— actively , adv. — activeness , n.
/ak"tiv/ , adj.
1. engaged in action; characterized by energetic work, participation, etc.; busy: an active life.
2. being in a state of existence, progress, or motion: active hostilities.
3. involving physical effort and action: active sports.
4. having the power of quick motion; nimble: active as a gazelle.
5. characterized by action, motion, volume, use, participation, etc.: an active market in wheat; an active list of subscribers.
6. causing activity or change; capable of exerting influence (opposed to passive ): active treason.
7. effective (opposed to inert ): active ingredients.
8. Gram. noting or pertaining to a voice of verbal inflection in which typically the subject of the sentence is represented as performing the action expressed by the verb (opposed to passive ): Writes in He writes a letter every day is an active verb form.
9. requiring or giving rise to action; practical: an active course.
10. (of a volcano) in eruption.
11. Accounting. profitable; busy: active accounts.
12. requiring personal effort or attention; not automatic: an active alarm system.
13. interest-bearing: active paper.
14. Med. acting quickly; producing immediate effects: active remedies.
15. Sociol. (of a crowd) engaging in purposeful activity, often of a militant nature. Cf. expressive (def. 4).
16. Aerospace. able to transmit signals: an active communications satellite.
17. Electronics. (of a device or system) acting as a source of electrical energy, as a generator, or capable of amplifying or converting voltages or currents, as a transistor or diode.
18. (of a solar heating system) accumulating and distributing solar heat by mechanical means.
19. Mil. serving on active duty.
n.
20. Gram.
a. the active voice.
b. a form or construction in the active voice.
21. an active person, member, subscriber, etc.: The circular was mailed only to the actives on our list.
22. Informal. something showing considerable action or activity: On the stock market there was heavy trading in the actives.
[ 1300-50; activus (see ACT, -IVE); r. ME actif ]
Syn. 1. acting; working; operative. 3. ACTIVE, ENERGETIC, STRENUOUS, VIGOROUS imply a liveliness and briskness in accomplishing something. ACTIVE suggests quickness and diligence as opposed to laziness or dilatory methods: an active and useful person. ENERGETIC suggests forceful and intense, sometimes nervous, activity: conducting an energetic campaign. STRENUOUS implies arduous and zealous activity with a sense of urgency: a strenuous effort. VIGOROUS suggests strong, effective activity: using vigorous measures to accomplish an end. 4. agile, sprightly.
Ant. 1. lazy. 5. sluggish.