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11 dictionary results for: Active
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
ac·tive       [ak-tiv] Pronunciation Key
–adjective
1.engaged in action; characterized by energetic work, participation, etc.; busy: an active life.
2.being in a state of existence, progress, or motion: active hostilities.
3.involving physical effort and action: active sports.
4.having the power of quick motion; nimble: active as a gazelle.
5.characterized by action, motion, volume, use, participation, etc.: an active market in wheat; an active list of subscribers.
6.causing activity or change; capable of exerting influence (opposed to passive): active treason.
7.effective (opposed to inert): active ingredients.
8.Grammar. noting or pertaining to a voice of verbal inflection in which typically the subject of the sentence is represented as performing the action expressed by the verb (opposed to passive): Writes in He writes a letter every day is an active verb form.
9.requiring or giving rise to action; practical: an active course.
10.(of a volcano) in eruption.
11.Accounting. profitable; busy: active accounts.
12.requiring personal effort or attention; not automatic: an active alarm system.
13.interest-bearing: active paper.
14.Medicine/Medical. acting quickly; producing immediate effects: active remedies.
15.Sociology. (of a crowd) engaging in purposeful activity, often of a militant nature. Compare expressive (def. 4).
16.Aerospace. able to transmit signals: an active communications satellite.
17.Electronics. (of a device or system) acting as a source of electrical energy, as a generator, or capable of amplifying or converting voltages or currents, as a transistor or diode.
18.(of a solar heating system) accumulating and distributing solar heat by mechanical means.
19.Military. serving on active duty.
–noun
20.Grammar.
a.the active voice.
b.a form or construction in the active voice.
21.an active person, member, subscriber, etc.: The circular was mailed only to the actives on our list.
22.Informal. something showing considerable action or activity: On the stock market there was heavy trading in the actives.

[Origin: 1300–50; < L āctīvus (see act, -ive); r. ME actif < MF < L]

ac·tive·ly, adverb
ac·tive·ness, noun

1. acting; working; operative. 3. Active, energetic, strenuous, vigorous imply a liveliness and briskness in accomplishing something. Active suggests quickness and diligence as opposed to laziness or dilatory methods: an active and useful person. Energetic suggests forceful and intense, sometimes nervous, activity: conducting an energetic campaign. Strenuous implies arduous and zealous activity with a sense of urgency: a strenuous effort. Vigorous suggests strong, effective activity: using vigorous measures to accomplish an end. 4. agile, sprightly.
1. lazy. 5. sluggish.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ac·tive       (āk'tĭv)  Pronunciation Key 
adj.  
  1. Being in physical motion: active fish in the aquarium.
  2. Functioning or capable of functioning.
    1. Marked by energetic activity; busy: active stock and bond markets; spent an active day sightseeing.
    2. Involving or requiring physical exertion and energy: an active workout at the gym.
    3. Being in a state of action; not quiescent: active hostilities along the border.
    4. Erupting or liable to erupt; not dormant: an active volcano.
    5. Marked by or involving direct participation: took an active interest in politics; played an active role on the committee.
    6. Currently in use or effect: an active membership.
    7. Openly acknowledged or expressed: an active dislike of the new neighbors.
    8. Indicating that the subject of the sentence is performing or causing the action expressed by the verb. Used of a verb form or voice.
    9. Expressing action rather than a state of being. Used of verbs such as run, speak, and move.
    10. Being a source of electrical energy, as a generator.
    11. Capable of converting or amplifying voltages or currents, as a diode or transistor.
    1. Being in a state of action; not quiescent: active hostilities along the border.
    2. Erupting or liable to erupt; not dormant: an active volcano.
    3. Marked by or involving direct participation: took an active interest in politics; played an active role on the committee.
    4. Currently in use or effect: an active membership.
    5. Openly acknowledged or expressed: an active dislike of the new neighbors.
    6. Indicating that the subject of the sentence is performing or causing the action expressed by the verb. Used of a verb form or voice.
    7. Expressing action rather than a state of being. Used of verbs such as run, speak, and move.
    8. Being a source of electrical energy, as a generator.
    9. Capable of converting or amplifying voltages or currents, as a diode or transistor.
    1. Marked by or involving direct participation: took an active interest in politics; played an active role on the committee.
    2. Currently in use or effect: an active membership.
    3. Openly acknowledged or expressed: an active dislike of the new neighbors.
    4. Indicating that the subject of the sentence is performing or causing the action expressed by the verb. Used of a verb form or voice.
    5. Expressing action rather than a state of being. Used of verbs such as run, speak, and move.
    6. Being a source of electrical energy, as a generator.
    7. Capable of converting or amplifying voltages or currents, as a diode or transistor.
  3. Producing an intended action or effect: active ingredients.
  4. Grammar
    1. Indicating that the subject of the sentence is performing or causing the action expressed by the verb. Used of a verb form or voice.
    2. Expressing action rather than a state of being. Used of verbs such as run, speak, and move.
    3. Being a source of electrical energy, as a generator.
    4. Capable of converting or amplifying voltages or currents, as a diode or transistor.
  5. Producing profit, interest, or dividends: active accounts; active stocks.
  6. Electronics
    1. Being a source of electrical energy, as a generator.
    2. Capable of converting or amplifying voltages or currents, as a diode or transistor.
  7. Being on full military duty and receiving full pay.

n.  
  1. Grammar
    1. The active voice.
    2. A construction or form in the active voice.
  2. A participating member of an organization: union actives.


[Middle English actif, from Old French, from Latin āctīvus, from āctus, past participle of agere, to drive, do; see ag- in Indo-European roots.]

ac'tive·ly adv., ac'tive·ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean engaged in activity. Active means moving, doing, or functioning: an active toddler; an active imagination; saw active service in the army.
Energetic suggests sustained enthusiastic activity: an energetic competitor.
Dynamic connotes energy and forcefulness that often inspires others: a dynamic leader.
Vigorous implies healthy strength and robustness: a vigorous crusader against drunk driving.
Lively suggests animated alertness: a lively interest in politics.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
active 
1340, from L. activus, from actus (see act). Activity is attested from 1530. Activism "a doctrine of advocating energetic action" is first attested 1920; activist in this sense is from 1915.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
active

adjective
1. tending to become more severe or wider in scope; "active tuberculosis" [ant: inactive
2. engaged in or ready for military or naval operations; "on active duty"; "the platoon is combat-ready"; "review the fighting forces" 
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: inactive
4. taking part in an activity; "an active member of the club"; "he was politically active"; "the participating organizations" 
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 a change or 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" 
9. (of the sun) characterized by an increased occurrence of sunspots and flares and radio emissions [ant: quiet
10. expressing that the subject of the sentence has the semantic function of actor: "Hemingway favors active constructions" [ant: passive
11. (used of verbs (e.g. 'to run') and participial adjectives (e.g. 'running' in 'running water')) expressing action rather than a state of being [ant: stative
12. (of e.g. volcanos) capable of erupting [ant: extinct
13. (of e.g. volcanos) erupting or liable to erupt; "active volcanos" [ant: dormant
14. engaged in full-time work; "active duty"; "though past retirement age he is still active in his profession" [ant: inactive

noun
1. chemical agent capable of activity [syn: active agent
2. the voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is performing the action or causing the happening denoted by the verb; "'The boy threw the ball' uses the active voice" [syn: active voice] [ant: passive
3. a person who is a participating member of an organization; "the club issues a list of members, both the actives and the retirees" 

Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: ac·tive
Pronunciation: 'ak-tiv
Function: adjective
1 : capable of acting or reacting especially in some specific way active enzyme> <active nitrogen>
2 : tending to progress or to cause degeneration <active tuberculosis>
3 : exhibitingoptical activity
4 : requiring the expenditure of energy <active absorptive mechanisms for transporting substances from the intestine into the blood> —ac·tive·ly adverb

Wallstreet Words - Cite This Source - Share This
active
Of or relating to a security in which there is a great deal of trading. Active securities appeal to many investors because they usually can be traded without affecting theprice. In over-the-counter trading, an active security usually has a smaller spread between the bid and ask price. See also most-activestocks.

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: ac·tive
Function: adjective
1 : characterized or accomplished by action or effort <active concealment> —compare PASSIVE
2 : engaged or participating in action or activity <paying child support but not otherwise anactive parent>

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

American Heritage Abbreviations Dictionary 3rd Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
ACTIVE
advanced controls technology for integrated vehicles

Acronym Finder - Cite This Source - Share This

ACTIVE

ACTIVE: in Acronym Finder

On-line Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

active

active: in CancerWEB's On-line Medical Dictionary

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