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Definition of action : 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.
2. A right of action; as, the law gives an action for every claim.
3. A share in the capital stock of a joint- stock company, or in the public funds; hence, in the plural, equivalent to stocks.
4. 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.
5. An act; a thing done; a deed; an enterprise. ( pl.): Habitual deeds; hence, conduct; behavior; demeanor.
6. An engagement between troops in war, whether on land or water; a battle; a fight; as, a general action, a partial action.
7. 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.
8. Effective motion; also, mechanism; as, the breech action of a gun.
9. Gesticulation; the external deportment of the speaker, or the suiting of his attitude, voice, gestures, and countenance, to the subject, or to the feelings.
10. Movement; as, the horse has a spirited action.
11. The attitude or position of the several parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or passion depicted.
12. 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.
13. 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.

Synonyms:

reach, accomplish, consummation, turmoil, haste, go, legal action, instance, go through, vigor, bout, accomplishment, claim, activeness, transaction, step, bodily function, serve, act, dealings, commotion, swear out, follow up, bodily process, meet, follow through, natural action, trial, be, conflict, attain, march, occupation, implement, do, execute, sue, commission, doing, performing, flurry, achievement, speed, rest, blow, action mechanism, alacrity, move, combat, work, body process, fighting, quiet, put to death, study at, litigate, follow out, stroke, dash, vivacity, response, military action, live up to, way, comportment, handiwork, satisfy, functioning, manipulation, bring through, development, rush, law, carry through, achieve, action at law, thing, life, readiness, put through, feat, run, stir, pull through, perform, progress, fill, stunt, natural process, work on, exertion, process, bustle, fulfill, industry, keenness, deportment, thrust, carry out, save, plot, doings, treat, unfolding, fulfil, effect, battle

contract, gambit, aim, production, project, job, commitment, exploit, undertaking, approach, engagement, maneuver, purpose, attempt, proceeding, venture, assay, adventure, essay

business, energy, animation, agility, kinetics, stirring, liveliness

grievance, writ, lawsuit, impeachment, subpoena, charge, accusation, implication, citation, affidavit, indictment, arraignment, complaint, allegation, prosecution, suit, summons, case, litigation, hearing, count

mobility, motility, locomotion, flux, passage, transition, procession

labor, motion, activity, conduct, enterprise, behavior, exercise, endeavor, deed, operation, effort, performance, practice, movement

enforcement, motivator, grounds, execution, basis, inspiration, force, evocation, drive, determinant, root, origination, mainspring, stimulus, compulsion, effectuation, factor, elicitation, motive, source, provocation, compunction, cause, generation

start a lawsuit, take to court

Usage examples:

• " What is it," inquired Jessie, started by this action-" any- anything about him?" - "Wives and Widows; or The Broken Life", Ann S. Stephens.
• For twenty years he has not had the responsibility for a single action, for a single decision, right or wrong. - "Study of Child Life", Marion Foster Washburne.
• All hands make ready for action! - "Tartarin of Tarascon", Alphonse Daudet.