Passive obedience

Passive obedience
Passive 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. [1913 Webster]

The passive air Upbore their nimble tread. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

The mind is wholly passive in the reception of all its simple ideas. --Locke. [1913 Webster]

2. Receiving or enduring without either active sympathy or active resistance; without emotion or excitement; patient; not opposing; unresisting; as, passive obedience; passive submission. [1913 Webster]

The best virtue, passive fortitude. --Massinger. [1913 Webster]

3. (Chem.) Inactive; inert; not showing strong affinity; as, red phosphorus is comparatively passive. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Inactive; inert; quiescent; unresisting; unopposing; suffering; enduring; submissive; patient. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Passive obedience — is a political/religious doctrine advocating the absolute supremacy of the Crown and the treatment of any dissent (or more precisely, disobedience) as sinful and unlawful. It was usually associated with the seventeenth century Church of England… …   Wikipedia

  • Passive obedience — Obedience O*be di*ence, n. [F. ob[ e]dience, L. obedientia, oboedientia. See {Obedient}, and cf. {Obeisance}.] 1. The act of obeying, or the state of being obedient; compliance with that which is required by authority; subjection to rightful… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • passive obedience — noun : absolute obedience or submission of a subject to the authority of a ruler regarded by some political writers as mandatory even when the ruler is bad compare divine right * * * passive obedience Unresisting and unquestioning obedience to… …   Useful english dictionary

  • passive obedience — obedience characterized by a lack of oppositional activity …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Passive — 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. [1913 Webster] The passive air Upbore their… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Passive congestion — Passive 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. [1913 Webster] The passive air Upbore… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Passive iron — Passive 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. [1913 Webster] The passive air Upbore… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Passive movement — Passive 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. [1913 Webster] The passive air Upbore… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Passive prayer — Passive 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. [1913 Webster] The passive air Upbore… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Passive verb — Passive 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. [1913 Webster] The passive air Upbore… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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