active : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: active	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for active
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
active adj tending to become more severe or wider in scope; "active tuberculosis" Antonym(s): inactive engaged in or ready for military or naval operations; "on active duty"; "the platoon is combat-ready"; "review the fighting forces" Synonym(s): active, combat-ready, fighting(a) 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" Antonym(s): inactive, passive taking part in an activity; "an active member of the club"; "he was politically active"; "the participating organizations" Synonym(s): active, participating characterized by energetic activity; "an active toddler"; "active as a gazelle"; "an active man is a man of action" Antonym(s): inactive exerting influence or producing a change or effect; "an active ingredient" Antonym(s): inactive full of activity or engaged in continuous activity; "an active seaport"; "an active bond market"; "an active account" Antonym(s): inactive in operation; "keep hope alive"; "the tradition was still alive"; "an active tradition" Synonym(s): active, alive(p) (of the sun) characterized by an increased occurrence of sunspots and flares and radio emissions Antonym(s): quiet expressing that the subject of the sentence has the semantic function of actor: "Hemingway favors active constructions" Antonym(s): passive (used of verbs (e.g. `to run') and participial adjectives (e.g. `running' in `running water')) expressing action rather than a state of being Synonym(s): active, dynamic Antonym(s): stative (of e.g. volcanos) capable of erupting Antonym(s): extinct (of e.g. volcanos) erupting or liable to erupt; "active volcanos" Antonym(s): dormant, inactive engaged in full-time work; "active duty"; "though past retirement age he is still active in his profession" Antonym(s): inactive n chemical agent capable of activity [syn: active agent, active] 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" Synonym(s): active voice, active Antonym(s): passive, passive voice a person who is a participating member of an organization; "the club issues a list of members, both the actives and the retirees"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Active \Ac"tive\, a. [F. actif, L. activus, fr. agere to act.] 1. 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. 2. Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble; as, an active child or animal. Active and nervous was his gait. --Wordsworth. 3. In action; actually proceeding; working; in force; -- opposed to {quiescent}, {dormant}, or {extinct}; as, active laws; active hostilities; an active volcano. 4. 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. 5. Requiring or implying action or exertion; -- opposed to {sedentary} or to {tranquil}; as, active employment or service; active scenes. 6. Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative; -- opposed to {speculative} or {theoretical}; as, an active rather than a speculative statesman. 7. Brisk; lively; as, an active demand for corn. 8. Implying or producing rapid action; as, an active disease; an active remedy. 9. (Gram.) (a) Applied to a form of the verb; -- opposed to {passive}. See {Active voice}, under {Voice}. (b) Applied to verbs which assert that the subject acts upon or affects something else; transitive. (c) Applied to all verbs that express action as distinct from mere existence or state. {Active capital}, {Active wealth}, money, or property that may readily be converted into money. Syn: Agile; alert; brisk; vigorous; nimble; lively; quick; sprightly; prompt; energetic.