direct action
10
5.5
- noun
- /dəˈrɛkt ˈækʃən/
- Jargon
:
acción directa
- Kaplan describes how women have used direct action to assert the importance of social need over political order.
- take direct action
- direct action protests
- form of direct action
The second is that many of the folks I've seen with direct action take steps to conserve wildlife and land are Republican hunters.
- The second is that many of the folks I've seen with direct action take steps to conserve wildlife and land are Republican hunters.
Examples
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When asked about the alternatives, she responds that direct action is the only way to change anything.
Academic text (2007) -
In some areas of social work practice, injustices have been identified and direct action taken.
Academic text (2003) -
And started teaching us about direct action.
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Are they going for direct action?
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The time has come for direct action.
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Its approach called for direct action as well as political action.
Academic text (1997) -
But you seem to favour direct action.
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The amazing Occupy group is leading volunteers to take direct actions and learn while we do.
Blog text (1) -
The protest represented the kind of organized direct action we all need to be involved in.
Blog text (12) -
When negotiations stalled, the workers decided to engage in direct action by organizing a strike.
Synonyms
1
5.7
Temporary work protest by workers to demand better pay or conditions
How Direct
- Jargon
10
5.5
29
5.6
578
2.5
272
3.2
- Formal
61
3.5
- Specialized
119
7.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a protest or measure taken immediately and without intermediaries' is directly derivable from combining 'direct' (immediate, no one between) with 'action' (taking practical steps). This compositional interpretation is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words would grasp the general sense, though the specific activist/protest connotation may require contextual cues.
Etymology
Direct action comes from the simple idea of people taking a direct action on a problem instead of waiting for courts or politicians to help. Imagine a group doing a sit-in or blocking a road themselves; that's why the phrase means taking 'immediate' hands-on steps to reach a goal.