Adjacent Words

Negative definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

NEGATIVE, a.
1. Implying denial or negation; opposed to affirmative, as a negative proposition is that which denies. Matter is not spirit.
2. Implying absence; opposed to positive.
There is a negative way of denying Christ, when we do not acknowledge and confess him.
3. Having the power of stopping or restraining. A negative voice in legislation is a voice or vote to prevent the passing of a law or decree.
Negative sign, in algebra, the sign of subtraction , a sign which indicates that the quantity to which it is prefixed is to be subtracted. It is opposed to positive ro affirmative; as ab-n.
Negative electricity, according to Dr. Franklin, is a deficiency of the fluid in a substance, or less than the substance naturally contains.
NEGATIVE, n.
1. A proposition by which something is denied; as, matter has not the power of moving itself.
2. A word that denies; as not, no.
3. In legislation, the right or power of preventing the enaction of a law or decree. The governor has not a negative on the proceedings of the legislature, but each branch has a negative on the other.
Negative pregnant, a negation of one thing, implying the affirmation of another.
NEGATIVE, v.t.
1. To disprove; to prove the contrary.
The omission or infrequency of such recitals does not negative the existence of miracles.
2. To reject by vote; to refuse to enact or sanction. The senate negatived the bill.
3. To resist a choice or what is proposed.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: characterized by or displaying negation or denial or opposition or resistance; having no positive features; "a negative outlook on life"; "a colorless negative personality"; "a negative evaluation"; "a negative reaction to an advertising campaign" [ant: neutral, positive]
2: expressing or consisting of a negation or refusal or denial [ant: affirmative, affirmatory]
3: having the quality of something harmful or unpleasant; "ran a negative campaign"; "delinquents retarded by their negative outlook on life"
4: not indicating the presence of microorganisms or disease or a specific condition; "the HIV test was negative" [syn: negative, disconfirming] [ant: confirming, positive]
5: reckoned in a direction opposite to that regarded as positive; "negative interest rates" [ant: positive]
6: less than zero; "a negative number"
7: designed or tending to discredit, especially without positive or helpful suggestions; "negative criticism" [syn: damaging, negative]
8: having a negative charge; "electrons are negative" [syn: negative, electronegative, negatively charged]
9: involving disadvantage or harm; "minus (or negative) factors" [syn: minus, negative] n
1: a reply of denial; "he answered in the negative" [ant: affirmative]
2: a piece of photographic film showing an image with light and shade or colors reversed v
1: vote against; refuse to endorse; refuse to assent; "The President vetoed the bill" [syn: veto, blackball, negative]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Date: 15th century 1. a. marked by denial, prohibition, or refusal <received a negative answer>; also marked by absence, withholding, or removal of something positive <the negative motivation of shame — Garrett Hardin> b. (1) denying a predicate of a subject or a part of a subject <“no A is B” is a negative proposition> (2) denoting the absence or the contradictory of something <nontoxic is a negative term> (3) expressing negation <negative particles such as no and not> c. adverse, unfavorable <the reviews were mostly negative> 2. a. lacking positive qualities; especially disagreeable b. marked by features of hostility, withdrawal, or pessimism that hinder or oppose constructive treatment or development <a negative outlook> <negative criticism> c. promoting a person or cause by criticizing or attacking the competition <ran a negative campaign> <negative advertising> 3. a. (1) less than zero and opposite in sign to a positive number that when added to the given number yields zero <-2 is a negative number> (2) having more outgo than income ; constituting a loss <negative cash flow> <negative worth> b. extending or generated in a direction opposite to an arbitrarily chosen regular direction or position <negative angle> 4. a. being, relating to, or charged with electricity of which the electron is the elementary unit b. having more electrons than protons <a negative ion> c. (1) having lower electric potential and constituting the part toward which the current flows from the external circuit <the negative pole> (2) being the electron-emitting electrode of an electron tube 5. a. not affirming the presence of a condition, substance, or organism suspected to be present; also having a test result indicating the absence especially of a condition, substance, or organism <she is HIV negative> b. directed or moving away from a source of stimulation <negative tropism> c. less than the pressure of the atmosphere <negative pressure> 6. having the light and dark parts in approximately inverse relation to those of the original photographic subject 7. of a lens diverging light rays and forming a virtual inverted image • negatively adverb • negativeness noun • negativity noun II. noun Date: 1571 1. a. (1) a reply that indicates the withholding of assent ; refusal (2) archaic a right of veto (3) obsolete an adverse vote ; veto b. a proposition which denies or contradicts another; especially the one of a pair of propositions in which negation is expressed 2. a. something that is the opposite or negation of something else b. drawback, liability 3. a. an expression (as the word no) of negation or denial b. a negative number 4. the side that upholds the contradictory proposition in a debate 5. a negative photographic image on transparent material used for printing positive pictures; also the material that carries such an image 6. a reverse impression taken from a piece of sculpture or ceramics 7. a negative result (as of a test) <a high rate of false negatives>; also a test yielding such a result III. transitive verb (-tived; -tiving) Date: 1706 1. a. to refuse assent to b. to reject by or as if by a vote 2. to demonstrate the falsity of 3. to deny the truth, reality, or validity of 4. neutralize, counteract

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj., n. & v. --adj. 1 expressing or implying denial, prohibition, or refusal (a negative vote; a negative answer). 2 (of a person or attitude): a lacking positive attributes; apathetic; pessimistic. b opposing or resisting; uncooperative. 3 marked by the absence of qualities (a negative reaction; a negative result from the test). 4 of the opposite nature to a thing regarded as positive (debt is negative capital). 5 Algebra (of a quantity) less than zero, to be subtracted from others or from zero (opp. POSITIVE). 6 Electr. a of the kind of charge carried by electrons (opp. POSITIVE). b containing or producing such a charge. --n. 1 a negative statement, reply, or word (hard to prove a negative). 2 Photog. a an image with black and white reversed or colours replaced by complementary ones, from which positive pictures are obtained. b a developed film or plate bearing such an image. 3 a negative quality; an absence of something. 4 (prec. by the) a position opposing the affirmative. 5 Logic = NEGATION 6. --v.tr. 1 refuse to accept or countenance; veto; reject. 2 disprove (an inference or hypothesis). 3 contradict (a statement). 4 neutralize (an effect). Phrases and idioms: in the negative with negative effect; so as to reject a proposal etc.; no (the answer was in the negative). negative evidence (or instance) evidence of the non-occurrence of something. negative feedback 1 the return of part of an output signal to the input, tending to decrease the amplification etc. 2 feedback that tends to diminish or counteract the process giving rise to it. negative geotropism see GEOTROPISM. negative income tax an amount credited as allowance to a taxed income, and paid as benefit when it exceeds debited tax. negative pole the south-seeking pole of a magnet. negative proposition Logic = NEGATION 6. negative quantity joc. nothing. negative sign a symbol (-) indicating subtraction or a value less than zero. negative virtue abstention from vice. Derivatives: negatively adv. negativeness n. negativity n. Etymology: ME f. OF negatif -ive or LL negativus (as NEGATE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Reversed Re*versed", a. 1. Turned side for side, or end for end; changed to the contrary; specifically (Bot. & Zo["o]l.), sinistrorse or sinistral; as, a reversed, or sinistral, spiral or shell. 2. (Law) Annulled and the contrary substituted; as, a reversed judgment or decree. Reversed positive or negative (Photog.), a picture corresponding with the original in light and shade, but reversed as to right and left. --Abney.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Negative Neg"a*tive, a. [F. n['e]gatif, L. negativus, fr. negare to deny. See Negation.] 1. Denying; implying, containing, or asserting denial, negation or refusal; returning the answer no to an inquiry or request; refusing assent; as, a negative answer; a negative opinion; -- opposed to affirmative. If thou wilt confess, Or else be impudently negative. --Shak. Denying me any power of a negative voice. --Eikon Basilike. Something between an affirmative bow and a negative shake. --Dickens. 2. Not positive; without affirmative statement or demonstration; indirect; consisting in the absence of something; privative; as, a negative argument; a negative morality; negative criticism. There in another way of denying Christ, . . . which is negative, when we do not acknowledge and confess him. --South. 3. (Logic) Asserting absence of connection between a subject and a predicate; as, a negative proposition. 4. (Photog.) Of or pertaining to a picture upon glass or other material, in which the lights and shades of the original, and the relations of right and left, are reversed. 5. (Chem.) Metalloidal; nonmetallic; -- contracted with positive or basic; as, the nitro group is negative. Note: This word, derived from electro-negative, is now commonly used in a more general sense, when acidiferous is the intended signification. Negative crystal. (a) A cavity in a mineral mass, having the form of a crystal. (b) A crystal which has the power of negative double refraction. See refraction. negative electricity (Elec.), the kind of electricity which is developed upon resin or ebonite when rubbed, or which appears at that pole of a voltaic battery which is connected with the plate most attacked by the exciting liquid; -- formerly called resinous electricity. Opposed to positive electricity. Formerly, according to Franklin's theory of a single electric fluid, negative electricity was supposed to be electricity in a degree below saturation, or the natural amount for a given body. see Electricity. Negative eyepiece. (Opt.) see under Eyepiece. Negative quantity (Alg.), a quantity preceded by the negative sign, or which stands in the relation indicated by this sign to some other quantity. See Negative sign (below). Negative rotation, right-handed rotation. See Right-handed, 3. Negative sign, the sign -, or minus (opposed in signification to +, or plus), indicating that the quantity to which it is prefixed is to be subtracted from the preceding quantity, or is to be reckoned from zero or cipher in the opposite direction to that of quanties having the sign plus either expressed or understood; thus, in a - b, b is to be substracted from a, or regarded as opposite to it in value; and -10[deg] on a thermometer means 10[deg] below the zero of the scale.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Negative Neg"a*tive, n. [Cf. F. n['e]gative.] 1. A proposition by which something is denied or forbidden; a conception or term formed by prefixing the negative particle to one which is positive; an opposite or contradictory term or conception. This is a known rule in divinity, that there is no command that runs in negatives but couches under it a positive duty. --South. 2. A word used in denial or refusal; as, not, no. Note: In Old England two or more negatives were often joined together for the sake of emphasis, whereas now such expressions are considered ungrammatical, being chiefly heard in iliterate speech. A double negative is now sometimes used as nearly or quite equivalent to an affirmative. No wine ne drank she, neither white nor red. --Chaucer. These eyes that never did nor never shall So much as frown on you. --Shak. 3. The refusal or withholding of assents; veto. If a kind without his kingdom be, in a civil sense, nothing, then . . . his negative is as good as nothing. --Milton. 4. That side of a question which denies or refuses, or which is taken by an opposing or denying party; the relation or position of denial or opposition; as, the question was decided in the negative. 5. (Photog.) A picture upon glass or other material, in which the light portions of the original are represented in some opaque material (usually reduced silver), and the dark portions by the uncovered and transparent or semitransparent ground of the picture. Note: A negative is chiefly used for producing photographs by means of the sun's light passing through it and acting upon sensitized paper, thus producing on the paper a positive picture.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Negative Neg"a*tive, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Negatived; p. pr. & vb. n. Negativing.] 1. To prove unreal or intrue; to disprove. The omission or infrequency of such recitals does not negative the existence of miracles. --Paley. 2. To reject by vote; to refuse to enact or sanction; as, the Senate negatived the bill. 3. To neutralize the force of; to counteract.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Demonstration Dem`on*stra"tion, n. [L. demonstratio: cf. F. d['e]monstration.] 1. The act of demonstrating; an exhibition; proof; especially, proof beyond the possibility of doubt; indubitable evidence, to the senses or reason. Those intervening ideas which serve to show the agreement of any two others are called ``proofs;'' and where agreement or disagreement is by this means plainly and clearly perceived, it is called demonstration. --Locke. 2. An expression, as of the feelings, by outward signs; a manifestation; a show. Did your letters pierce the queen to any demonstration of grief? --Shak. Loyal demonstrations toward the prince. --Prescott. 3. (Anat.) The exhibition and explanation of a dissection or other anatomical preparation. 4. (Mil.) a decisive exhibition of force, or a movement indicating an attack. 5. (Logic) The act of proving by the syllogistic process, or the proof itself. 6. (Math.) A course of reasoning showing that a certain result is a necessary consequence of assumed premises; -- these premises being definitions, axioms, and previously established propositions. Direct, or Positive, demonstration (Logic & Math.), one in which the correct conclusion is the immediate sequence of reasoning from axiomatic or established premises; -- opposed to Indirect, or Negative, demonstration (called also reductio ad absurdum), in which the correct conclusion is an inference from the demonstration that any other hypothesis must be incorrect.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Eyepiece Eye"piece`, n. (Opt.) The lens, or combination of lenses, at the eye end of a telescope or other optical instrument, through which the image formed by the mirror or object glass is viewed. Collimating eyepiece. See under Collimate. Negative, or Huyghenian, eyepiece, an eyepiece consisting of two plano-convex lenses with their curved surfaces turned toward the object glass, and separated from each other by about half the sum of their focal distances, the image viewed by the eye being formed between the two lenses. it was devised by Huyghens, who applied it to the telescope. Campani applied it to the microscope, whence it is sometimes called Campani's eyepiece. Positive eyepiece, an eyepiece consisting of two plano-convex lenses placed with their curved surfaces toward each other, and separated by a distance somewhat less than the focal distance of the one nearest eye, the image of the object viewed being beyond both lenses; -- called also, from the name of the inventor, Ramsden's eyepiece. terrestrial, or Erecting eyepiece, an eyepiece used in telescopes for viewing terrestrial objects, consisting of three, or usually four, lenses, so arranged as to present the image of the object viewed in an erect position.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(negatives) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. A fact, situation, or experience that is negative is unpleasant, depressing, or harmful. The news from overseas is overwhelmingly negative... All this had an extremely negative effect on the criminal justice system. ? positive ADJ • negatively This will negatively affect the result over the first half of the year. ADV: ADV with v 2. If someone is negative or has a negative attitude, they consider only the bad aspects of a situation, rather than the good ones. When asked for your views about your current job, on no account must you be negative about it... Why does the media present such a negative view of this splendid city? ? positive ADJ • negatively A few weeks later he said that maybe he viewed all his relationships rather negatively. ADV: usu ADV after v • negativity I loathe negativity. I can't stand people who moan. N-UNCOUNT 3. A negative reply or decision indicates the answer 'no'. Dr Velayati gave a vague but negative response... Upon a negative decision, the applicant loses the protection offered by Belgian law... ? affirmative ADJ • negatively 60 percent of the sample answered negatively... ADV: ADV after v 4. A negative is a word, expression, or gesture that means 'no' or 'not'. In the past we have heard only negatives when it came to following a healthy diet. N-COUNT 5. In grammar, a negative clause contains a word such as 'not', 'never', or 'no-one'. ADJ 6. If a medical test or scientific test is negative, it shows no evidence of the medical condition or substance that you are looking for. So far 57 have taken the test and all have been negative. ...negative test results. ? positive ADJ 7. HIV negative: see HIV 8. In photography, a negative is an image that shows dark areas as light and light areas as dark. Negatives are made from a camera film, and are used to print photographs. N-COUNT 9. A negative charge or current has the same electrical charge as an electron. Stimulate the site of greatest pain with a small negative current. ? positive ADJ • negatively As these electrons are negatively charged they will attempt to repel each other. ADV: ADV -ed 10. A negative number, quantity, or measurement is less than zero. The weakest students can end up with a negative score. = minus ADJ: usu ADJ n 11. If an answer is in the negative, it is 'no' or means 'no'. Seventy-nine voted in the affirmative, and none in the negative. PHRASE: PHR after v

Moby Thesaurus

Cassandra-like, Cassandran, Cassandrian, Ditto copy, Photostat, Xerox, Xerox copy, abjuratory, abnegate, abnegation, abnegative, abolish, abrogate, absolute veto, adversary, adversative, adverse, algorismic, algorithmic, alien, aliquot, annihilate, annul, annulling, antagonistic, anti, antipathetic, antithetic, aquatint, argumentative, at cross-purposes, at loggerheads, at odds, at variance, at war, au contraire, autolithograph, aye, backing, be unmoved, be unwilling, beg off, belie, bibliofilm, bipack, black-and-white film, block, block print, blow sky-high, blow up, bring to naught, bring to nothing, buffer, cancel, cancel out, cancelling, cardinal, cartridge, cast, certainly not, chromolithograph, clashing, cold, color film, color negative film, color print, come to nothing, competitive, con, conflicting, contact print, contradict, contradicting, contradiction, contradictory, contrary, contravene, cool, copperplate, copperplate print, counter, counteract, counterbalance, countercheck, cranky, crayon engraving, cross, cut, cynical, deaf to, decimal, declension, declination, declinatory, declinature, decline, decline to accept, declining, defeatist, deflate, denial, denying, deprivation, detrimental, devoid, die, differential, differing, digital, disaccordant, disaffirm, disaffirming, disagree, disagreeable, disagreeing, disagreement, disallow, disallowance, disallowing, disavowing, disclaim, disclaimer, disclaiming, disclamation, disconfirm, discordant, discredit, discrepant, disharmonious, dismal, disobedience, disobedient, disowning, disproportionate, disprove, disputatious, disputing, dissent, dissentient, dissenting, dissentious, dissident, dissonant, divergent, dope, downbeat, dry plate, emulsion, enemy, engravement, engraving, enlargement, etching, even, existless, explode, exponential, expose, far from it, figural, figurate, figurative, film, finite, form, fractional, fractious, frame, frustrate, gainsay, gainsaying, gloomy, graphotype, grating, hectograph copy, hold out against, holding back, hostile, imaginary, immiscible, impair, impossible, impress, impression, imprint, impugn, in the negative, inaccordant, incompatible, infinite, inharmonious, inimical, intaglio, integral, interest, invalidate, irrational, item veto, jangling, jarring, kill, lacking, last, limited negative, limited veto, linoleum-block print, lithograph, logarithmic, logometric, matrix, mezzotint, microfilm, mimeograph copy, mint, minuend, minus, missing, mold, monochromatic film, motion-picture film, nay, naysaying, negate, negating, negation, negativate, negative answer, negative attitude, negatively, negativeness, negativism, negativistic, negativity, negatory, nein, neutralize, neutralizing, nihilistic, nix, no, no such thing, non, nonacceptance, noncompliance, nonconsent, nonconsenting, noncooperative, nonexistent, nonobservance, not, not a bit, not a jot, not a whit, not buy, not consent, not hear of, not really, not so, not think of, null, nullify, nullifying, numeral, numerary, numerative, numeric, nyet, obstinate, odd, offprint, offset, opponent, opposed, opposing, opposite, oppositional, oppositive, oppugnant, ordinal, orthochromatic film, out of accord, out of whack, overthwart, pack, pair, panchromatic film, perverse, pessimist, pessimistic, photocopy, photograph, photographic paper, photostatic copy, plate, plus, pocket veto, positive, prime, print, printing paper, pro, proof, prove the contrary, punch, puncture, quite the contrary, radical, rational, real, recalcitrant, recantation, recanting, reciprocal, redress, refractory, refusal, refuse, refuse consent, refusing, reject, rejection, rejective, renunciative, renunciatory, repeal, reprint, repudiate, repudiation, repudiative, repugnant, resist entreaty, resist persuasion, retention, revocative, revocatory, revoke, rival, roll, rubber-block print, rule against, say nay, say no, seal, shake the head, shoe last, show up, side, sound film, sound track, sound-on-film, soundstripe, stamp, stand aloof, stat, stultify, submultiple, subtrahend, surd, suspensory veto, template, the affirmative, the negative, thumbs-down, thwart, to the contrary, transcendental, traverse, tripack, turn down, turndown, uncheerful, uncomplaisant, uncompliant, uncomplying, uncongenial, unconsenting, uncooperative, undercut, undo, unenthusiastic, unexisting, unfavorable, unfriendly, unharmonious, uninterested, unpropitious, unresponsive, unwilling, unwillingness, vacuous, variant, vehicle, veto, vignette, vitiate, void, voiding, vote nay, vote negatively, withholding, without being, wood engraving, woodblock, woodcut, woodprint, xylograph