passive
adjective
uk/ˈpæs.ɪv/us/ˈpæs.ɪv/passiveadjective(GRAMMAR)
B1languagespecialized
The passiveformof averbis being used when thegrammaticalsubjectis thepersonor thing thatexperiencestheeffectof anaction,ratherthan thepersonor thing thatcausestheeffect:
被动语态的'He wasreleasedfromprison' is a passivesentence.He was released from prison 是个被动句。
In thesentence"He washitby theball", "washit" is in the passivevoice.He was hit by the ball这句话中was hit是被动式。
- 'Catrin told me' is anactivesentence, and 'I was told by Catrin' is passive.
- In a passivesentence, thesubjectis thepersonor thingaffectedby theactionof theverb.
- 'Was made' is a passiveformof theverb'make'.
- Someverbsdo not have a passiveform.
Linguistics: verb forms, tenses & types of verbs
- accusative
- art
- bare infinitive
- bent
- continuous
- infinitive
- non-progressive
- passivization
- pluperfect
- present
- present participle
- progressive
- subjunctive
- the active voice
- the first person
- the future perfect
- the past continuous
- the past tense
- the present continuous
- the third person
passiveadjective(BEHAVIOUR)
B2oftendisapproving
notactingtoinfluenceorchangeasituation;allowingotherpeopleto be incontrol:
被动的，消极的；顺从的He's very passive in therelationship.他在这一关系中非常被动。
Traditionally in manyprofessionswomen have beenconfinedto more passiveroles.传统上女性在许多行业都被限制于扮演一个被动的角色。
Passive and not working
- anywhere
- breather
- breathing space
- bum around
- dormancy
- dormant
- idle
- laze
- leavesomeonebeidiom
- lie around
- moribund
- navel
- non-physical
- recharge
- siesta
- sit onyourarseidiom
- sit onyourhandsidiom
- sit round
- slob
- slob around (something)
passiveadjective(INCOME)
finance & economicsspecialized
Passiveincomeismoneythat youearnwithout having toworkfor it everyday, forexamplemoneythat youreceivefromrentingout aproperty. :
Buying a secondhomecanprovidearentalthat you can use tocreatepassiveincome.
Youcollectpassiveincomefromcertainbusinessesin which you aren't anactiveparticipant.
Earning money
- (your)(daily) breadidiom
- assessable
- bank
- base pay
- basic
- basic income
- benefits package
- feel the pinchidiom
- hand over fistidiom
- in arrearsidiom
- lineyourpocket(s)idiom
- livelihood
- pay packet
- pull
- pullsomethingdown
- rakesomethingin
- remonetize
- remuneration
- shift
- sick pay
Compare
impassive
Grammar
Passive
We use the terms active voice and passive voice to talk about ways of organising the content of a clause:…Passive: active and passive
We use the terms active voice and passive voice to talk about ways of organising the content of a clause:…Passive: forms
The most common passive structure is be + -ed form:…Passives with an agent
We use the preposition by to introduce the doer or the agent of the action. We use this structure when the agent is important:…Passives without an agent
Passive structures without an agent are very common. We use these structures when an agent is not important, or is unknown or obvious:…Passive: uses
Using the passive allows the speaker or writer to make choices about what is important.…Passive: other forms
Other structures that have passive characteristics are the get-passive and get/have something done:…Passive: typical errors
We don’t form passive structures with intransitive verbs:…Word order and focus
There are a number of ways in which we can arrange subjects, verbs, objects, complements and adjuncts within a clause. Depending on how we arrange them, we can focus on certain elements over others, especially if we arrange them in an unusual way.…Word order: structures
There are a number of options which we can use to add emphasis or focus within a clause.…Indirect object versus prepositional complement
When we talk about someone receiving something, we can express it using the typical word order: indirect object (io) + direct object (do).…Active and passive voice
Active voice is the typical word order. That is when we put the subject (the doer) first, followed by the new information (which is the focus):…Cleft sentences
Cleft means ‘divided’ and in a cleft sentence a single message is divided across two clauses. We use cleft sentences, especially in speaking, to connect what is already understood to what is new to the listener. By doing this we can focus on the new information. There are different types of cleft sentence.…passive
noun[S]
languagespecializeduk/ˈpæs.ɪv/us/ˈpæs.ɪv/the passive
B1
theformof averbused when thegrammaticalsubjectis thepersonor thing thatexperiencestheeffectof anaction,ratherthan thepersonor thing thatcausestheeffect:
被动语态Whenchangedinto the passive, "Thedogchasedthecat"becomes"Thecatwaschasedby thedog".The dog chased the cat 变成被动句后，为 The cat was chased by the dog.
Compare
activeadjective(GRAMMAR)
Linguistics: verb forms, tenses & types of verbs
- accusative
- art
- bare infinitive
- bent
- continuous
- infinitive
- non-progressive
- passivization
- pluperfect
- present
- present participle
- progressive
- subjunctive
- the active voice
- the first person
- the future perfect
- the past continuous
- the past tense
- the present continuous
- the third person
Grammar
Passive
We use the terms active voice and passive voice to talk about ways of organising the content of a clause:…Passive: active and passive
We use the terms active voice and passive voice to talk about ways of organising the content of a clause:…Passive: forms
The most common passive structure is be + -ed form:…Passives with an agent
We use the preposition by to introduce the doer or the agent of the action. We use this structure when the agent is important:…Passives without an agent
Passive structures without an agent are very common. We use these structures when an agent is not important, or is unknown or obvious:…Passive: uses
Using the passive allows the speaker or writer to make choices about what is important.…Passive: other forms
Other structures that have passive characteristics are the get-passive and get/have something done:…Passive: typical errors
We don’t form passive structures with intransitive verbs:…Word order and focus
There are a number of ways in which we can arrange subjects, verbs, objects, complements and adjuncts within a clause. Depending on how we arrange them, we can focus on certain elements over others, especially if we arrange them in an unusual way.…Word order: structures
There are a number of options which we can use to add emphasis or focus within a clause.…Indirect object versus prepositional complement
When we talk about someone receiving something, we can express it using the typical word order: indirect object (io) + direct object (do).…Active and passive voice
Active voice is the typical word order. That is when we put the subject (the doer) first, followed by the new information (which is the focus):…Cleft sentences
Cleft means ‘divided’ and in a cleft sentence a single message is divided across two clauses. We use cleft sentences, especially in speaking, to connect what is already understood to what is new to the listener. By doing this we can focus on the new information. There are different types of cleft sentence.…