The announcement of the verdict brought a violent reaction.”
“You were in the courtroom. What is your reaction?”
“When I last tried to eat strawberries I had a terrible allergic reaction.”
Reaction (noun)
A transformation in which one or more substances is converted into another by combination or decomposition
“In this reaction, the acid and base will neutralize each other, producing a salt.”
Reaction (noun)
Reactionary politics; a period in which reactionary thought or politics is resurgent or dominant.
Action (noun)
the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim
“ending child labour will require action on many levels”
“strike action was threatened”
Action (noun)
the way in which something such as a chemical has an effect or influence
“the seeds require the catalytic action of water to release heat”
Action (noun)
short for industrial action
“the rank and file want to call the action off”
Action (noun)
the events represented in a story or play
“the action is set in a country house”
Action (noun)
exciting or notable activity
“the weekend sporting action begins on Saturday”
“people in media want to be where the action is”
Action (noun)
used by a film director as a command to begin
“lights, camera, action”
Action (noun)
a thing done; an act
“she frequently questioned his actions”
Action (noun)
a gesture or movement
“his actions emphasized his words”
Action (noun)
the way in which something works or moves
“the weapon has a smooth action”
Action (noun)
the mechanism that makes a machine or instrument work
“a piano with an escapement action”
Action (noun)
armed conflict
“servicemen listed as missing in action during the war”
Action (noun)
a military engagement
“a rearguard action”
Action (noun)
legal proceedings; a lawsuit
“a civil action for damages”
Action (verb)
take action on; deal with
“your request will be actioned”
Reaction (noun)
something done, felt, or thought in response to a situation or event
“prices fell in reaction to intense competition”
“my immediate reaction was one of relief”
Reaction (noun)
a person’s ability to respond physically and mentally to external stimuli
“a skilled driver with quick reactions”
Reaction (noun)
an adverse physiological response to a substance that has been breathed in, ingested, or touched
“such allergic reactions as hay fever and asthma”
Reaction (noun)
a mode of thinking or behaving that is deliberately different from previous modes of thought and behaviour
“the work of these painters was a reaction against Fauvism”
Reaction (noun)
opposition to political or social progress or reform
“the institution is under threat from the forces of reaction”
Reaction (noun)
a chemical process in which substances act mutually on each other and are changed into different substances, or one substance changes into other substances
“a chemical reaction caused by a build-up of particular sodium salts”
Reaction (noun)
an analogous transformation of atomic nuclei or other particles
“reactions between photons and electrically charged atomic particles”
Reaction (noun)
a force exerted in opposition to an applied force
“the law of action and reaction”