\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.