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more about active
active |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Active \Ac"tive\, a. [F. actif, L. activus fr agere to act.] 1. Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting; -- opposed to {passive}, that receives; as certain active principles; the powers of the mind. 2. Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble; as an active child or animal. Active and nervous was his gait. --Wordsworth. 3. In action actually proceeding; working; in force; -- opposed to {quiescent}, {dormant}, or {extinct}; as active laws; active hostilities; an active volcano. 4. Given to action constantly engaged in action energetic; diligent; busy; -- opposed to {dull}, {sluggish}, {indolent}, or {inert}; as an active man of business; active mind; active zeal. 5. Requiring or implying action or exertion; -- opposed to {sedentary} or to {tranquil}; as active employment or service; active scenes. 6. Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative; -- opposed to {speculative} or {theoretical}; as an active rather than a speculative statesman. 7. Brisk; lively; as an active demand for corn. 8. Implying or producing rapid action as an active disease; an active remedy. 9. (Gram.) a Applied to a form of the verb -- opposed to {passive}. See {Active voice}, under {Voice}. b Applied to verbs which assert that the subject acts upon or affects something else; transitive. c Applied to all verbs that express action as distinct from mere existence or state. {Active capital}, {Active wealth}, money, or property that may readily be converted into money. Syn: Agile; alert; brisk; vigorous; nimble; lively; quick; sprightly; prompt; energetic. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: active adj 1: (pathology) tending to become more severe or wider in scope; "active tuberculosis" [ant: {inactive}] 2: (military) engaged in or ready for military or naval operations; "on active duty"; "the platoon is combat-ready"; "review the fighting forces" [syn: {combat-ready}, {fighting(a)}] 3: disposed to take action or effectuate change; "a director who takes an active interest in corporate operations"; "an active antagonism"; "he was active in drawing attention to their grievances" [ant: {passive}] 4: taking part in an activity; "an active member of the club"; "he was politically active"; "the participating organizations" [syn: {participating}] 5: characterized by energetic activity; "an active toddler"; "active as a gazelle"; "an active man is a man of action" [ant: {inactive}] 6: exerting influence or producing an effect; "an active ingredient" [ant: {inactive}] 7: full of activity or engaged in continuous activity; "an active seaport"; "an active bond market"; "an active account" [ant: {inactive}] 8: in operation; "keep hope alive"; "the tradition was still alive"; "an active tradition" [syn: {alive(p)}] 9: in a state of habitual or vigorous activity; "an active man is a man of action" 10: (astronomy; of the sun) characterized by a high level activity in sunspots and flares and radio emissions [ant: {quiet}] 11: (grammar) active voice [ant: {passive}] 12: (grammar) expressing action rather than a state of being used of verbs (e.g. `to run') and participial adjectives (e.g. `running' in `running water') [syn: {dynamic}] [ant: {stative}] 13: (of e.g. volcanos) being in a state of action or potential action "active volcanos" [ant: {dormant}, {extinct}] 14: producing activity or change [ant: {counteractive}] 15: engaged in full-time work "active duty" (military); "though past retirement age he is still active in his profession" [ant: {inactive}] 16: being in physical motion; "active fish in the aquarium"; "a nurse is on the move all day" [syn: {on the move(p)}] 17: characterized by energetic bodily activity; "tennis is an active sport"; "a very physical dance performance" [syn: {physical}] n 1: chemical agent capable of activity [syn: {active agent}] 2: the voice used to indicate that the subject of the verb is performing the action or causing the happening denoted by the verb [syn: {active voice}] [ant: {passive voice}]
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