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passivemore about passive

passive

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Passive  \Pas"sive\,  a.  [L.  passivus:  cf  F.  passif.  See 
  {Passion}.] 
  1.  Not  active,  but  acted  upon  suffering  or  receiving 
  impressions  or  influences;  as  they  were  passive 
  spectators,  not  actors  in  the  scene. 
 
  The  passive  air  Upbore  their  nimble  tread.  --Milton. 
 
  The  mind  is  wholly  passive  in  the  reception  of  all 
  its  simple  ideas.  --Locke. 
 
  2.  Receiving  or  enduring  without  either  active  sympathy  or 
  active  resistance;  without  emotion  or  excitement;  patient; 
  not  opposing;  unresisting;  as  passive  obedience;  passive 
  submission. 
 
  The  best  virtue,  passive  fortitude.  --Massinger. 
 
  3.  (Chem.)  Inactive;  inert;  not  showing  strong  affinity;  as 
  red  phosphorus  is  comparatively  passive. 
 
  4.  (Med.)  Designating  certain  morbid  conditions,  as 
  hemorrhage  or  dropsy,  characterized  by  relaxation  of  the 
  vessels  and  tissues,  with  deficient  vitality  and  lack  of 
  reaction  in  the  affected  tissues. 
 
  {Passive  congestion}  (Med.),  congestion  due  to  obstruction  to 
  the  return  of  the  blood  from  the  affected  part 
 
  {Passive  iron}  (Chem.),  iron  which  has  been  subjected  to  the 
  action  of  heat,  of  strong  nitric  acid,  chlorine,  etc  It 
  is  then  not  easily  acted  upon  by  acids. 
 
  {Passive  movement}  (Med.),  a  movement  of  a  part  in  order  to 
  exercise  it  made  without  the  assistance  of  the  muscles 
  which  ordinarily  move  the  part 
 
  {Passive  obedience}  (as  used  by  writers  on  government), 
  obedience  or  submission  of  the  subject  or  citizen  as  a 
  duty  in  all  cases  to  the  existing  government. 
 
  {Passive  prayer},  among  mystic  divines,  a  suspension  of  the 
  activity  of  the  soul  or  intellectual  faculties,  the  soul 
  remaining  quiet,  and  yielding  only  to  the  impulses  of 
  grace. 
 
  {Passive  verb},  or  {Passive  voice}  (Gram.),  a  verb  or  form 
  of  a  verb  which  expresses  the  effect  of  the  action  of 
  some  agent;  as  in  Latin,  doceor,  I  am  taught;  in  English, 
  she  is  loved;  the  picture  is  admired  by  all  he  is 
  assailed  by  slander. 
 
  Syn:  Inactive;  inert;  quiescent;  unresisting;  unopposing 
  suffering;  enduring;  submissive;  patient. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  passive 
  adj  1:  lacking  in  energy  or  will  "Much  benevolence  of  the  passive 
  order  may  be  traced  to  a  disinclination  to  inflict 
  pain  upon  oneself"-  George  Meredith  [syn:  {inactive}] 
  [ant:  {active}] 
  2:  peacefully  resistant  in  response  to  injustice;  "passive 
  resistance"  [syn:  {peaceful}] 
  3:  (grammar)  passive  voice  [ant:  {active}] 
  n  :  the  voice  used  to  indicate  that  the  subject  of  the  verb  is 
  the  recipient  (not  the  source)  of  the  action  denoted  by 
  the  verb  [syn:  {passive  voice}]  [ant:  {active  voice}]




more about passive