catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

Query string:
Search type:
Database:

Database copyright information
Server information

78 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]


  Negative \Neg"a*tive\ (n[e^]g"[.a]*t[i^]v), 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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              If thou wilt confess,
              Or else be impudently negative.       --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Denying me any power of a negative voice. --Eikon
                                                    Basilike.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Something between an affirmative bow and a negative
              shake.                                --Dickens.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Not positive; without affirmative statement or
        demonstration; indirect; consisting in the absence of
        something; privative; as, a negative argument; negative
        evidence; a negative morality; negative criticism.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              There in another way of denying Christ, . . . which
              is negative, when we do not acknowledge and confess
              him.                                  --South.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Logic) Asserting absence of connection between a subject
        and a predicate; as, a negative proposition.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. (Chem.) Metalloidal; nonmetallic; -- contrasted with
        positive or basic; as, the nitro group is negative.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: This word, derived from electro-negative, is now
           commonly used in a more general sense, when acidiferous
           is the intended signification.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]


  Negative \Neg"a*tive\ (n[e^]g"[.a]*t[i^]v), 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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              This is a known rule in divinity, that there is no
              command that runs in negatives but couches under it
              a positive duty.                      --South.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A word used in denial or refusal; as, not, no.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
           [1913 Webster]
  
                 No wine ne drank she, neither white nor red.
                                                    --Chaucer.
           [1913 Webster]
  
                 These eyes that never did nor never shall
                 So much as frown on you.           --Shak.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     3. The refusal or withholding of assents; veto.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              If a kind without his kingdom be, in a civil sense,
              nothing, then . . . his negative is as good as
              nothing.                              --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: A negative is chiefly used for producing photographs by
           means of passing light through it and acting upon
           sensitized paper, thus producing on the paper a
           positive picture.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     6. (Elect.) The negative plate of a voltaic or electrolytic
        cell.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Negative pregnant (Law), a negation which implies an
        affirmation.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]


  Negative \Neg"a*tive\ (n[e^]g"[.a]*t[i^]v), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
     Negatived (n[e^]g"[.a]*t[i^]vd); p. pr. & vb. n.
     Negativing.]
     1. To prove unreal or untrue; to disprove.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The omission or infrequency of such recitals does
              not negative the existence of miracles. --Paley.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To reject by vote; to refuse to enact or sanction; as, the
        Senate negatived the bill.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To neutralize the force of; to counteract.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]


  eyepiece \eye"piece`\ eye-piece \eye"-piece`\, n. (Opt.)
     The lens, or combination of lenses, at the eye end of a
     microscope, telescope or other optical instrument, through
     which the image formed by the mirror or object glass is
     viewed.
  
     Syn: ocular.
          [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  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.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  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.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  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.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  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.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  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.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  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.

From WordNet (r) 2.0 : [ wn ]


  negative
       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: reckoned in a direction opposite to that regarded as
          positive
       3: having a negative electric charge; "electrons are negative"
          [syn: electronegative] [ant: neutral, positive]
       4: expressing or consisting of a negation or refusal or denial
          [ant: affirmative]
       5: having the quality of something harmful or unpleasant; "ran
          a negative campaign"; "delinquents retarded by their
          negative outlook on life"
       6: not indicating the presence of microorganisms or disease or
          a specific condition; "the HIV test was negative" [syn: disconfirming]
          [ant: positive]
       7: less than zero; "a negative number"
       8: designed or tending to discredit, especially without
          positive or helpful suggestions; "negative criticism"
          [syn: damaging]
       9: involving disadvantage or harm; "minus (or negative)
          factors" [syn: minus]
       n 1: a reply of denial; "he answered in the negative" [ant: affirmative]
       2: a piece of photographic film showing an image with black and
          white tones reversed
       v : vote against; refuse to endorse; refuse to assent; "The
           President vetoed the bill" [syn: veto, blackball]

From Greek Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-el-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  negative
     Αγγλικά a.
     αρνητικός

From English Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  negative
     Danish a.
     (inflection of da negativ  def attributive positive//superlative ; p)
     German a.
     (de-adj form of: negativ)
     Latin a.
     (inflection of la negātīvus  voc m s)
     Norwegian Nynorsk a.
     (inflection of nn negativ  def s ; p)

From English Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  Negative
     German n.
     (inflection of de Negativ  nom//acc//gen p)

From English Wiktionary: English language only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-en-2023-07-27 ]


  negative
     a.
     1 Not positive nor neutral.
     2 (lb en physics) Of electrical charge of an electron and related
  particles (from the 18th c.)
     3 (lb en mathematics) Of a number: less than zero
     4 # (lb en weather) Less than zero degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit.
     5 (lb en linguistics logic) deny a proposition.
     6 damaging#Adjective; undesirable; unfavourable.
     7 (label en often used pejoratively) pessimistic; not tending to see
  the bright side of things.
     8 Of or relating to a photographic image in which the colour#Noun of
  the original, and the relations of left and right, are reversed.
     9 (lb en chemistry) metalloidal, nonmetallic; contrasted with
  positive or basic.
     10 (lb en New Age jargon pejorative) ''Often preceded by'' '''(l en
  emotion)''', '''(l en energy)''', '''(l en feeling)''', or '''(l en
  thought)''': to be avoided, bad, difficult, disagreeable, painful,
  potentially damaging#Adjective, unpleasant, unwanted.
     interj.
     (lb en law signalling) no; nay.
     n.
     1 refusal or withholding#Noun of assent#Noun; prohibition, veto (from
  15th c.)
     2 An unfavorable point or characteristic.
     3 (lb en law) A right#Noun of veto.
     4 (lb en photography) An image#Noun in which dark#Adjective areas
  represent light#Adjective ones, and the converse. (from 19th c.)
     5 (lb en grammar) A word#Noun that indicates negation.
     6 (lb en mathematics) A negative quantity.
     7 (lb en weightlifting) A repetition performed with a weight in which
  the muscle begins at maximum contraction and is slowly extended; a
  movement performed using only the eccentric phase#Noun of muscle#Noun
  movement.
     8 The negative plate#Noun of a voltaic or electrolytic cell.
     vb.
     (lb en transitive) To refuse#Verb; to veto#Verb.

From English Wiktionary: Western, Greek, and Slavonic languages only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western_Greek_Slavonic-2023-07-27 ]


  negative
     Danish a.
     (inflection of da negativ  def attributive positive//superlative ; p)
     German a.
     (de-adj form of: negativ)
     Latin a.
     (inflection of la negātīvus  voc m s)
     Norwegian Nynorsk a.
     (inflection of nn negativ  def s ; p)

From English Wiktionary: Western, Greek, and Slavonic languages only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western_Greek_Slavonic-2023-07-27 ]


  Negative
     German n.
     (inflection of de Negativ  nom//acc//gen p)

From English Wiktionary: Western languages only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western-2023-07-27 ]


  negative
     Danish a.
     (inflection of da negativ  def attributive positive//superlative ; p)
     German a.
     (de-adj form of: negativ)
     Latin a.
     (inflection of la negātīvus  voc m s)
     Norwegian Nynorsk a.
     (inflection of nn negativ  def s ; p)

From English Wiktionary: Western languages only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western-2023-07-27 ]


  Negative
     German n.
     (inflection of de Negativ  nom//acc//gen p)

From Finnish Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-fi-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  negative
     Englanti a.
     kielteinen, negatiivinen

From Swedish Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-sv-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  negative
     Engelska a.
     1 negativ, pessimistisk
     2 negativ; som besvaras med ett "nej"
     3 (tagg språk=en matematik) negativ; mindre än noll
     4 (tagg språk=en fysik) negativ; som har en elektrisk laddning som
  beror på ett överskott av elektroner

From Swedish Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-sv-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  Negative
     Tyska n.
     (böjning de subst Negativ)

From Swedish Wiktionary: Swedish language only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-sv-sv-2023-07-27 ]


  negative
     a.
     (böjning sv adj negativ)

From German-Kurdish Ferheng/FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.2.2 : [ freedict:deu-kur ]


  negative /nˌeːɡatˈiːvə/
  neyînî

From English-Arabic FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.6.3 : [ freedict:eng-ara ]


  Negative /nˈɛɡətˌɪv/
  سلبي

From English-български език FreeDict+WikDict dictionary ver. 2023.05.29 : [ freedict:eng-bul ]


  negative //-ɾɪv// //ˈnɛ(e)ɡəˌɾɪv// //ˈnɛɡətɪv// 
  1. отрицателен 2.
  mathematics: less than zero
   3.
  of electrical charge
  2. негати́вен, отрица́телен
  not positive or neutral
  3. негативен
  of or relating to a photographic image in which the colours and relations are reversed

From English-български език FreeDict+WikDict dictionary ver. 2023.05.29 : [ freedict:eng-bul ]


  negative //-ɾɪv// //ˈnɛ(e)ɡəˌɾɪv// //ˈnɛɡətɪv// 
  1. отрицание
  grammar: word that indicates negation
  2. вето
  legal: right of veto
  3. негатив
  photography
  4. вето, забрана
  refusal or withholding of assent; veto, prohibition