Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - positive

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. If you are positive about things, you are hopeful and confident, and think of the good aspects of a situation rather than the bad ones. Be positive about your future and get on with living a normal life... ...a positive frame of mind. ? negative ADJ: usu v-link ADJ, oft ADJ about n • positively You really must try to start thinking positively. ADV: ADV after v 2. A positive fact, situation, or experience is pleasant and helpful to you in some way. The parting from his sister had a positive effect on John... ? negative ADJ: usu ADJ n • The positive in a situation is the good and pleasant aspects of it. Work on the positive, creating beautiful, loving and fulfilling relationships. ? negative N-SING: the N 3. If you make a positive decision or take positive action, you do something definite in order to deal with a task or problem. Having a good diet gives me a sense that I’m doing something positive and that I’m in control. ADJ: usu ADJ n 4. A positive response to something indicates agreement, approval, or encouragement. There’s been a positive response to the UN Secretary-General’s recent peace efforts. ? negative ADJ: usu ADJ n • positively He responded positively and accepted the fee of ?1000 I had offered. ADV: ADV after v 5. If you are positive about something, you are completely sure about it. I’m as positive as I can be about it... ‘She’s never late. You sure she said eight?’—‘Positive.’ ADJ: v-link ADJ 6. Positive evidence gives definite proof of the truth or identity of something. There was no positive evidence that any birth defects had arisen as a result of Vitamin A intake. = conclusive ADJ: ADJ n • positively He has positively identified the body as that of his wife. ADV: ADV with v 7. If a medical or scientific test is positive, it shows that something has happened or is present. If the test is positive, a course of antibiotics may be prescribed... He was stripped of his Olympic Hundred Metres gold medal after testing positive for steroids. ? negative HIV positive: see HIV ADJ 8. A positive number is greater than zero. It’s really a simple numbers game with negative and positive numbers. ? negative ADJ: ADJ n 9. If something has a positive electrical charge, it has the same charge as a proton and the opposite charge to an electron. (TECHNICAL) ? negative ADJ: usu ADJ n