How do YOU describe "direct action", and based on your definition, how does it relate to anarchist practice?

Question

For example, some may regurgitate a simplistic definition like "doing something", in which case, technically, voting could be considered direct action. On the second part of the question: some accept the definition "acting on your own in accordance with your needs and desires without delegation or representation". Say for example, anarchists in favor of big parties, federalism, theoretical and tactical unity, collective responsibility etc. accept this definition. Presumably, direct action does not play a large part in anarchist practice to these folks as their activity conflicts with their definition of direct action.

Answer 1

i define direct action as doing for myself/ourselves without recourse to Authorities (note capital A). (that is, small a authority is ok with me, as i expect different people to be good at different things, and to value their insight accordingly. capital A Authorities are the authorities that i'm supposed to accept whether i think i should--or want to--or not.)
to  me, direct action is crucial to anarchist practice.

Answer 2

All direct action is is any means of living a way of life apart from political representation and statecraft, but instead with socially coöperative or otherwise individually decisive actions that can be regulated by those individuals themselves. But, as if to give a glaring reveal into the failure of activists and the like to establish such a way of life, direct action has become a general term in the 21st century, and even very much prior to it, for martial force committed by leftist organizations. It's basically synonymous with political militancy (it's even become jargon for militant activist organizations to describe their ideology) at this point, which is lame—but, as I said, it is telling.