Passive

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[编辑] 解释

I. adjective

Etymology: Middle English, from Latin passivus, from passus, past participle
Date: 14th century
1.
- a.
  - (1) acted upon by an external agency
  - (2) receptive to outside impressions or influences
- b.
  - (1) asserting that the grammatical subject of a verb is subjected to or affected by the action represented by that verb <the passive voice>
  - (2) containing or yielding a passive verb form
- c.
  - (1) lacking in energy or will ; lethargic
  - (2) tending not to take an active or dominant part
- d. induced by an outside agency <passive exercise of a paralyzed leg>
2.
- a. not active or operating ; inert
- b. of, relating to, or making direct use of the sun's heat usually without the intervention of mechanical devices <a passive solar house>
- c. latent
- d.
  - (1) of, relating to, or characterized by a state of chemical inactivity; especially resistant to corrosion
  - (2) not involving expenditure of chemical energy <passive transport across a cell membrane>
- e. of an electronic element exhibiting no gain or control
- f. relating to the detection of an object through its emission of energy or sound <passive sonar>
3.
- a. receiving or enduring without resistance ; submissive
- b. existing or occurring without being active, open, or direct <passive support>
4. of, relating to, or being business activity in which the investor does not actively participate in the generation of income
Synonyms: see inactive
? passively adverb
? passiveness noun
? passivity noun

II. noun