1. A proposition by which something is denied or forbidden; a conception or term formed by prefixing the
negative particle to one which is positive; an opposite or contradictory term or conception.
This is a known rule in divinity, that there is no command that runs in negatives but couches under it a
positive duty.
South. 2. A word used in denial or refusal; as, not, no.
In Old England two or more negatives were often joined together for the sake of emphasis, whereas
now such expressions are considered ungrammatical, being chiefly heard in iliterate speech. A double
negative is now sometimes used as nearly or quite equivalent to an affirmative.
No wine ne drank she, neither white nor red.
Chaucer.
These eyes that never did nor never shall
So much as frown on you.
Shak. 3. The refusal or withholding of assents; veto.
If a kind without his kingdom be, in a civil sense, nothing, then . . . his negative is as good as nothing.
Milton. 4. That side of a question which denies or refuses, or which is taken by an opposing or denying party; the
relation or position of denial or opposition; as, the question was decided in the negative.
5. (Photog.) A picture upon glass or other material, in which the light portions of the original are represented
in some opaque material and the dark portions by the uncovered and transparent or semitransparent
ground of the picture.
A negative is chiefly used for producing photographs by means of the sun's light passing through it and
acting upon sensitized paper, thus producing on the paper a positive picture.
6. (Elect.) The negative plate of a voltaic or electrolytic cell.
Negative pregnant (Law), a negation which implies an affirmation.
Negative
(Neg"a*tive) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Negatived ; p. pr. & vb. n. Negativing.]
1. To prove unreal or untrue; to disprove.
The omission or infrequency of such recitals does not negative the existence of miracles.
Paley. 2. To reject by vote; to refuse to enact or sanction; as, the Senate negatived the bill.
3. To neutralize the force of; to counteract.
