Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
Someone who is ~ moves around a lot or does a lot of things.
Having an ~ youngster about the house can be quite wearing.
...a long and ~ life.
ADJ
2.
If you have an ~ mind or imagination, you are always thinking of new things.
...the tragedy of an ~ mind trapped by failing physical health.
= lively
ADJ
3.
If someone is ~ in an organization, cause, or campaign, they do things for it rather than just giving it their support.
...a chance for fathers to play a more ~ role in childcare...
? passive
ADJ: oft ADJ prep
~ly
They ~ly campaigned for the vote.
ADV
4.
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.
Companies need to take ~ steps to increase exports.
...~ discouragement from teachers.
= positive
ADJ: ADJ n emphasis
~ly
They have never been ~ly encouraged to take such risks.
ADV: usu ADV with v
5.
If you say that a person or animal is ~ 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 ~ in the province.
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ, usu ADJ prep
6.
An ~ volcano has erupted recently or is expected to erupt quite soon.
...molten lava from an ~ volcano.
? extinct
ADJ: usu ADJ n
7.
An ~ substance has a chemical or biological effect on things.
The ~ ingredient in some of the mouthwashes was simply detergent.
ADJ: usu ADJ n
8.
In grammar, the ~ or the ~ 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 ~. Compare passive .
N-SING: the N