- active
- [[t]æ̱ktɪv[/t]]
♦♦1) ADJ-GRADED Someone who is active moves around a lot or does a lot of things.
Having an active youngster about the house can be quite wearing.
...a long and active life.
Ant:2) ADJ-GRADED If you have an active mind or imagination, you are always thinking of new things....the tragedy of an active mind trapped by failing physical health.
Syn:3) ADJ-GRADED: oft ADJ prep If someone is active in an organization, cause, or campaign, they do things for it rather than just giving it their support.We should play an active role in politics, both at national and local level...
I am an active member of the Conservative Party...
He is active on Tyler's behalf.
Ant:Derived words:actively ADVThey actively campaigned for the vote.
4) ADJ: ADJ n (emphasis) Active is used to emphasize that someone is taking action in order to achieve something, rather than just hoping for it or achieving it in an indirect way....if companies do not take active steps to increase exports.
...active discouragement from teachers.
Syn:Derived words:actively ADV usu ADV with vThey have never been actively encouraged to take such risks.
...the White House says the president is not actively considering such a move.
5) ADJ: usu v-link ADJ, usu ADJ prep If you say that a person or animal is active in a particular place or at a particular time, you mean that they are performing their usual activities or performing a particular activity.Guerrilla groups are active in the province.
...animals which are active at night.
...men who are sexually active.
6) ADJ: usu ADJ n An active volcano has erupted recently or is expected to erupt quite soon....molten lava from an active volcano.
Ant:7) ADJ: usu ADJ n An active substance has a chemical or biological effect on things.The active ingredient in some of the mouthwashes was simply detergent.
8) N-SING: the N In grammar, the active or the active voice means the forms of a verb which are used when the subject refers to a person or thing that does something. For example, in `I saw her yesterday', the verb is in the active. Compare passive.
English dictionary. 2008.
