Action vs. Plot

Action vs. Plot — Is There a Difference?
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Difference Between Action and Plot

Actionnoun

Something done so as to accomplish a purpose.

Plotnoun

(authorship) The course of a story, comprising a series of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means.

Actionnoun

A way of motion or functioning.

Knead bread with a rocking action.

Plotnoun

An area or land used for building on or planting on.

Actionnoun

Fast-paced activity.

a movie full of exciting action

Plotnoun

A graph or diagram drawn by hand or produced by a mechanical or electronic device.

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Actionnoun

A mechanism; a moving part or assembly.

a rifle action

Plotnoun

A secret plan to achieve an end, the end or means usually being illegal or otherwise questionable.

The plot would have enabled them to get a majority on the board.The assassination of Lincoln was part of a larger plot.

Actionnoun

(music): The mechanism, that is the set of moving mechanical parts, of a keyboard instrument, like a piano, which transfers the motion of the key to the sound-making device.

Plotnoun

Contrivance; deep reach thought; ability to plot or intrigue.

Actionnoun

(slang) sexual intercourse.

She gave him some action.

Plotnoun

Participation in any stratagem or conspiracy.

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Actionnoun

The distance separating the strings and the fretboard on the guitar.

Plotnoun

A plan; a purpose.

Actionnoun

(military) Combat.

He saw some action in the Korean War.

Plotverb

(transitive) To conceive (a crime, etc).

They had plotted a robbery.

Actionnoun

(legal) A charge or other process in a law court (also called lawsuit and actio).

Plotverb

(transitive) To trace out (a graph or diagram).

They plotted the number of edits per day.

Actionnoun

(mathematics) A mapping from a pairing of mathematical objects to one of them, respecting their individual structures. The pairing is typically a Cartesian product or a tensor product. The object that is not part of the output is said to act on the other object. In any given context, action is used as an abbreviation for a more fully named notion, like group action or left group action.

Plotverb

(transitive) To mark (a point on a graph, chart, etc).

Every five minutes they plotted their position.

Actionnoun

(physics) The product of energy and time, esp. the product of the Lagrangian and time.

Plotverb

(intransitive) To conceive a crime, misdeed, etc.

They were plotting against the king.

Actionnoun

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.

Plotnoun

a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal);

they concocted a plot to discredit the governorI saw through his little game from the start

Actionnoun

The attitude or position of the several parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or passion depicted.

Plotnoun

a small area of ground covered by specific vegetation;

a bean plota cabbage patcha briar patch

Actionnoun

(bowling) spin put on the bowling ball.

Plotnoun

the story that is told in a novel or play or movie etc.;

the characters were well drawn but the plot was banal

Actionnoun

A share in the capital stock of a joint-stock company, or in the public funds.

Plotnoun

a chart or map showing the movements or progress of an object

Actioninterjection

Demanding or signifying the start of something, usually an act or scene of a theatric performance.

The director yelled ‘Action!’ before the camera started rolling.

Plotverb

plan secretly, usually something illegal;

They plotted the overthrow fo the government

Actionverb

To act on a request etc, in order to put it into effect.

Plotverb

make a schematic or technical drawing of that shows how things work or how they are constructed

Actionverb

To initiate a legal action against someone.

Plotverb

make a plat of;

Plat the town

Actionnoun

something done (usually as opposed to something said);

there were stories of murders and other unnatural actions

Actionnoun

the state of being active;

his sphere of activityhe is out of action

Actionnoun

a judicial proceeding brought by one party against another; one party prosecutes another for a wrong done or for protection of a right or for prevention of a wrong

Actionnoun

an act by a government body or supranational organization;

recent federal action undermined the segregationist positionthe United Nations must have the power to propose and organize action without being hobbled by irrelevant issuesthe Union action of emancipating Southern slaves

Actionnoun

a military engagement;

he saw action in Korea

Actionnoun

a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings);

the action of natural forcesvolcanic activity

Actionnoun

the series of events that form a plot;

his novels always have a lot of action

Actionnoun

the operating part that transmits power to a mechanism;

the piano had a very stiff action

Actionnoun

the trait of being active and energetic and forceful;

a man of action

Actionnoun

the most important or interesting work or activity in a specific area or field;

the action is no longer in technology stocks but in municipal bondsgawkers always try to get as close to the action as possible

Actionverb

institute legal proceedings against; file a suit against;

He was warned that the district attorney would process himShe actioned the company for discrimination

Actionverb

put in effect;

carry out a taskexecute the decision of the peopleHe actioned the operation