abortive action

abortive action

An action that fails or ends abruptly or causes something else to fail or end abruptly. The measure to increase pay for senators that was included in the tax reform bill was an abortive action, causing the entire bill to die on the senate floor. The general's effort to mount a counteroffensive proved an abortive action, leaving half of his troops decimated in the wake of battle.
See also: action
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • bottom falls out
  • up and
  • up and (do something)
  • up and did
  • up and leave, go, etc.
  • bottom drops out
  • bottom drops out, the
  • chuck (something) over (something)
  • chuck over
  • cut (someone or something) loose
References in periodicals archive
Sands was the first to go on hunger strike to death, which followed an abortive action some months earlier.
66 Days with Bobby Sands
Under the new terms, candidates should acquire no less than 30% in the country's leading financial group by assets, up from 4% required in the prior abortive action, or merge with Woori.
-S Korea govt renews attempts to unload 57% in Woori
"To label this as emergency contraception when it's clearly an abortive action is dishonest," she added.
EllaOne: Emergency contraception pill or abortive agent?
Trainer William Haggas, who had headed the ultimately abortive action against Northern Racing's paltry prizemoney over Easter, remains a fan of the track where he has had a profitable return with eight winners in the last five years.
Horse Racing: Abandon makes light of year off; YARMOUTH
Another commercial aircraft had just taken off on Sunday afternoon as the Spanish flight came in to land, forcing the pilot to take abortive action.
Jet scare at Dublin Airport