actinozoa

pl. [Gr. ἀκτίς ( aktis ), gen it. ἀκτῖνος (aktinos), and ζῶον ( zõon ) = a living creature, an animal.] A cla of animals which Cuvier would have placed under his Radiata, but which unite with Hydrozoa to constitute the Cœlen terata of Frey, Leuckart, and Huxley. It contains the sea-anemones and coral polypes. It is to animals of this cla that the erection of the vast coral reefs is owing. Most Actinozoa have a central mouth with tentacles around it. Their alimentary canal freely pa es, by means of a wide aperture, into the general cavity of the body. That cavity is then prolonged into the stomach, which is internal, a character in which the Actinozoa differ from the Hydrozoa, to which they are closely allied. ặc-tion ( Eng .), ăc-tioun (0. Scotch), s. [In Ger. aktion (rhet.); Fr. action ; Ital. azione ; fr. Lat. actio a doing, an action; fr. ago ( lit. ) to set in motion, to drive, as cattle.] I. The doing of a deed, the effecting of an operation. (a) of persons or other living beings capable of carrying out a purpose : 1. Ord. Lang. The doing of a deed, as distinguished from thinking, feeling, speaking, or even writing. "The men seem formed for action , the women for love." Gibbon : Decl. & Fall , ch. xlii. "One wise in council, one in action brave." Pope: Homer's Iliad, bk. xviii., 298. 2. Spec.: Fighting, which, demanding the utmost energy, is deemed in the last degree worthy of being called action. IMG:content-0139.png:[blocks in formation] (a) Mental Phil .: A volition carried into effect. "Now, what is an action! Not one, but a series of two things: the state of mud called a volition, followed by an effect. The volition or intention to produce the effect is one thing; the effect produced in consequence of the intention is another thing the two together constitute the action ." -J. 8. Mill Logic, vol. 1, ch. iii., § 5, pp. 71, 72 (b) Ethics: The doing of a deed viewed as an expre ion of the moral sentiments or state of a responsible being. (c) Oratory: The accommodation of a peaker's voice, attitude, and especially his gesture, to the subject on which at the moment he is addre ing his audience. "For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech, To stir men's blood: I only speak right on. Shakesp. Julius Cæsar , iii. 2. "As 'twere encouraging the Greeks to fight; Making such sober action with his hand, That it beguiled attention, charm'd the sight:" Shakesp.: Tarquin and Lucrece . (b) Of things: 1. Gen. The exertion of force or influence upon; operation, setting in motion, an acting upon. "Some little effect may, perhaps, be attributed to the direct action of the external conditions of life."Darwin: Origin of Species, ch. i. 2. Technically : the frost ruptures their cohesion, and hands them over to the action of gravity." Tyndall: Frag. of Science, 3rd ed., 1. 24. " Action and reaction being equal, and in contrary directions."-Herschel: Astronomy , 5th ed., § 728. (b) Chem. The production of a chemical reaction by the action of acid. (c) Geol. (spec. of volcanoes): In action = in eruption. "I was surprised at hearing afterwards that Aconcagua, in Chile, 480 miles northwards, was in action on the same night."-Darwin: Journal of Voyage round the World , ch. xiv., p. 291. "At length the new machinery was put in action, and soon from every corner of the realm arrived the news of complete and hopele failure."-Macaulay: Hist . Eng ., ch. viii. (e) Law: In action . [See No. II., 4, d.] (f) Mach., . The mechanism of a piano, organ, .; the movement or works of a watch or clock. IL A deed done, an operation effected. 1. Gen. A deed, something done. There is a shade of difference in meaning between an action in this sense and an act . Strictly speaking, action is the general word used of deeds, whether important or the reverse; whilst act is more appropriately applied to a deed of some importance. The examples which follow illustrate the difference, which, however, is not universally observed. "The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed."-1 Sam . 1. & "He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel." Ps. ciii. 7. "And she said to the king. It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts , and of thy wisdom."-2 Chron . ix. 5. IMG:content-0140.png:[blocks in formation] "All this William perfectly understood, and determined to avoid an action as long as po ible."- Macau lay: Hist. Eng . , ch. ix. 3. Old Scotch: Affair, busine , interest. "Yit sa far as per ten is to our actioun , consider that our ennymes are to fecht aganis us, quhome we nevir offenden with inuris."-Bellend. Cron., bk. iv., ch. 17. 4. Technically: (a) Phys. The functions of the body, divided into vital actions, natural actions, and animal actions. [FUNCTIONS.] (b) Painting & Sculpture : Pa ion or movement more or le correctly imitated. The more life-like and spirited the figures represented appear to be, the more action are they said to po e . (c) Epic Poetry, the Drama, or History: The leading subject of an epic poem, drama, or history. In the former two it is divided into two portions-the principal fable treated in a lofty style, and the episodes which are introduced to give fulne of detail, the whole being carried on by a mixture of narrative, dialogue, and soliloquy. So also there are a leading theme and episodes in history. "The voyage of Æneas from Troy to Italy, and his establishment in Latium (constituting, as they do, the main action of the Eneid)."-Lewis: Credibility of Early Roman Hist ., ch. ix. But these resting-places, as it were, must be rare, exceptional, brief, and altogether subordinate to what may be called the action , the unfolding the drama of events."-Milman: Hist . of Jews. (Pref.) (d) Law: (1.) Eng . Law: The form prescribed by law for the recovery of one's due, or the lawful demand of one's right. Actions are divided into civil and criminal ; the former are called also prosecutions, and are divided into three cla es (1) Personal Actions, by which a man claims a debt or personal duty to him, or damages in lieu of it. These again are subdivided into Actions ex contractu , as for debt, promises, covenant, ., and Actions ex de licto , or torts, as negligences, trespa , and nuisance. (2) Real or Feodal Actions , concerning real property only, in which the plaintiff, called in this relation the demandant, claims a title to lands, tenements, or rents. (3) Mixed Actions , partaking of the character of both; as, for example, when some real property is demanded, and, in addition to this, personal damages for a wrong sustained, such, for instance, as ejectment. There are many kinds of actions ranked under these three cla es. Criminal Actions consist of prosecutions and actions penal to recover some penalty under statute. "Actions were brought against persons who had defamed the Duke of York."-Macaulay: Hist. Eng., ch. ii. 71 In action. A plea in action is an answer ing the merits of a complaint; that is, by coufirming or denying it. Property in action is property which a man has not at present in his po e ion, but which another has covenanted to give him. He may sue for the performance of the contract, and the property thus recoverable is called, from the French word chose a thing, a chose in action. Chose in Action is thus a thing of which a man has not the po e ion or actual enjoyment, but which he has a right to demand by action or other proceeding, as a debt, a bond, . A chose in action must be reduced into po e ion by a trustee without delay. (ii.) Scots Law: Actions are sometimes divided into ordinary and reci ory. [RECIS SORY.] (e) Comm. ( in France and some other foreign countries): A certain share of a public company's capital stock. Persons may subscribe for actions in the latter as they do here for shares.