| 释义 |
pas·sive
I. \ˈpasiv, ˈpaas-, ˈpais-, -sēv also -səv\ adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin passivus, from passus (past participle of pati to suffer, undergo) + -ivus -ive — more at patient
1.
a. : not acting but acted upon : subject to or produced by an external agency : receptive to outside impressions or influences
< nature is neutral and passive — W.P.Webb >
< takes his color from his surroundings, a passive agent of his environment — Van Wyck Brooks >
b.
(1) of a verb form or voice : asserting that the person or thing represented by the grammatical subject is subjected to or affected by the action represented by the verb
< was hit in “he was hit by the ball” and was given in “he was given a prize” are passive >
— compare active
(2) of a grammatical construction : containing a passive verb form
c. : lacking in energy or will : lethargic
< its people are a passive, frustrated, and resigned lot — John Mason Brown >
< a vague, passive girl, content to remain at home and dream — Ruth Blodgett >
d. : induced by an outside agency without either active participation or resistance of the individual affected
< neuromuscular reeducation through passive exercise >
2.
a. : not active or operating : not moving : inert, quiescent
< the faint light from the street lamp outlined the passive hump he made in the bedclothes — Dorothy Sayers >
< engines passive as great cats — Thomas Wolfe >
b. : existing in a dormant state but capable of being used or brought into play : latent
< has a larger passive vocabulary than he realizes >
c. : of, relating to, or characterized by a state of chemical inactivity : not reacting readily : resistant to corrosion
< iron and nickel become passive when treated with fuming nitric acid >
3. Scots law : of, relating to, or subject to a liability
4.
a. : receiving or enduring without resistance : patient, submissive, unresisting
< there is in her a passive surrender to the powers of life — P.E.More >
< no one has a right explicitly to make of another a mere passive instrument of his will — G.L.Dickinson >
b. : carried through or expressed by indirect means : existing without being active or open
< passive support >
Synonyms: see inactive
II. noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English, from passive (I)
1.
a. : something (as a person, object, or quality) acted upon by something else — usually used in plural
b. or passive bobbin : hanger 5
2.
a. : a passive verb
b. : the passive voice of a language or a form in it
III. adjective
1. : not involving expenditure of chemical energy
< passive transport across a cell membrane >
2.
a. : exhibiting no gain or control — used of an electronic device (as a capacitor or resistor)
b. : operating solely by means of the power of an input signal
< a passive communication satellite that reflects television signals >
c. : relating to the detection of or to orientation by means of an object through its emission of energy or sound
3. : of, relating to, or making direct use of the sun's heat usually without the intervention of mechanical devices
< passive technique >
< passive building design >
4. : of, relating to, or being business activity in which the investor does not have immediate control over income
< passive investment > |