- [uncountable]
the process of doing something in order to make something happen or to deal with a situation 行动；行为过程 The time has come for action if these beautiful animals are to survive. 若要使这些美丽的动物能生存下去，现在就要行动起来。 to threaten/demand/call for action 威胁/要求/呼吁采取行动 Firefighters took action immediately to stop the blaze spreading. 消防队员立即采取了行动制止大火蔓延。 Divers were close at hand, ready to go into action if the stunt went wrong. 潜水员就在附近，准备好如果特技出了问题就开始行动。 What is the best course of action in the circumstances? 在这种情况下最佳行动方针是什么？ She began to explain her plan of action to the group. 她开始向小组讲解她的行动计划。 The men face disciplinary action. 这些人面临纪律处分。
Extra ExamplesDisciplinary action will be taken against students who cheat. 对作弊的学生将予以惩戒。 He urged the government to take decisive action against music piracy. 他敦促政府采取果断措施打击音乐盗版。 Is this the best course of action to follow? 这是可以采取的最好行动方式吗？ The government is taking strong action on refugees. 政府正在对难民采取强硬措施。 The leaders have agreed on joint action to combat terrorism. 各位领导人已同意采取联合行动打击恐怖主义。 The situation calls for drastic action. 这种情况需要采取断然行动。 Unless appropriate action is taken, our sales will decline. 如果不采取恰当的行动，我们的销售额就会下降。 We have to galvanize people into action. 我们得激励人们行动起来。 We'll take whatever action is necessary. 我们将采取任何必要措施。 action against drug dealers 针对毒贩的行动 Her quick action saved the child's life. 她行动迅速，救了小孩的命。 The Japanese government headed by Prime Minister Yoshida Shigeru began taking a hard line against labor actions. 以首相吉田茂为首的日本政府开始对劳工行动采取强硬路线。 They called off their action at 7.40 am after the meeting was arranged. 会议安排好后，他们在早上7点40分停止了行动。 Unions said the action could be suspended early on Friday if talks between the two sides resumed. 工会表示，如果双方恢复谈判，这一行动可能会在周五早些时候暂停。 At the pit level there were activists linked together who could coordinate action even if some of those at the top of the union wanted to hold it back. 在维修站一级，有一些积极分子联系在一起，他们可以协调行动，即使工会的一些高层想阻止它。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- decisive
- effective
- firm
- …
- take
- call for
- agree on
- …
- in action
- out of action
- action against
- …
- actions speak louder than words
- a course of action
- [countable]
a thing that somebody does 所做之事；行为 Each of us must take responsibility for our own actions. 我们每个人都必须对自己的行为负责。 They sought to justify their actions. 他们试图为自己的行为辩护。
Synonyms actionaction- measure
- step
- act
- move
- action a thing that somebody does:
Can you explain your actions? 你能解释一下你的行为吗？
- measure an official action that is done in order to achieve a particular aim:
Tougher measures against racism are needed. 需要更强硬的反种族主义措施。
- step one of a series of things that you do in order to achieve something:
This was a first step towards a united Europe. 这是向建立统一欧洲的目标迈出的第一步。
- act a thing that somebody does:
an act of kindness 善行
action or act? 用 action 还是 act？ - move (used especially in the media) an action that you do or need to do to achieve something:
They are waiting for the results of the opinion polls before deciding their next move. 他们在等待民意测验的结果，然后再决定下一步行动。
- to take action/measures/steps
- to make a step/move
- a heroic/brave/daring action/step/act/move
Extra ExamplesThere can be no excuse for these actions. 这些行为没有任何借口。 We shall take whatever actions are necessary. 我们将采取任何必要的措施。 Only the priest can perform these actions. 只有神父才能够做这些事。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- decisive
- effective
- firm
- …
- take
- call for
- agree on
- …
- in action
- out of action
- action against
- …
- actions speak louder than words
- a course of action
- [uncountable, countable]
things that workers do, especially stopping work, to protest to their employers about something 工人为向雇主抗议而做的事情，特别是停止工作。 Workers voted in favour of strike action. 工人投票赞成罢工行动。 They called off their action at 7.40 am after the meeting was arranged. 会议安排好后，他们在早上7点40分停止了行动。 Unions said the action could be suspended early on Friday if talks between the two sides resumed. 工会表示，如果双方恢复谈判，这一行动可能会在周五早些时候暂停。 The government began taking a hard line against labour actions. 政府开始对劳工行动采取强硬态度。
- [countable, uncountable]
a legal process to stop a person or company from doing something, or to make them pay for a mistake, etc. 诉讼；起诉 A libel action is being brought against the magazine that published the article. 刊登该文章的杂志将被起诉诽谤。 - action against somebody/something
He is considering taking legal action against the hospital. 他正考虑起诉这家医院。
Extra ExamplesTopics Law and justiceb2I considered taking legal action. 我曾考虑提起法律诉讼。 Her husband brought a civil action against her after their divorce. 离婚后她丈夫对她提起民事诉讼。 They took out a libel action against the newspaper's owners. 他们对这家报纸的所有人发起了诽谤诉讼。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- court
- civil
- criminal
- …
- bring
- file
- initiate
- …
- action against
- [uncountable]
fighting in a battle or war 战斗；作战 The possibility of taking military action has not been ruled out. 不排除采取军事行动的可能性。 I never saw action during the war. 战争时期，我从未参加过战斗。 - in action
soldiers killed in action 阵亡战士
Extra ExamplesTopics Historyb2, War and conflictb2He was killed during enemy action. 他在一次敌军行动中阵亡。 He was reported missing in action. 据报告他在战斗中失踪。 paramilitary covert action teams working overseas 在海外从事秘密战斗的准军事化组织
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- combat
- enemy
- terrorist
- …
- see
- killed in action
- missing in action
- wounded in action
- …
- [uncountable]
the events in a story, play, etc. （故事、戏剧等中的）情节 - [uncountable]
exciting events 激动人心的事 I like films with plenty of action. 我喜欢情节曲折离奇的影片。 New York is where the action is. 纽约是个热闹活跃的地方。 If you want to know where all the action is around here, just ask Jo. 如果你想知道这里所有的活动都在哪里，就问乔。
- [uncountable] action of something (on something)
the effect that something such as a chemical has on something （一种物质或化学品对另一种所起的）作用 Vitamin D can be made in the body by the action of sunlight on the skin. 维生素D可以通过阳光对皮肤的作用在人体内产生。 The action of the rushing water cleans the gully. 湍急的水流清理了沟壑。
- [uncountable, countable] (specialist)
the way a part of the body moves or functions （身体部位的）动作，功能 a study of the action of the liver 对肝功能的研究
- [singular]
the mechanical parts of a piano, gun, clock, etc. or the way the parts move （钢琴、枪炮、钟表等的）机械装置，活动部件；（机械部件的）活动方式
what somebody does作为
stopping work
legal process诉讼程序
in war战争
in story/play故事；戏剧
exciting events激动人心的事
effect作用
of part of the body身体部位
of machine机器
Word Originlate Middle English: via Old French from Latin actio(n-), from agere ‘do, act’.
Idioms
actions speak louder than words
- (saying)
what a person actually does means more than what they say they will do 行动胜于语言
in action
if somebody/something is in action, they are doing the activity or work that is typical for them 在活动中；在运转 Just press the button to see your favourite character in action. 只要按一下按键就可以看到你最喜欢的角色表演。 I've yet to see all the players in action. 我还得看所有参赛者的实地比赛。 I have not yet seen the machines in action. 我还没有见过这些机器运转。
into action
out of action
a piece/slice of the action
spring into action | spring into/to life
swing into action
to start doing something quickly and with a lot of energy 立即行动起来；马上大干起来 The ambulance crew swung into action to resuscitate the patient. 救护人员立即采取行动抢救病人。 The rescue operation swung into action immediately. 救援行动立即展开。 The emergency services swung into action as soon as the disaster was reported. 灾难一经报道，应急服务机构迅速采取了行动。
take evasive action
to act in order to avoid danger or an unpleasant situation 采取回避行动（以避免危险或不愉快的处境） The pilot had to take evasive action to avoid a mid-air collision. 飞行员不得不采取规避动作来避免空中相撞。