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.
The passive air
Upbore their nimble tread.
Milton.
The mind is wholly passive in the reception of all its simple ideas.
Locke.
2.
Receiving or enduring without either active sympathy or active resistance; without emotion or excitement; patient; not opposing; unresisting; as, passive obedience; passive submission.
The best virtue, passive fortitude.
Massinger.
3. Chem.
Inactive; inert; not showing strong affinity; as, red phosphorus is comparatively passive.
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.
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, ∨ 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.
Syn. -- Inactive; inert; quiescent; unresisting; unopposing; suffering; enduring; submissive; patient.
© Webster 1913.