passive
pas|sive /p'æsɪv/
1 [ADJ]
If you describe someone as passive, you mean that they do not take action but instead let things happen to them.
His passive attitude made things easier for me...
≠ active
● passively [ADV] usu ADV with v
He sat there passively, content to wait for his father to make the opening move.
● passivity [N-UNCOUNT]
...the passivity of the public under the military occupation.
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
A passive activity involves watching, looking at, or listening to things rather than doing things.
They want less passive ways of filling their time.
≠ active
3 [ADJ] ADJ n
Passive resistance involves showing opposition to the people in power in your country by not co-operating with them and protesting in non-violent ways.
They made it clear that they would only exercise passive resistance in the event of a military takeover.
≠ active
4 [N-SING] the N
In grammar, the passive or the passive voice is formed using `be' and the past participle of a verb. The subject of a passive clause does not perform the action expressed by the verb but is affected by it. For example, in `He's been murdered', the verb is in the passive. Compare active.pas|sive smok|ing
[N-UNCOUNT]
Passive smoking involves breathing in the smoke from other people's cigarettes because you happen to be near them.
...the dangers of passive smoking.
1 [ADJ]
If you describe someone as passive, you mean that they do not take action but instead let things happen to them.
His passive attitude made things easier for me...
≠ active
● passively [ADV] usu ADV with v
He sat there passively, content to wait for his father to make the opening move.
● passivity [N-UNCOUNT]
...the passivity of the public under the military occupation.
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
A passive activity involves watching, looking at, or listening to things rather than doing things.
They want less passive ways of filling their time.
≠ active
3 [ADJ] ADJ n
Passive resistance involves showing opposition to the people in power in your country by not co-operating with them and protesting in non-violent ways.
They made it clear that they would only exercise passive resistance in the event of a military takeover.
≠ active
4 [N-SING] the N
In grammar, the passive or the passive voice is formed using `be' and the past participle of a verb. The subject of a passive clause does not perform the action expressed by the verb but is affected by it. For example, in `He's been murdered', the verb is in the passive. Compare active.pas|sive smok|ing
[N-UNCOUNT]
Passive smoking involves breathing in the smoke from other people's cigarettes because you happen to be near them.
...the dangers of passive smoking.