Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

a c|tion re |play (action replays ) N‑COUNT An action replay is a repeated showing, usually in slow motion, of an event that has just been on television. [BRIT ] in AM, use instant replay

ac|ti|vate /æ kt I ve I t/ (activates , activating , activated ) VERB [usu passive] If a device or process is activated , something causes it to start working. □ [be V -ed] Video cameras with night vision can be activated by movement. □ [V -ed] …a voice-activated computer. ●  ac|ti|va|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] A computer controls the activation of an air bag.

ac|tive ◆◆◇ /æ kt I v/

1 ADJ Someone who is active moves around a lot or does a lot of things. □  Having an active youngster about the house can be quite wearing. □  …a long and active life.

2 ADJ If you have an active mind or imagination, you are always thinking of new things. □  …the tragedy of an active mind trapped by failing physical health.

3 ADJ If someone is active in an organization, cause, or campaign, they do things for it rather than just giving it their support. □  …a chance for fathers to play a more active role in childcare. ●  ac|tive|ly ADV □  They actively campaigned for the vote.

4 ADJ [ADJ n] Active is used to emphasize that someone is taking action in order to achieve something, rather than just hoping for it or achieving it in an indirect way. [EMPHASIS ] □  Companies need to take active steps to increase exports. □  …active discouragement from teachers. ●  ac|tive|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □  They have never been actively encouraged to take such risks.

5 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that a person or animal is active in a particular place or at a particular time, you mean that they are performing their usual activities or performing a particular activity. □  Guerrilla groups are active in the province.

6 ADJ [usu ADJ n] An active volcano has erupted recently or is expected to erupt quite soon. □  …molten lava from an active volcano.

7 ADJ [usu ADJ n] An active substance has a chemical or biological effect on things. □  The active ingredient in some of the mouthwashes was simply detergent.

8 N‑SING In grammar, the active or the active voice means the forms of a verb which are used when the subject refers to a person or thing that does something. For example, in 'I saw her yesterday', the verb is in the active. Compare passive . SYNONYMS active ADJ 1

busy:Phil Martin is an exceptionally busy man.

lively:Josephine was bright, lively and cheerful.

energetic:Blackwell is 59, strong-looking and enormously energetic.

sprightly:…the sprightly 85-year-old President.

a c|tive du ty N‑UNCOUNT [oft on N ] Active duty means the same as active service . [mainly AM ]

a c|tive se r|vice N‑UNCOUNT [oft on N ] Someone who is on active service is taking part in a war as a member of the armed forces. [mainly BRIT ] □  In April 1944 he was killed on active service.

ac|tiv|ism /æ kt I v I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Activism is the process of campaigning in public or working for an organization in order to bring about political or social change.

ac|tiv|ist ◆◇◇ /æ kt I v I st/ (activists ) N‑COUNT An activist is a person who works to bring about political or social changes by campaigning in public or working for an organization. □  The police say they suspect the attack was carried out by animal rights activists. COLLOCATIONS activist NOUN

noun + activist : community, party; human rights, peace

adjective + activist : environmental, political; anti-apartheid, black, gay, left-wing

verb + activist : arrest, detain; anger SYNONYMS activist NOUN