acton

¹

or ack·ton, ake·ton

[ ak-tuhn ]

noun

, Armor.

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

Acton

²

[ ak-tuhn ]

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.

Acton

¹

/ ˈæktən /

noun

1. ActonJohn Emerich Edward Dalberg, 1st Baron Acton18341902MEnglishHISTORY: historian John Emerich Edward Dalberg, 1st Baron. 1834–1902, English historian: a proponent of Christian liberal ethics and adviser of Gladstone
2. ActonSir John Francis Edward17361811MEnglishMILITARY: naval commanderPOLITICS: statesman 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)

acton

²

/ ˈæktən /

noun

1. a jacket or jerkin, originally of quilted cotton, worn under a coat of mail
2. a leather jacket padded with mail

Acton

³

/ ˈæktən /

noun

1. a district of the London borough of Ealing

Word History and Origins

Origin of acton¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of acton¹

C14: from Old French auqueton, probably ultimately from Arabic alqutun the cotton

Example Sentences

In Acton, residents fear what could happen if a facility goes up in their fire-prone town.

From Los Angeles Times

It includes the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale, as well as rural desert towns such as Acton and Pearblossom.

From Los Angeles Times

She lives in Acton, a small community near the Antelope Valley.

From Los Angeles Times

After Tatone fled the station, he set his Acton house on fire and fatally shot himself.

From Los Angeles Times

"My husband grew up on a farm in Winchester and happened to be in London because he was about to start his first teaching job in Tottenham," said Sheyi, who now runs a tutoring business with her husband and lives in Acton, west London.

From BBC