Active
WordNet
adjective
(1) Characterized by energetic activity
"An active toddler"
"Active as a gazelle"
"An active man is a man of action"
(2) Engaged in full-time work
"Active duty"
"Though past retirement age he is still active in his profession"
(3) Full of activity or engaged in continuous activity
"An active seaport"
"An active bond market"
"An active account"
(4) Tending to become more severe or wider in scope
"Active tuberculosis"
(5) Disposed to take action or effectuate change
"A director who takes an active interest in corporate operations"
"An active antagonism"
"He was active in drawing attention to their grievances"
(6) (of e.g. volcanos) erupting or liable to erupt
"Active volcanos"
(7) (of e.g. volcanos) capable of erupting
(8) Expressing action rather than a state of being; used of verbs (e.g. `to run') and participial adjectives (e.g. `running' in `running water')
(9) Expressing that the subject of the sentence has the semantic function of actor: "Hemingway favors active constructions"
(10) Exerting influence or producing a change or effect
"An active ingredient"
(11) In operation
"Keep hope alive"
"The tradition was still alive"
"An active tradition"
(12) Taking part in an activity
"An active member of the club"
"He was politically active"
"The participating organizations"
(13) Engaged in or ready for military or naval operations
"On active duty"
"The platoon is combat-ready"
"Review the fighting forces"
noun
(14) A person devoted to the active life
(15) The voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is performing the action or causing the happening denoted by the verb
"`The boy threw the ball' uses the active voice"
(16) Chemical agent capable of activity
WiktionaryText
Etymology
< < < < ; see act.
Adjective
- 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.
- 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.
- an active disease
- an active remedy
- Applied to a form of the verb; — opposed to passive. See active voice.
- Applied to verbs which assert that the subject acts upon or affects something else; transitive.
- Applied to all verbs that express action as distinct from mere existence or state.
- enjoying a role in anal sex in which he penetrates, rather than being penetrated by his partner
- such a role in anal sex
Synonyms
- (1): acting
- (2): agile, nimble
- (3): in action, in force, working
- (4): busy, diligent, energetic
- (6): operative, practical
- (7): brisk, lively
- (9.2): transitive
- (10): top
- See also Wikisaurus:active