(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
A fact, situation, or experience that is ~ is unpleasant, depressing, or harmful.
The news from overseas is overwhelmingly ~...
All this had an extremely ~ effect on the criminal justice system.
? positive
ADJ
~ly
This will ~ly affect the result over the first half of the year.
ADV: ADV with v
2.
If someone is ~ or has a ~ attitude, they consider only the bad aspects of a situation, rather than the good ones.
When asked for your views about your current job, on no account must you be ~ about it...
Why does the media present such a ~ view of this splendid city?
? positive
ADJ
~ly
A few weeks later he said that maybe he viewed all his relationships rather ~ly.
ADV: usu ADV after v
negativity
I loathe negativity. I can’t stand people who moan.
N-UNCOUNT
3.
A ~ reply or decision indicates the answer ‘no’.
Dr Velayati gave a vague but ~ response...
Upon a ~ decision, the applicant loses the protection offered by Belgian law...
? affirmative
ADJ
~ly
60 percent of the sample answered ~ly...
ADV: ADV after v
4.
A ~ is a word, expression, or gesture that means ‘no’ or ‘not’.
In the past we have heard only ~s when it came to following a healthy diet.
N-COUNT
5.
In grammar, a ~ clause contains a word such as ‘not’, ‘never’, or ‘no-one’.
ADJ
6.
If a medical test or scientific test is ~, it shows no evidence of the medical condition or substance that you are looking for.
So far 57 have taken the test and all have been ~.
...~ test results.
? positive
ADJ
7.
HIV ~: see HIV
8.
In photography, a ~ is an image that shows dark areas as light and light areas as dark. Negatives are made from a camera film, and are used to print photographs.
N-COUNT
9.
A ~ charge or current has the same electrical charge as an electron.
Stimulate the site of greatest pain with a small ~ current.
? positive
ADJ
~ly
As these electrons are ~ly charged they will attempt to repel each other.
ADV: ADV -ed
10.
A ~ number, quantity, or measurement is less than zero.
The weakest students can end up with a ~ score.
= minus
ADJ: usu ADJ n
11.
If an answer is in the ~, it is ‘no’ or means ‘no’.
Seventy-nine voted in the affirmative, and none in the ~.
PHRASE: PHR after v