Action - English meaning

noun

Something that has been achieved successfully.

Usage examples:

The reduction of inflation was a remarkable accomplishment

noun

Something done or finished successfully

Usage examples:

[ u ] there’s a feeling of accomplishment (= achievement) from having a job and all that goes with …

noun

Something that is successful, or that is achieved after a lot of work or effort

Usage examples:

Getting the two leaders to sign a peace treaty was his greatest accomplishment.

noun

A thing done successfully with effort, skill, or courage.

Usage examples:

To reach this stage is a great achievement

noun

Something that you did or got after planning and working to make it happen, and that therefore gives you a feeling of satisfaction, or the act of working to make this happen

Usage examples:

[ c ] a scientific achievement, [ c ] for an actor, winning an oscar is one of the greatest achieve…

noun

Something that a person, company, etc. has done or finished successfully

Usage examples:

Look at your achievements and your value in monetary terms., the company's name is synonymous with …

verb

Take action; do something.

Usage examples:

They urged washington to act

noun

A thing done; a deed.

Usage examples:

A criminal act

abbreviation

Advance corporation tax.

noun

The condition in which things are happening or being done.

Usage examples:

There has been a sustained level of activity in the economy

noun

The doing of something, or something that you are doing, have done, or could do

Usage examples:

[ c ] there were lots of activities for children at the museum., [ c ] her favorite activity is vis…

noun

A situation in which a lot of things are happening or being done

Usage examples:

Business/commercial/economic activity any conflict has the potential to disrupt business activity.,…

noun

An instance of group fighting in a public place that disturbs the peace.

Usage examples:

Lowe was charged with causing an affray

noun

A fight in a public place

Usage examples:

Wallace was charged with causing an affray at a southampton nightclub.

noun

A sustained fight between large organized armed forces.

Usage examples:

The battle lasted for several hours

verb

Struggle tenaciously to achieve or resist something.

Usage examples:

He has been battling against the illness

noun

A fight between armed forces

Usage examples:

The battle of the somme, her only brother was killed in battle (= while fighting).

noun

The way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially towards others.

Usage examples:

He will vouch for her good behaviour

noun

The way that someone or something behaves in a particular situation

Usage examples:

A boss's behaviour must be consistent both with the law and with broad public policy goals., the be…

noun

The way that someone behaves

Usage examples:

Her behaviour is often appalling., he was notorious for his violent and threatening behaviour.

noun

The killing or wounding of people, typically on a large scale during a conflict.

Usage examples:

Only serious compromises can prevent more bloodshed and violence

noun

A great amount of killing and injury

Usage examples:

The government must find a way to restore order and end the bloodshed.

noun

Killing and violence

Usage examples:

The army was brought in to try to prevent further bloodshed.

noun

An instance of a particular situation; an example of something occurring.

Usage examples:

A case of mistaken identity

verb

Surround in a material or substance.

Usage examples:

The towers are of steel cased in granite

noun

A particular situation or example of something

Usage examples:

We don’t normally accept credits from courses taken at another university, but we’ll make an except…

noun

A person or thing that gives rise to an action, phenomenon, or condition.

Usage examples:

The cause of the accident is not clear

verb

Make (something, especially something bad) happen.

Usage examples:

This disease can cause blindness

conjunction

Short for because.

noun

A violent confrontation.

Usage examples:

There have been minor clashes with security forces

verb

Meet and come into violent conflict.

Usage examples:

Soccer hooligans clashed with rival fans before the match

verb

Crash together with violent impact

noun

Fighting between armed forces.

Usage examples:

Five hurricanes were shot down in combat

verb

Take action to reduce or prevent (something bad or undesirable).

Usage examples:

An effort to combat drug trafficking

noun

Fighting during a time of war

Usage examples:

[ u ] a combat jacket/zone/casualty, [ u ] no one knew how many troops had died in combat., [ c ] t…

noun

A serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one.

Usage examples:

The eternal conflict between the sexes

verb

Be incompatible or at variance; clash.

Usage examples:

Parents' and children's interests sometimes conflict

noun

An active disagreement, as between opposing opinions or needs

Usage examples:

[ c ] conflicts between parents and children become more frequent when the children become teenager…

noun

A hostile or argumentative situation or meeting between opposing parties.

Usage examples:

A confrontation with the legislature

noun

An argument or fight

Usage examples:

[ c ] i had a confrontation this morning with my boss., his confrontational style often angers peop…

noun

A situation in which people or groups with opposing ideas or opinions disagree angrily

Usage examples:

Confrontation between sb and sb the agreement ended a potentially serious confrontation between man…

noun

The action or process of bringing something into existence.

Usage examples:

Creation of a coalition government

noun

In the bible, (the) creation is the making of the world by god.

Usage examples:

[ c ] the fashion magazine had photos of the latest paris creations.

noun

The act or process of making, producing, or building something, or something that has been made, built, or produced

Usage examples:

The creation of wealth, some local people are protesting at the creation of a national park in the …

noun

An action that is performed intentionally or consciously.

Usage examples:

Doing good deeds

verb

Convey or transfer (property or rights) by legal deed.

Usage examples:

They deeded their property to their children

noun

An intentional act, esp. a very bad or very good one

Usage examples:

[ c ] whatever his motives, the deed did save a hundred thousand lives., according to the deed, she…

noun

The activities in which a particular person engages.

Usage examples:

The latest doings of television stars

verb

Perform (an action, the precise nature of which is often unspecified).

Usage examples:

Very little work has been done in this field

noun

The act of causing something to happen by taking action

Usage examples:

It was none of my doing.

noun

A vigorous or determined attempt.

Usage examples:

in an effort to save money, i have committed to only buying items that i truly need

noun

Physical or mental activity needed to achieve something, or an attempt to do something

Usage examples:

[ c ] they met again in an effort to end the strike and get people back to work., [ u ] it took yea…

noun

A serious attempt to do something

Usage examples:

An effort to do sth this is part of an ongoing effort to develop the asian debt market., the guidel…

verb

Unexpectedly be faced with or experience (something hostile or difficult).

Usage examples:

We have encountered one small problem

noun

An unexpected or casual meeting with someone or something.

Usage examples:

She felt totally unnerved by the encounter

verb

To meet someone unexpectedly, or to experience, esp. something unpleasant

Usage examples:

In the kitchen i encountered a woman i had never seen before., he was shocked by the hostility he e…

verb

Try hard to do or achieve something.

Usage examples:

He is endeavouring to help the third world

noun

An attempt to achieve a goal.

Usage examples:

An endeavour to reduce serious injury

verb

To try to do something

Usage examples:

Engineers are endeavouring to locate the source of the problem., in spite of our best endeavours, i…

noun

A formal agreement to get married.

Usage examples:

She'd broken off her engagement to paul

noun

An arrangement to do something or meet someone at a particular time and place

Usage examples:

We have a dinner engagement thursday., the dance theatre of harlem began a two-week engagement at t…

noun

An arrangement to do something, or to be somewhere

Usage examples:

A speaking/public engagement he is currently out of town on a speaking engagement., a prior/previou…

noun

A project or undertaking, especially a bold or complex one.

Usage examples:

A joint enterprise between french and japanese companies

noun

An organization, esp. a business, or a difficult and important plan, esp. one that will earn money

Usage examples:

[ u ] private enterprise, [ c ] the road is bordered by shopping centers, restaurants, retail outle…

noun

An organization, a company, or a business

Usage examples:

A manufacturing/catering/farming enterprise, a large/small/medium-sized enterprise, a state/state-o…

noun

Physical or mental effort.

Usage examples:

She was panting with the exertion

noun

The use of a lot of mental or physical effort

Usage examples:

I get out of breath with any kind of physical exertion., we were exhausted after our exertions., th…

noun

The use of something such as authority, power, influence, etc. in order to make something happen

Usage examples:

The exertion of influence over who was appointed to the job

verb

Make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource).

Usage examples:

500 companies sprang up to exploit this new technology

noun

A bold or daring feat.

Usage examples:

Despite a series of colourful exploits, his agents obtained little intelligence of value

noun

A brave, interesting, or unusual act

Usage examples:

Daredevil exploits, he is not content to limit himself to his exploits on the basketball court., th…

noun

The action of fighting; violence or conflict.

Usage examples:

Terrible fighting broke out in the streets

adjective

Displaying or engaging in violence, combat, or aggression.

Usage examples:

He was a fighting man

verb

Take part in a violent struggle involving the exchange of physical blows or the use of weapons.

Usage examples:

The men were fighting

noun

A movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea or meaning.

Usage examples:

Alex made a gesture of apology

verb

Make a gesture.

Usage examples:

She gestured meaningfully with the pistol

Motion of hands or body to emphasize a thought or feeling

noun

Something that one has made or done.

Usage examples:

The dressmakers stood back to survey their handiwork

noun

Work done skillfully with the hands

Usage examples:

He built his own telescope, and he was proud of his handiwork., the damage to the house is the hand…

noun

Work done skilfully with the hands

Usage examples:

Susannah put down the paintbrush and stood back to admire her handiwork.

noun

Hostile behaviour; unfriendliness or opposition.

Usage examples:

Their hostility to all outsiders

phrase

Fighting in a war

Usage examples:

Hostilities begin/break out hostilities began/broke out just after midnight., suspend hostilities h…

noun

A claim or dispute brought to a law court for adjudication.

Usage examples:

His lawyer filed a lawsuit against los angeles city

noun

A disagreement between people or organizations that is brought to a court of law for a decision

Usage examples:

The lawsuit is aimed at protecting this species of salamander.

noun

A disagreement between people or organizations that is brought to a court of law for a decision

Usage examples:

Bring/file/threaten a lawsuit against sb a lawsuit for sexual harassment was brought by two women a…

noun

The process of taking legal action.

Usage examples:

The company wishes to avoid litigation

noun

The process of taking an argument between people or groups to a court of law

Usage examples:

Both sides agreed to the settlement to avoid the expense of litigation.

noun

The process of causing a disagreement to be discussed in a court of law so that an official decision can be made about it

Usage examples:

The company has consistently denied responsibility, but it agreed to the settlement to avoid the ex…

idiom

To leave a place

Usage examples:

It's late - i think it's time we made a move., he accused the man of making a move on his girlfrien…

noun

A movement or series of moves requiring skill and care.

Usage examples:

Snowboarders performed daring manoeuvres on precipitous slopes

verb

Move skilfully or carefully.

Usage examples:

The lorry was unable to manoeuvre comfortably in the narrow street

noun

A planned action that is intended to get an advantage

Usage examples:

This manoeuvre has the effect of rewarding those shareholders who sell at the expense of those who …

verb

Ascertain the size, amount, or degree of (something) by using an instrument or device marked in standard units.

Usage examples:

The amount of water collected is measured in pints

noun

A plan or course of action taken to achieve a particular purpose.

Usage examples:

Cost-cutting measures

verb

To discover the exact size, amount, etc., of something, or to be of a particular size

Usage examples:

[ t ] "will the table fit in here?" "i don’t know – i’ll measure it.", [ l ] the sofa measures (= i…

verb

Go in a specified direction or manner; change position.

Usage examples:

She moved to the door

noun

A change of place, position, or state.

Usage examples:

She made a sudden move towards me

verb

Change location

noun

An act of moving.

Usage examples:

A slight movement of the body

noun

The act or process of changing a situation or event, or of changing the way something happens or is done

Usage examples:

[ c ] there has been a movement toward smaller families., the women’s movement works for better job…

noun

A change in a number, price, etc. for example on a financial market

Usage examples:

Movements in sth short-term movements in currency are difficult to predict., this stock market repo…

noun

The action of functioning or the fact of being active or in effect.

Usage examples:

Restrictions on the operation of market forces

noun

A mathematical process, such as addition, in which one set of numbers is produced from another

Usage examples:

She underwent a six-hour open-heart operation., [ u ] several printing presses are in operation (= …

noun

The fact of operating or being active

Usage examples:

Come into/begin operation we expect the new procedure to come into operation early next year., be o…

noun

An act of presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment.

Usage examples:

Don giovanni had its first performance in 1787

noun

The act of doing something, such as your job

Usage examples:

If the accident happened during the performance of his regular duties, he’s covered by disability i…

noun

How successful an investment, company, etc. is and how much profit it makes

Usage examples:

The fund's past performance does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future., good/…

plural noun

An event or a series of activities involving a set procedure.

Usage examples:

You complete a form to start proceedings

plural noun

A series of actions that happen in a planned and controlled way

Usage examples:

As the president was sworn in, the nation watched the proceedings on tv.

noun

The actions that are taken in a court of law

Usage examples:

Commence/enter into/start proceedings the plaintiffs commenced proceedings for breach of contract.,…

noun

The institution and conducting of legal proceedings against someone in respect of a criminal charge.

Usage examples:

The organizers are facing prosecution for noise nuisance

noun

The act of officially accusing someone of committing an illegal act, esp. by bringing a case against that person in a court of law

Usage examples:

[ u ] she was granted full immunity from prosecution by the state in return for her testimony.

noun

The process of officially accusing someone in a court of law of committing a crime

Usage examples:

Face prosecution (for sth) the company faces prosecution for breaches of safety regulations., bring…

verb

Act in response to something; respond in a particular way.

Usage examples:

He reacted angrily to the news of his dismissal

verb

To act in a particular way as a direct result of something else

Usage examples:

How do you think she’ll react when she hears the news?, the state department reacted favorably to t…

verb

If prices or markets react, their levels rise or fall as a direct result of something that happens

Usage examples:

React to sth how did bank share prices react to last year's financial results?, react badly/favoura…

noun

An episode of irregular or unpremeditated fighting, especially between small or outlying parts of armies or fleets.

Usage examples:

The unit was caught in several skirmishes and the commanding officer was killed

verb

Engage in a skirmish.

Usage examples:

The two powers have fought three major wars and have skirmished continually

noun

An act or movement of putting one leg in front of the other in walking or running.

Usage examples:

Ron took a step back

verb

Lift and set down one's foot or one foot after the other in order to walk somewhere or move to a new position.

Usage examples:

Claudia tried to step back

verb

To lift one foot and put it down in front of the other foot, as in walking or running

Usage examples:

He stepped to his left, picked up the ball, and threw., we stepped carefully along the slippery pat…

noun

A set of outer clothes made of the same fabric and designed to be worn together, typically consisting of a jacket and trousers or a jacket and skirt.

Usage examples:

A pinstriped suit

verb

Be convenient for or acceptable to.

Usage examples:

What time would suit you?

verb

To be convenient or work well for someone or something

Usage examples:

What time suits you best?, the job of a salesman seems to suit him., that new hairstyle really suit…

idiom

To be the first one to do something, esp. to solve a problem

Usage examples:

Don't be afraid to take the initiative and say what you think.

noun

A formal pledge or promise to do something.

Usage examples:

I give an undertaking that we shall proceed with the legislation

noun

The action of catching up with and passing another vehicle while travelling on the inside.

Usage examples:

The highway code discourages undertaking on motorways

verb

Commit oneself to and begin (an enterprise or responsibility); take on.

Usage examples:

A firm of builders undertook the construction work

noun

A risky or daring journey or undertaking.

Usage examples:

Pioneering ventures into little-known waters

verb

Undertake a risky or daring journey or course of action.

Usage examples:

She ventured out into the blizzard

noun

An activity or plan of action, often in business, that involves risk or uncertainty

Usage examples:

His most recent business venture ended in bankruptcy., [ i always + adv/prep ] he wanted to venture…

noun

A state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country.

Usage examples:

Japan declared war on germany

verb

Engage in a war.

Usage examples:

Small states warred against each another

noun

Armed fighting between two or more countries or groups, or a particular example of such fighting

Usage examples:

[ c ] can any country fight two wars at the same time?, [ u ] war is something to avoid., [ u ] sev…

noun

Engagement in or the activities involved in war or conflict.

Usage examples:

Guerrilla warfare

noun

The activity of fighting a war or strongly competing, esp. with reference to the type of weapons used or to the way the fighting is done

Usage examples:

Psychological/nuclear warfare, economic warfare

noun

Activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result.

Usage examples:

He was tired after a day's work

verb

Be engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a result; do work.

Usage examples:

She has been working so hard

combining form

Denoting things or parts made of a specified material or with specified tools.

Usage examples:

Silverwork

adjective

Having paid employment.

Usage examples:

The size of the working population

noun

The action of doing work.

Usage examples:

Working with animals teaches patience

verb

Be engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a result; do work.

Usage examples:

She has been working so hard