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1828.mshaffer.com › Word [active]
ACT'IVE, a. [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.
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Evolution (or devolution) of this word [active]
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ACT'IVE, a. [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. |
ACT'IVE, a. [L. activus; Fr. actif.]- 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.
- Having the power of quick motion, or disposition to move with speed; nimble; lively; brisk; agile; as, an active animal. Hence,
- 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.
- Requiring action or exertion; practical; operative; producing real effects; opposed to speculative; as, the active duties of life.
- 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.
- Active capital, or wealth, is money, or property, that may readily be converted into money, and used in commerce or other employment for profit. – Hamilton.
- 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. – Federalist, Hamilton.
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Ac"tive
- 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.
- Quick in physical movement; of an agile and
vigorous body; nimble; as, an active child or animal.
- In action; actually proceeding; working; in
force; -- opposed to quiescent, dormant, or extinct;
as, active laws; active hostilities; an active
volcano.
- 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.
- Requiring or implying action or exertion; --
opposed to sedentary or to tranquil; as, active
employment or service; active scenes.
- Given to action rather than contemplation;
practical; operative; -- opposed to speculative or
theoretical; as, an active rather than a speculative
statesman.
- Brisk; lively; as, an active demand for
corn.
- Implying or producing rapid action; as, an
active disease; an active remedy.
- Applied to a
form of the verb; -- opposed to passive. See Active voice,
under Voice.
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| 1828 Webster | 1844 Webster | 1913 Webster |
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Active ACT'IVE, adjective [Latin 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. |
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331 |
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511 |
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312 |
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217 |
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| CD-ROM |
264 |
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179 |
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* As a note, I have purchased each of these products. In fact, as we have been developing the Project:: 1828 Reprint, I have purchased several of the bulky hard-cover dictionaries. My opinion is that the 2000-page hard-cover edition is the only good viable solution at this time. The compact edition was a bit disappointing and the CD-ROM as well. |
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