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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Negative \Neg"a*tive\ (n[e^]g"[.a]*t[i^]v), adjective [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; negative evidence; 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; -- contrasted 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 The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Negative \Neg"a*tive\ (n[e^]g"[.a]*t[i^]v), noun [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 passing light through it and acting upon sensitized paper, thus producing on the paper a positive picture.
6. (Elect.) The negative plate of a voltaic or electrolytic cell.
{Negative pregnant} (Law), a negation which implies an affirmation.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Negative \Neg"a*tive\ (n[e^]g"[.a]*t[i^]v), verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Negatived} (n[e^]g"[.a]*t[i^]vd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Negativing}.]
1. To prove unreal or untrue; 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 The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
eyepiece \eye"piece'\ eye-piece \eye"-piece'\, noun (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.
{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
adjective
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}]
noun
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
verb: vote against; refuse to endorse; refuse to assent; "The President vetoed the bill" [syn: {veto}, {blackball}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
406 Moby Thesaurus words for "negative": 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
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