operation &c. 170. Adv. in the act, in the midst of, in the thick of;
red-handed, in flagrante delicto[Lat]; while one's hand is in. Phr.
"action is eloquence" [Coriolanus]; actions speak louder than words;
actum aiunt ne agas [obs3][Lat][Terence]; "awake, arise, or be forever
fall'n" [Paradise Lost]; dii pia facta vident [Lat][Ovid]; faire sans
dire[Fr]; fare fac[It]; fronte capillata post est occasio calva[Lat];
"our deeds are sometimes better than our thoughts" [Bailey]; "the great
end of life is not knowledge but action" [Huxley]; "thought is the soul
of act" [R. Browning]; vivre-ce nest pas respirer c'est agir[Fr][obs3];
"we live in deeds not years" [Bailey].
#681. Inaction.—N. inaction, passiveness, abstinence from action;
noninterference, nonintervention; Fabian policy, conservative policy;
neglect &c. 460. inactivity &c. 683; rest &c. (repose) 687; quiescence
&c. 265; want of occupation, inoccupation[obs3]; idle hours, time
hanging on one's hands, dolce far niente[It]; sinecure, featherbed,
featherbedding, cushy job, no- show job; soft snap, soft thing. V. not
do, not act, not attempt; be inactive &c. 683; abstain from doing, do
nothing, hold, spare; not stir, not move, not lift a finger, not lift a
foot, not lift a peg; fold one's arms, fold one's hands; leave alone,
let alone; let be, let pass, let things take their course, let it have
its way, let well alone, let well enough alone; quieta non movere[Lat];
stare super antiquas vias[Lat][obs3]; rest and be thankful, live and
let live; lie rest upon one's oars; laisser aller[Fr], faire[Fr]; stand
aloof; refrain &c. (avoid) 623 keep oneself from doing; remit one's
efforts, relax one's efforts; desist &c. (relinquish) 624; stop &c.
(cease) 142; pause &c. (be quiet) 265. wait, lie in wait, bide one's
time, take time, tide it over. cool one's heels, kick one's heels;
while away the time, while away tedious hours; pass the time, fill up
the time, beguile the time; talk against time; let the grass grow under
one's feet; waste time &c. (inactive) 683. lie by, lie on the shelf,
lie in ordinary, lie idle, lie to, lie fallow; keep quiet, slug; have
nothing to do, whistle for want of thought. undo, do away with; take
down, take to pieces; destroy &c. 162. Adj. not doing &c. v.; not done
&c. v.; undone; passive; unoccupied, unemployed; out of employ, out of
work; fallow; desaeuvre[Fr]. Adv. re infecta[Lat], at a stand, les bras
croisis[Fr], with folded arms; with the hands in the pockets, with the
hands behind one's back; pour passer le temps[Fr]. Int. so let it be!
stop! &c. 142; hands off! Phr. cunctando restituit rem "If it ain't
broke don't fix it" [Lat][Bert Lance]; stare decisis [Latin: (Law) let
the decision stand].
#682. Activity.—N. activity; briskness, liveliness &c. adj.;
animation, life, vivacity, spirit, dash, energy; snap, vim. nimbleness,
agility; smartness, quickness &c. adj.; velocity, &c. 274; alacrity,
promptitude; despatch, dispatch; expedition; haste &c. 684; punctuality
&c. (early) 132. eagerness, zeal, ardor, perfervidum
aingenium[Lat][obs3], empressement[Fr], earnestness, intentness;
abandon; vigor &c. (physical energy) 171; devotion &c. (resolution)
604; exertion &c. 686. industry, assiduity; assiduousness &c. adj.;
sedulity; laboriousness; drudgery &c. (labor) 686; painstaking,
diligence; perseverance &c. 604a; indefatigation|; habits of business.
vigilance &c. 459; wakefulness; sleeplessness, restlessness; insomnia;
pervigilium[obs3], insomnium[obs3]; racketing. movement, bustle, stir,
fuss, ado, bother, pottering, fidget, fidgetiness; flurry &c. (haste)