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passive

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passive

Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++
Related topics: Grammar
pas·sive1 /ˈpæsɪv/ ●●○ AWL adjective  1 ACCEPTsomeone who is passive tends to accept things that happen to them or things that people say to them, without taking any action 被动的;消极的;顺从的 impassive Kathy seems to take a very passive role in the relationship. 凯茜在这一关系中似乎扮演着十分被动的角色。 their passive acceptance of their fate 他们对命运的消极接受2. technicalSLG a passive verb or sentence has as its subject the person or thing to which an action is done, as in ‘His father was killed in a car accident.’ 〔动词或句子〕被动的 active1(6)passively adverb He listened passively as his sentence was read out. 宣布对他的判决时他只是被动地听着。passivity /pæˈsɪvəti/ noun [uncountable]
Examples from the Corpus
passiveEmma plays far too passive a role in group discussions.Explain the difference between the passive and active voice and wordy and concise word use as objectively as possible.For decades it has cowed public employees, left them docile, passive, and bitter.You're too passive, Harry. You should just tell her you don't want to go.Heat-sensing passive infra-red detectors with a fifty-feet range.The student's role in a traditional classroom learning environment is a passive one.The second, 1 Cor 6: 9-11, speaks about both the active and the passive participants in homosexual activity.Her licentiousness was entirely passive, reflecting not her own desires but those of the man she was with.An analysis of the 1987 survey was undertaken to estimate the dose-response relations of height and respiratory symptoms to passive smoking.Duffy refuses to fall into the trap of spoon-feeding the material to passive students, which only increases their passivity.The story's main female character is shown as an attractive but rather passive woman.
passive2 ●●○ AWL noun  the passive technicalSLG the passive form of a verb, for example ‘was destroyed’ in the sentence ‘The building was destroyed during the war.’ 〔动词的〕被动式,被动语态 active2
Examples from the Corpus
passiveWhen the acted-upon was thematic, 155 passives were produced, but when the actor was thematic, only 44 were produced.However subsequent research has shown that both negatives and passives are used in response to the presence of particular pragmatic factors.The number of passives produced in response to the different pictures varied considerably.In fact, the passive has two particular advantages and these provide the reasons for its most characteristic uses.
From Longman Business Dictionarypassivepas‧sive /ˈpæsɪv/ adjective [only before a noun]1FINANCE passive investment activities are those in which the investor does not take part in making management decisions in the company they invest in, for example by being on its BOARDThe New Jersey Casino Control Commission is considering changing its rule limiting passive institutional investing.2passive electronic equipment, machines etc do not contain electrical power and are therefore only able to receive signals, not send themThe invention improves the video capability ofpassive liquid crystal displays.3FINANCE passive investing is when an investor buys shares and waits for their value to increase over a long period of time, rather than often buying and selling shares as their value changesPassive investing requires good initial research, patience, and a well-diversified portfolio.Origin passive1 (1300-1400) Latin passivus, from pati; → PASSION
who passive someone that is Business tends to accept things Corpus


passive
I
passive1 AC /ˈpæsɪv/ adjective
 Word Family: noun: passivity; adverb: passively; adjective: passive
 Date: 1300-1400
 Language: Latin
 Origin: passivus, from pati; passion
1. someone who is passive tends to accept things that happen to them or things that people say to them, without taking any action ⇨ impassive:
    Kathy seems to take a very passive role in the relationship.
    their passive acceptance of their fate
2. technical a passive verb or sentence has as its subject the person or thing to which an action is done, as in ‘His father was killed in a car accident.’ ⇨ active1(6)
—passively adverb:
    He listened passively as his sentence was read out.
—passivity /pæˈsɪvəti, pæˈsɪvɪti/ noun [uncountable]

II
passive2 AC noun
the passive technical the passive form of a verb, for example ‘was destroyed’ in the sentence ‘The building was destroyed during the war.’
active2


pas·sive AW BrE /ˈpæsɪv/ 🔊NAmE /ˈpæsɪv/ 🔊 adjectiveaccepting what happens or what people do without trying to change anything or oppose them 消极的;被动的He played a passive role in the relationship. 他在他们的关系中处于被动地位。🔊🔊a passive observer of events列席观察员(grammar 语法) connected with the form of a verb used when the subject is affected by the action of the verb, for example He was bitten by a dog. is a passive sentence (动词形式)被动语态的   compare active adjective (6) pas·sive·ly AW BrE /ˈpæsɪvli/ 🔊NAmE /ˈpæsɪvli/ 🔊 adverb
pas·sive AW BrE /ˈpæsɪv/ 🔊NAmE /ˈpæsɪv/ 🔊 noun (also ˌpassive ˈvoice) [singular] (grammar 语法) the form of a verb used when the subject is affected by the action of the verb 动词被动形式;被动语态   compare active noun