Webster's English Dictionary

Enter the word to look up:

active

ac.tive \'ak-tiv\ aj [ME, fr. MF or L; MF actif, fr. L activus, fr. actus, 
   pp. of]agere to drive, do - more at AGENT 1: characterized by action rather 
   than by contemplation or speculation  2: productive of action or movement  
   of a verb form or voice  3a: asserting that the person or thing represented 
   by the grammatical subj ect performs the action represented by the verb 
   {hits in "he hits the ball" is ~} of a verb or verb form  3b: expressing 
   action as distinct from mere existence or state  of a grammatical 
   construction  3c: containing an active verb form  4: quick in physical 
   movement : LIVELY  5: requiring vigorous action or exertion {~ sports}  6: 
   having practical operation or results : EFFECTIVE {an ~  law} 7a: disposed 
   to action : ENERGETIC {~ interest}  7b: engaged in an action or activity : 
   PARTICIPATING {an ~  club member} 8: engaged in full-time service esp. in 
   the armed forces {~ duty> 9: marked by present operation, transaction, 
   movement, or use {~ a ccount} {~ titles in a publisher's catalog} {a 
   student's ~ vocabulary} 10a: capable of acting or reacting : ACTIVATED  
   10b: tending to progress or increase {~ tuberculosis}  11: still eligible 
   to win the pot in poker  12: moving down the line : visiting in the set - 
   used of couples in co ntredanses or square dances - active n