action
gb/ˈækʃən/ us/ˈækʃən/
A2
Inglés
~ 400
Acepciones
0 acepciones
Sustantivo
B1
action
1
something done or carried out
Something that a person does to make something happen.
Patrón de uso:
take [an/the] action
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse 'action' with 'activity'; 'action' usually refers to a specific deed with purpose, while 'activity' can mean general movement or tasks.
Sinónimos
deed (More formal and often refers to a single notable act.)
|
act (Close synonym; can be more general or abstract.)
Antónimos
inaction (Refers to doing nothing or failing to act.)
Colocaciones
take action
|legal action
|course of action
|call to action
|plan of action
Temas
daily life
|business
|law
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- The government took swift action to control the outbreak.
- Her quick action saved the child's life.
- We need to decide on the best course of action.
- Taking legal action may be necessary in this case.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- I took action to fix the problem.
- The police took action to stop the fight.
- We must take action now.
- He took quick action to help her.
Sustantivo
A2
event
2
exciting events in entertainment or sport
Interesting or exciting things that happen in a movie, game, or sport.
Error frecuente:
Learners may confuse 'action' here with 'plot'; 'action' refers to events and movement, not necessarily the storyline.
Sinónimos
excitement (Broader and can refer to emotional arousal as well as events.)
Antónimos
boredom (A lack of excitement or engaging events.)
Colocaciones
action movie
|packed with action
|non-stop action
Temas
entertainment
|sports
|arts_entertainment
Ejemplos
- The film is full of non-stop action from start to finish.
- Fans love the fast-paced action of the game.
- He prefers dramas over action movies.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The movie has a lot of action.
- I like games with more action.
- The football match was full of action.
Sustantivo
B2
action
3
legal process in court
A case in court to decide if someone did something wrong or to solve a disagreement.
Patrón de uso:
bring [an] action against [someone]
Error frecuente:
Learners may confuse 'action' with 'law'; 'action' here is a specific case, not the whole legal system.
Sinónimos
lawsuit (Common legal term for a case brought to court.)
Colocaciones
bring an action
|file an action
|civil action
Temas
law
Ejemplos
- They filed an action against the company for breach of contract.
- The court dismissed the action due to lack of evidence.
- A civil action was brought against the landlord.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- They took legal action against him.
- She started an action in court.
- The company faced a legal action.
Sustantivo
B2
action
4
physical movement or functioning of something
How something works or moves.
Sinónimos
operation (Focuses more on the functioning process rather than the movement itself.)
Colocaciones
smooth action
|trigger action
Temas
technology
|science
Ejemplos
- The smooth action of the gears impressed the engineer.
- Check the action of the lever before using it.
- The camera's shutter has a quick action.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The door has a smooth action.
- The machine's action is very fast.
- I like the quick action of this pen.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
action
AFI
GB/ˈækʃən/
US/ˈækʃən/
Sílabas y acento
ac - tion (2 sílabas)
Stress on 1st syllable (ac)
Formas de la palabra
Noun
- Base: action
- Plural: action, actions
Familia de palabras
Forms
actions
noun
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
Expresiones
call to action
1/kˈɔl tə ˈækʃən/
fixed phrase
request encouraging people to act now
Something said or written to make people do something quickly.
Ejemplos
- The speech ended with a powerful call to action.
- This ad is a clear call to action for donations.
course of action
1/kˈɔɹs əv ˈækʃən/
fixed phrase
planned series of steps to achieve goal
A plan for what to do next.
Ejemplos
- We need to decide on the best course of action.
- Changing suppliers is our only course of action.
take action
1/tˈeɪk ˈækʃən/
fixed phrase
start doing something to achieve a result
To start doing something to make a change or solve a problem.
Ejemplos
- We must take action now to protect the environment.
- The school took action after parents complained.
legal action
1/lˈiɡəl ˈækʃən/
fixed phrase
Process of taking a case to court
Using the law and courts to solve a problem or disagreement.
Ejemplos
- They are threatening legal action over the contract breach.
- The company is considering legal action against its former employee.
- Legal action was taken against the driver.
- They decided to take legal action after the contract was broken.
spring into action
1/spɹˈɪŋ ˈɪntu ˈækʃən/
idiom
Start quickly and energetically
To start doing something fast and with energy.
Ejemplos
- When the fire alarm rang, everyone sprang into action.
- As soon as the alarm sounded, the firefighters sprang into action.
- She sprang into action when she heard the baby crying.
- When she saw the mess, she sprang into action to clean it up.