reflex action
2
3.4
- noun
- /ˈrɪflɛks ˈækʃən/
- When the doctor tapped my knee, the sudden kick was a reflex action that happened without me thinking.
- just a reflex action
Examples
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- That's a reflex action.
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A reflex action.
Fiction book (2002) -
- Sorry, it's a reflex action.
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That was just a reflex action.
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It's just a reflex action.
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This must develop very fast reflex actions.
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It's just a reflex action.
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It was a reflex action.
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It will become a reflex action.
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It was a reflex action.
Fiction book (1990)
Synonyms
99
3.7
A quick action you do without thinking in response to something
1
4.5
An automatic body response to something that affects it, like sweating or a faster heartbeat
1
4.2
An automatic action your body makes without thinking when something touches or moves near you
1
5.1
A quick action you do without thinking
1
4.0
An automatic body response to a touch or sound that happens without thinking
1
3.5
An automatic action a baby does without learning
1
6.5
An automatic body response to a signal without learning
1
4.1
An automatic action your body makes without being taught
How Automatic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase 'reflex action' is a straightforward combination of 'reflex' (an automatic, unlearned response) and 'action' (an act or process), so its meaning — an automatic action — is directly derivable from the constituents. This noun–noun composition is common in English and has clear parallels in many other languages, making it immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner who knows both words.
Etymology
The term reflex action comes from the idea of a quick reflex, a fast automatic movement, and an action, a simple movement that happens before you think, like pulling your hand away from something hot or a baby starting to suck. So it means 'an automatic response' your body makes without thinking.