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.
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.