suit the action to the word

A phrase from William Shakespeare's play Hamlet.

suit the action to the word (third-person singular simple present suits the action to the word, present participle suiting the action to the word, simple past and past participle suited the action to the word)

1. (idiomatic) To do what one has just proposed or spoken of.
   • 1887, R. M. Ballantyne, The Fugitives:

     “Hide!” cried Ebony, with a roll of his huge eyes, as he suited the action to the word, […]

   • 2011, James Fenton, A History of Tasmania, page 347:

     After giving vent to violent expressions of hostility, he grasped the bill in his hand and pronounced it to be a huge fraud, fit only to be spat upon, and trampled under foot—whereupon the honourable member suited the action to the word!

• actions speak louder than words