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—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.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.
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Universalium. 2010.