 passive |
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| 1. | [ adjective ] lacking in energy or will | |
| Synonyms: | inactive | |
| Examples: | "Much benevolence of the passive order may be traced to a disinclination to inflict pain upon oneself"- George Meredith |
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| Related terms: | active hands-off resistless passivity | |
| 2. | [ adjective ] peacefully resistant in response to injustice | |
| Synonyms: | peaceful | |
| Examples: | "passive resistance" |
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| Related terms: | nonviolent | |
| 3. | [ adjective ] (grammar) passive voice, expressing that the subject of the sentence is the patient of the action denoted by the verb | |
| Examples: | "academics seem to favor passive sentences" |
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| Related terms: | active grammar | |
| 4. | [ noun ] (grammar,linguistics) the voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is the recipient (not the source) of the action denoted by the verb | |
| Synonyms: | passive_voice | |
| Examples: | "`The ball was thrown by the boy' uses the passive voice" "`The ball was thrown' is an abbreviated passive" |
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| Related terms: | active_voice voice | |
