| 释义 |
▪ I. † unˈactive, a. Obs.
[un-1 7 and 5 b.]
1. Habitually or naturally inactive; indisposed or unable to act; hence, sluggish, slothful:
a. Of persons (or animals).
1591G. Fletcher Russe Commw. (Hakl. Soc.) 146 For the most part, they are unweldy and unactive withall. 1657Austen Fruit Trees ii. 177 It is an intolerable shame to some professors especially, to see them so lukewarme and unactive in the waies of God. 1696Stanhope Chr. Pattern (1711) 126 When advancement to Heaven..is offered, they are slothful and unactive. 1726Gibson Dieting Horses 14 Flanders Horses..are thereby render'd the more heavy and unactive. 1741Compl. Fam.-Piece ii. ii. 346 Chub..are a strong unactive Fish.
absol.1708Diss. Drunkenness 12 It charms the Unactive, the Desperate and Crafty of either Sex.
b. Of material things.
1638Quarles Hieroglyph. ii. (1669) 27 Nor hath unactive matter pow'r to soil Her pure and active form, as Jars corrupt their Oyl. 1694Salmon Bate's Dispens. (1713) 528/2 The Points of the Acid of the Tartar..are too unactive, gross or blunt to insinuate themselves into the Pores of this Salt. 1704Norris Ideal World ii. iii. 253 What a dead unactive thing matter is. 1729Butler Serm. Hum. Nat. i. Wks. 1874 II. 387 The mere material body.., without the mind being a dead unactive thing.
c. Of mind or disposition.
1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. v. §340 The drowsy and unactive Genius of the Kingdom. Ibid. vi. §182 The faculties and understandings of the lay councillors [grew] more dull, lazy, and unactive. 1704J. Trapp Abra-Mulé ii. i. 544 Melancholy Blood retards the Springs Of his unactive Soul. 1724R. Fiddes Morality Pref. p. xxxviii, Disquisitions of this kind are an argument of an unactive wit. 1746Brit. Mag. 98 The Ignorance, or unactive inexperimenting Spirit of our Manufacturers.
d. Of immaterial things.
1649Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. Ep. Ded. 1 The calentures of men breathe out in problemes and unactive discourses. 1686W. de Britaine Hum. Prudence xvi. 74 He..may escape many dangers by his wary Conduct, but will fail of as many Successes by his unactive Fearfulness. c1705Bp. Berkeley in Fraser Life (1871) 445 Uneasiness, &c. are ideas, therefore unactive, therefore can do nothing. 1761Hume Hist. Eng. III. xlviii. 45 His unactive virtue, the more it was extolled, the greater disregard was it exposed to.
2. Not active at a particular time; remaining quiescent or idle.
1599Daniel Musoph. (1602) c iij b, That these more curious times, they might diuorce From the opinion..Of our disable and vnactiue force. 1643Wither Campo Musæ 2 When I shall be dead, And lie unactive in a loanly roome. 1670Cotton Espernon i. iii. 107 Neither was he in his retirement..either unactive in himself, or in a Scene improper for his Majesties Service. 1715Pope Iliad iv. 425 Can'st thou, remote, the mingling Hosts descry, With Hands unactive, and a careless Eye? 1756Johnson Misc. Lives, K. of Prussia Wks. 1787 IV. 557 All the vegetative powers are kept unactive by a long continuance of drought. 1757Burke Abridgm. Eng. Hist. Wks. 1842 II. 516 The legates in Britain..remained unactive till it could be determined for what master they were to conquer.
3. Marked or characterized by inaction.
1621G. Sandys Ovid's Met. ii. (1626) 41 To Enuie's caue her course shee bent,..Repleat with sadnesse, and vnactiue cold. 1652Evelyn St. France Misc. Writ. (1805) 81 The Gentry..are universally given to solitary and unactive lives in the country. 1711Addison Spect. No. 93 ⁋14 For the Employment of our dead unactive Hours. 1736Butler Anal. v. 89 Nothing which we at present see, would lead us to the Thought of a solitary unactive State hereafter. 1777Johnson Let. to Mrs. Thrale 27 Aug., I am here in unactive obscurity.
▪ II. † unˈactive, v. Obs.
[un-2 6 a.]
trans. To unfit for action.
1639Fuller Holy War 52 Though bookishnesse may unactive, yet learning doth accomplish a Prince. 1655― Ch. Hist. viii. ii. 19 A man so buried in the speculations of School-Divinity, that it unactiv'd him to be practical in persecution. |