| 释义 |
▪ I. affirmative, a. and n.|əˈfɜːmətɪv|
[a. Fr. affirmatif, -ive (13th c. Littré) ad. L. affirmātīv-us, f. affirmāt- ppl. stem of affirmā-re: see affirm and -ive.]
A. adj.
†1. Strengthening, corroborative; confirmatory. Obs.
1509Hawes Past. Pleas. xvi. xlix, No worldely thyng can be wythout stryfe, For unto pleasure payne is affyrmatyfe. 1580Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong., Da, for Dea, a word affirmative, as ouy da, yea forsooth. a1674Clarendon Hist. Reb. I. ii. 106 He received the affirmative advice of all the Judges of England.
†2. Strong in assertion; positive, dogmatic. Obs.
1650Jer. Taylor Holy Liv. (1727) 102 Be not confident and affirmative in an uncertain matter. 1734tr. Rollin's Anc. Hist. (1827) V. xiv. 364 He at first speaks in an affirmative tone of voice.
3. Logic. Expressing the agreement of the two terms of a proposition.
1570Billingsley Euclid i. vii. 17 A proposition vniuersall affirmatiue is most agreable to sciences. 1628T. Spencer Logick 188 A definition must be vniversall, and affirmatiue. 1860Abp. Thomson Laws of Thought §75. 128 Where a judgment expresses that its two terms agree, it is called Affirmative.
4. a. Hence, Asserting that the fact is so; answering ‘yes’ to a question put or implied; opposed to negative.
1628Bp. Hall Hon. of Maried Clerg. i. §28. 759 This negatiue charge implyes an affirmatiue allowance. 1638Penit. Conf. vii. (1657) 133 Therefore the Commission runnes in words affirmative, and not negative. 1651Hobbes Leviathan iii. xlii. 290 The ordinary way of distinguishing the Affirmative Votes from the Negatives, was by Holding up of Hands. 1751Chambers Cycl. s.v., In grammar, authors distinguish affirmative particles; such is, yes. 1849Grote Greece (1862) VI. ii. lxvii. 48 The negative and the affirmative chains of argument. 1851H. Spencer Soc. Stat. xxxii. §4 This question seems to claim an affirmative answer. 1865Carlyle Fredk. Gt. X. xxi. vi. 104 Görtz Junior..after some intense brief deliberation, becomes affirmative.
b. affirmative action (U.S.), action taken to affirm an established policy; spec. positive action by employers to ensure that minority groups are not discriminated against during recruitment or employment.
1935N.Y. Times 2 July 15/1 If..the Board shall be of the opinion that any person..has engaged or is engaging in any such unfair labor practice, then the Board shall..issue..an order requiring such person..to take such affirmative action, including reinstatement of employees with or without back pay, as will effect the policies of this Act. 1961N.Y. Times 7 Mar. 27/3 The contractor will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated, during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color or national origin. 1974National Observer (U.S.) 9 Mar. 4/3 ‘The hospital, once life support was begun, was committed to it,’ Mitchell said. ‘To follow the parents' wishes would have been to violate medical precepts. It was the difference between not starting life support at all and terminating it. In other words, inaction versus affirmative action.’ 1984Gainesville (Florida) Sun 28 Mar. 1b/6 She has prosecuted affirmative action cases for eight years.
†5. Math. Of quantities: Positive, or real; opposed to negative or less than nothing. Obs.
1693E. Halley Algebra in Phil. Trans. XVII. 964 Which is affirmative when 2rρ is less than dr - dρ, otherwise negative. 1789Waring in Phil. Trans. LXXIX. 187 When n is a given quantity, and n - ½ not a whole affirmative number.
B. n. [sc. mode, proposition, statement.]
1. a. The affirmative mode in a proposition; that which affirms or asserts. to answer in the affirmative; to answer ‘yes,’ or that it is so.
c1400Beryn 2605 Ffor then were they in the affirmatyff, and wold preve anoon. 1532More Answ. Frith. Wks. 1557, 841/1 If he will bydde me proue the affyrmatiue. 1663Gerbier Counsel 108 The one will resolve on the affirmative. 1725De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 84 They all very cheerfully answered in the affirmative. 1861Geo. Eliot Silas M. 38 ‘Well; yes—she might,’ said the butcher, slowly, considering that he was giving a decided affirmative, ‘I don't say contrary.’
b. Used quasi-advb. = yes adv. Cf. negative n. 1 d. orig. and chiefly U.S. in signalling and radio communication.
1876G. M. Robeson Gen. Signal Bk. U.S. Navy 37 Affirmative..assent, consent, permission, yes (When this signal is made it means one of the above words, according to circumstances, or permission to do that which has been asked.) 1908Boat Bk. (U.S. Navy) viii. cxxi. 91 The affirmative-flag, when hoisted in answer to a signal, means assent, consent, permission granted, or ‘Yes’. 1953J. A. Michener Bridges at Toko-Ri 17 ‘Is his wingman still with him?’ ‘Affirmative.’ 1962J. Glenn in Into Orbit 220 ‘That's affirmative,’ I said. ‘Landing bag is on green.’ 1976T. O'Brien Northern Lights ii. 186 ‘You awake over there?’ ‘Affirmative.’
2. An affirmative word or proposition; opposed to a negative.
1588Fraunce Lawiers Logic i. ii. 49 b, Affirmative is that which doth affirme and lay downe something to bee or imagined to bee. 1601Shakes. Twel. N. v. i. 24 If your foure negatiues make your two affirmatiues. 1628Coke On Littleton i. i. §1 (1633) 6 b, Witnesses cannot testifie a negatiue, but an affirmatiue. 1725Watts Logic ii. ii. §2 In Latin and English two negatives joined in one sentence make an affirmative. 1870Bowen Logic vi. 169 Two judgments which are alike in Quality, either both Affirmatives or both Negatives.
†3. A statement affirmative of, or asserting something; an assertion, or affirmation. Obs.
1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. 73 That affirmative which sayes the Loadstone is poyson. 1660Jer. Taylor Worthy Commun. i. §4. 75 That he is a priest in heaven appears in the large discourses and direct affirmatives of St. Paul.
▪ II. affirmative, v.|əˈfɜːmətɪv|
[f. the n.]
trans. To agree to (a suggestion or remark).
1861G. Meredith E. Harrington III. xii. 203 Andrew again affirmatived his senior's remarks. 1871― H. Richmond II. xvii. 234 He..affirmatived her motion to ring the bell for the servants. |