PASSIVE


Meaning of PASSIVE in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ pæsɪv ]

1.

If you describe someone as passive , you mean that they do not take action but instead let things happen to them.

His passive attitude made things easier for me...

≠ active

ADJ [ disapproval ]

• pas‧sive‧ly

He sat there passively, content to wait for his father to make the opening move.

ADV : usu ADV with v

• pas‧sivi‧ty

...the passivity of the public under the military occupation.

N-UNCOUNT

2.

A passive activity involves watching, looking at, or listening to things rather than doing things.

They want less passive ways of filling their time.

≠ active

ADJ : ADJ n

3.

Passive resistance involves showing opposition to the people in power in your country by not co-operating with them and protesting in non-violent ways.

They made it clear that they would only exercise passive resistance in the event of a military takeover.

≠ active

ADJ : ADJ n

4.

In grammar, the passive or the passive voice is formed using ‘be’ and the past participle of a verb. The subject of a passive clause does not perform the action expressed by the verb but is affected by it. For example, in ‘He’s been murdered’, the verb is in the passive. Compare active .

N-SING : the N

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Английский словарь Коллинз COBUILD для изучающих язык на продвинутом уровне.