[] () () a type of court case in which one person or a small group of people make a claim on behalf of a larger group of people who have the same legal problem 集体诉讼，共同起诉（由一个或几个原告代表有共同利害关系的多数人提起的诉讼）◆Hundreds of class actions have been filed against the investment bank. 向投资银行提起了数以百计的集体诉讼。◆a class action lawsuit brought by consumers 消费者提起的一宗集体诉讼➡group action , personal action