From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdirect actiondiˌrect ˈaction noun [uncountable] an action such as a strike or a protest that is intended to make a government or company change something immediately Peaceful direct action by pressure groups has a powerful effect on public opinion.
Examples from the Corpus
direct action• I have always believed in direct action.• These charges were dropped in 1916, but by then Sanger was looking to-ward more direct action.• Consequently, nonviolent direct action as a strategy endured.• But the mechanism of direct action is unknown and the subject remains highly contentious.• But he argues that rule-making is none the less a useful device, and that it is often preferable to direct action.From Longman Business Dictionarydirect actiondiˌrect ˈaction [uncountable]HUMAN RESOURCES anything other than talking that is done by an organized group of people in order to try and change something or to get what they want, for example strikingThe fishermen’s leaders tried to distance themselves from the threat of direct action. → action 