negative

adjective

• 1consisting in or characterized by the absence rather than the presence of distinguishing features.
• expressing or implying denial, disagreement, or refusal:that, I take it, was a negative answer
• (of the results of a test or experiment) indicating that a certain substance or condition is not present or does not exist:all the patients have tested negative for TB
• [in combination] (of a person or their blood) not having a specified substance or condition:HIV-negative
• US informal denoting a complete lack of something:they were described as having negative vulnerability to water entry
• Grammar & Logic (of a word, clause, or proposition) stating that something is not the case; expressing negation. Contrasted with affirmative and interrogative.
• [as exclamation] no (usually used in a military context):‘Any snags, Captain?’ ‘Negative, she’s running like clockwork.’

• 2(of a person, attitude, or situation) not desirable or optimistic:the new tax was having a negative effect on car sales not all the news is negative I don’t want to be negative, but I don’t see how we could do it

• 3(of a quantity) less than zero.
• denoting decrease or reversal:the industry suffered negative growth in the 1990s

• 4containing, producing, or denoting the kind of electric charge carried by electrons.

• 5(of a photographic image) showing light and shade or colours reversed from those of the original.

• 6 Astrology relating to or denoting any of the earth or water signs, considered passive in nature.

• 7British (in Parliament) relating to or denoting proposed legislation which will come into force after a specified period unless explicitly rejected in a parliamentary vote.

noun

• 1a word or statement that expresses denial, disagreement, or refusal:she replied in the negative
• (usually the negative) a bad or unwelcome quality or aspect of a situation:confidence will not be instilled by harping solely on the negative
• Grammar a word, affix, or phrase expressing negation.
• Logicanother term for negation.

• 2a negative photographic image made on film or specially prepared glass, from which positive prints may be made: photographs and negatives should be supplied for enlargement purposes

• 3a result of a test or experiment indicating that a certain substance or condition is not present or does not exist:the percentage of false negatives generated by a cancer test was of great concern

• 4 [mass noun] the part of an electric circuit that is at a lower electrical potential than another part designated as having zero electrical potential.

• 5a number less than zero.

verb

• 1refuse to accept; reject:the bill was negatived on second reading by 130 votes to 129
• prove to be untrue:the insurer’s main arguments were negatived by Lawrence

• 2render ineffective; neutralize:should criminal law allow consent to negative what would otherwise be a crime?