Ac·tive a.
 1. Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting; -- opposed to passive, that receives; as, certain active principles; the powers of the mind.
 2. Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble; as, an active child or animal.
    Active and nervous was his gait.   --Wordsworth.
 3. In action; actually proceeding; working; in force; -- opposed to quiescent, dormant, or extinct; as, active laws; active hostilities; an active volcano.
 4. Given to action; constantly engaged in action; energetic; diligent; busy; -- opposed to dull, sluggish, indolent, or inert; as, an active man of business; active mind; active zeal.
 5. Requiring or implying action or exertion; -- opposed to sedentary or to tranquil; as, active employment or service; active scenes.
 6. Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative; -- opposed to speculative or theoretical; as, an active rather than a speculative statesman.
 7. Brisk; lively; as, an active demand for corn.
 8. Implying or producing rapid action; as, an active disease; an active remedy.
 9. Gram. (a) Applied to a form of the verb; -- opposed to passive. See Active voice, under Voice.  (b) Applied to verbs which assert that the subject acts upon or affects something else; transitive. (c) Applied to all verbs that express action as distinct from mere existence or state.
 Active capital, Active wealth, money, or property that may readily be converted into money.
 Syn: -- Agile; alert; brisk; vigorous; nimble; lively; quick; sprightly; prompt; energetic.
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 cap·i·tal n.
 1. Arch. The head or uppermost member of a column, pilaster, etc.  It consists generally of three parts, abacus, bell (or vase), and necking.  See these terms, and Column.
 2.  Geog. The seat of government; the chief city or town in a country; a metropolis. “A busy and splendid capital”
 3.  Money, property, or stock employed in trade, manufactures, etc.; the sum invested or lent, as distinguished from the income or interest. See Capital stock, under Capital, a.
 4. Polit. Econ. That portion of the produce of industry, which may be directly employed either to support human beings or to assist in production.
 Note: ☞ When wealth is used to assist production it is called capital.  The capital of a civilized community includes fixed capital (i.e. buildings, machines, and roads used in the course of production and exchange) and circulating capital (i.e., food, fuel, money, etc., spent in the course of production and exchange).
 5. Anything which can be used to increase one's power or influence.
    He tried to make capital out of his rival's discomfiture.   --London Times.
 6. Fort. An imaginary line dividing a bastion, ravelin, or other work, into two equal parts.
 7. A chapter, or section, of a book. [Obs.]
    Holy St. Bernard hath said in the 59th capital.   --Sir W. Scott.
 8. Print. See Capital letter, under Capital, a.
 Active capital. See under Active,
 Small capital Print., a small capital letter; informally referred to (in the plural) as small caps; as, the technical terms are listed in small caps. See under Capital, a.
 To live on one's capital, to consume one's capital without producing or accumulating anything to replace it.
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