acton

¹ American  

[ak-tuhn] / ˈæk tən /

Or ackton,

noun

Armor.

1. a quilted garment worn under mail in the 13th and 14th centuries; gambeson.

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Acton ² American  

[ak-tuhn] / ˈæk tən /

noun

1. Lord John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron, 1834–1902, English historian.

2. a former municipal borough in SE England, now part of the London borough of Ealing: center of Puritanism at the time of Cromwell.

3. a city in NE Massachusetts.

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Acton ¹ British  

/ ˈæktən /

noun

1. John Emerich Edward Dalberg, 1st Baron. 1834–1902, English historian: a proponent of Christian liberal ethics and adviser of Gladstone

2. his grandfather, Sir John Francis Edward. 1736–1811, European naval commander and statesman: admiral of Tuscany (1774–79) and Naples (1779 onwards) and chief minister of Naples (1779–1806)

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acton ² British  

/ ˈæktən /

noun

1. a jacket or jerkin, originally of quilted cotton, worn under a coat of mail

2. a leather jacket padded with mail

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Acton ³ British  

/ ˈæktən /

noun

1. a district of the London borough of Ealing

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Etymology

Origin of acton

1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French aketoun, Old French a ( u ) queton < Old Spanish algodon < Spanish Arabic < Arabic al-quṭun the cotton

Example Sentences

They came shyly down the lane, like well-meaning acton who were trying to do their best, but who were not good at acting.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

There rode the little Grimmer,    In golden acton dight; And there rode Seyer the active,    Who yields to none in might.

From The Expedition to Birting's Land and other ballads by Borrow, George Henry

“Now merrily my fiddle goes,    Ye dance and spring around; I sweat with strong exertion    In my acton narrow bound.”

From Grimhild's Vengeance Three Ballads by Wise, Thomas James

But I’ll lend a helm to thee,    Thou may’st trust upon in fight; And an acton I’ll provide,    Whereupon no sword will bite. p.

From Grimmer and Kamper The End of Sivard Snarenswayne and other ballads by Borrow, George Henry

A form of the term acton, as a defensive dress.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir