action 的基本释义是“行为，行动”

actionsspeak louder than words

行动胜于言辞

I accept full responsibility for my actions.

我为自己的行为承担全部责任。

1.如果对问题、危机采取“行动”，就有了采取“措施”的意思

The police are now taking appropriate action.

警方现在正采取适当的措施。

The government is taking emergency actionto deal with a housing crisis.

政府正采取紧急措施解决住房危机。

2.如果在战争中采取“行动”，就有“战斗”方面的意思

soldiers who were killed or wounded in action[=in battle]

在战斗中死伤的士兵

3.如果是故事、电影中发生的“行为”，就有“情节”方面的意思

Most of the play‘s action takes place in a restaurant.

剧中的大部分情节都发生在一家餐馆。

the action[=plot] of the novel

小说的情节

4.如果在法庭上采取“行动”，就有“诉讼”方面的意思

She brought/filed an action against the company for damages.

她对那家公司提起诉讼要求赔偿损失。

5.如果是药物采取了“行动”，就有“作用、影响”方面的意思

The medicine blocks the action of these proteins. [=it stops the proteins from working]

那种药物使这些蛋白质无法起作用。

Her description of the nature and action of poisons is amazingly accurate.

他对一些毒药的性质和作用的描述惊人地准确。

6.如果把想法、策略放进“行动”之中，就有“付诸实践”方面的意思

They had already putthe plan into action. [=started using the plan]

那时他们已经将计划付诸实施。

7.如果某人或某物无法“行动”，就有“失去作用、不能工作”方面的意思

He‘s been out of actionfor 16 months with a serious knee injury.

由于膝部严重受伤，他已停工16个月。

They were trapped after the lifts went out of action.

电梯出现故障，他们被困在里面了。