The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Actuation \Ac`tu*a"tion\, n. [Cf. LL. actuatio.]
   A bringing into action; movement. --Bp. Pearson.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

actuation
    n 1: the act of propelling [syn: propulsion, actuation]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

27 Moby Thesaurus words for "actuation":
   activity, animation, direction, dynamics, going, influence,
   inner-direction, kinematics, kinesipathy, kinesis, kinesitherapy,
   kinetics, mobilization, motion, motivation, move, movement, moving,
   other-direction, prompting, restlessness, running, stimulation,
   stir, stirring, unrest, velocity