Pas"sion*ate*ness, n. The state or quality of being passionate.
Pas"sion*ist, n. (R. C. Ch.) A member of a religious order founded in
Italy in 1737, and introduced into the United States in 1852. The
members of the order unite the austerities of the Trappists with the
activity and zeal of the Jesuits and Lazarists. Called also Barefooted
Clerks of the Most Holy Cross.
Pas"sion*less (?), a. Void of passion; without anger or emotion; not
easily excited; calm. "Self-contained and passionless." Tennyson.
Pas"sion*tide` (?), n. [Passion + tide time.] The last fortnight of
Lent.
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, or 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.
Pas"sive*ly, adv. 1. In a passive manner; inertly; unresistingly.