Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Active

Ac′tive

,
Adj.
[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.

Webster 1828 Edition

Active

ACT'IVE

,
Adj.
[L. activus.]
1.
That has the power or quality of acting; that contains the principle of action, independent of any visible external force; as, attraction is an active power: or it may be defined, that communicates action or motion, opposed to passive, that receives action; as, the active powers of the mind.
2.
Having the power of quick motion, or disposition to move with speed; nimble; lively; brisk; agile; as an active animal.
Hence,
3.
Busy; constantly engaged in action; pursuing business with vigor and assiduity; opposed to dull, slow, or indolent; as an active officer. It is also opposed to sedentary, as an active life.
4.
Requiring action or exertion; practical; operative; producing real effects; opposed to speculative; as, the active duties of life.
5.
In grammar, active verbs are those which not only signify action, but have a noun or name following them, denoting the object of the action or impression; called also transitive, as they imply the passing of the action expressed by the verb to the object; as a professor instructs his pupils.
6.
Active capital, or wealth, is money, or property that may readily be converted into money, and used in commerce or other employment for profit.
7.
Active commerce, the commerce in which a nation carries its own productions and foreign commodities in its own ships, or which is prosecuted by its own citizens; as contradistinguished from passive commerce, in which the productions of one country are transported by the people of another country.
The commerce of Great Britain and of the United States is active; that of China is passive.
It may be the interest of foreign nations to deprive us, as far as possible, of an active commerce in our own bottoms.

Definition 2024

active

active

See also: activé

English

Adjective

active ‎(comparative more active, superlative most active)

  1. Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting;—opposed to passive, that receives.
    certain active principles;  the active powers of the mind‎
  2. Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble.
    an active child or animal‎
  3. In action; actually proceeding; working; in force; — opposed to quiescent, dormant, or extinct.
    active laws;  active hostilities‎
    1. (specifically, of a volcano) Being an active volcano.
  4. Given to action; constantly engaged in action; energetic; diligent; busy; — opposed to dull, sluggish, indolent, or inert.
    an active man of business;  active mind;  active zeal‎
    • 1915, Emerson Hough, The Purchase Price, chapterI:
      This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemed striking. […] He was smooth-faced, and his fresh skin and well-developed figure bespoke the man in good physical condition through active exercise, yet well content with the world's apportionment.
  5. Requiring or implying action or exertion;—opposed to sedentary or to tranquil.
    active employment or service  active scenes‎
  6. Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative; — opposed to speculative or theoretical.
    an active rather than a speculative statesman‎
  7. Brisk; lively.
    an active demand for corn‎
  8. Implying or producing rapid action.
    an active disease;  an active remedy‎
  9. (heading, grammar) About verbs.
    1. Applied to a form of the verb; — opposed to passive. See active voice.
    2. Applied to verbs which assert that the subject acts upon or affects something else; transitive.
    3. Applied to all verbs that express action as distinct from mere existence or state.
  10. (gay sexual slang) (of a homosexual man) enjoying a role in anal sex in which he penetrates, rather than being penetrated by his partner.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

  • ActiveX
  • cloud-active

Related terms

Translations

See also

Noun

active ‎(plural actives)

  1. A person or thing that is acting or capable of acting.

Asturian

Verb

active

  1. first-person singular present subjunctive of activar
  2. third-person singular present subjunctive of activar

French

Adjective

active

  1. feminine singular of actif

Verb

active

  1. first-person singular present indicative of activer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of activer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of activer
  4. first-person singular present subjunctive of activer
  5. second-person singular imperative of activer

Anagrams

Latin

Adverb

āctīvē

  1. (grammar) actively

Adjective

actīve

  1. vocative masculine singular of actīvus

References

Portuguese

Verb

active

  1. first-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of activar
  2. third-person singular (ele and ela, also used with você and others) present subjunctive of activar
  3. third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of activar
  4. third-person singular (você) negative imperative of activar

Romanian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [akˈti.ve]

Adjective

active

  1. feminine plural nominative form of activ
  2. feminine plural accusative form of activ
  3. neuter plural nominative form of activ
  4. neuter plural accusative form of activ

Spanish

Verb

active

  1. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of activar.
  2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of activar.
  3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of activar.

Etymology

From Middle English actif, from Old French actif, from Latin activus, from agere ‎(“to do, to act”); see act.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈæk.tɪv/

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