'Passive' definitions:

Definition of 'passive'

From: WordNet
adjective
Lacking in energy or will; "Much benevolence of the passive order may be traced to a disinclination to inflict pain upon oneself"- George Meredith [syn: passive, inactive] [ant: active]
adjective
Peacefully resistant in response to injustice; "passive resistance" [syn: passive, peaceful]
adjective
Expressing that the subject of the sentence is the patient of the action denoted by the verb; "academics seem to favor passive sentences" [ant: active]
noun
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; "`The ball was thrown by the boy' uses the passive voice"; "`The ball was thrown' is an abbreviated passive" [syn: passive voice, passive] [ant: active, active voice]

Definition of 'Passive'

From: GCIDE
  • Passive \Pas"sive\, a. [L. passivus: cf. F. passif. See Passion.]
  • 1. Not active, but acted upon; suffering or receiving impressions or influences; as, they were passive spectators, not actors in the scene. [1913 Webster]
  • The passive air Upbore their nimble tread. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • The mind is wholly passive in the reception of all its simple ideas. --Locke. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Receiving or enduring without either active sympathy or active resistance; without emotion or excitement; patient; not opposing; unresisting; as, passive obedience; passive submission. [1913 Webster]
  • The best virtue, passive fortitude. --Massinger. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. (Chem.) Inactive; inert; unreactive; not showing strong affinity; as, red phosphorus is comparatively passive. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. (Med.) Designating certain morbid conditions, as hemorrhage or dropsy, characterized by relaxation of the vessels and tissues, with deficient vitality and lack of reaction in the affected tissues. [1913 Webster]
  • Passive congestion (Med.), congestion due to obstruction to the return of the blood from the affected part.
  • Passive iron (Chem.), iron which has been subjected to the action of heat, of strong nitric acid, chlorine, etc. It is then not easily acted upon by acids.
  • Passive movement (Med.), a movement of a part, in order to exercise it, made without the assistance of the muscles which ordinarily move the part.
  • Passive obedience (as used by writers on government), obedience or submission of the subject or citizen as a duty in all cases to the existing government.
  • Passive prayer, among mystic divines, a suspension of the activity of the soul or intellectual faculties, the soul remaining quiet, and yielding only to the impulses of grace.
  • Passive verb, or Passive voice (Gram.), a verb, or form of a verb, which expresses the effect of the action of some agent; as, in Latin, doceor, I am taught; in English, she is loved; the picture is admired by all; he is assailed by slander. [1913 Webster]
  • Syn: Inactive; inert; quiescent; unresisting; unopposing; suffering; enduring; submissive; patient. [1913 Webster] Passive balloon

Synonyms of 'passive'

From: Moby Thesaurus