From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpositivepos‧i‧tive1 /ˈpɒzətɪv $ ˈpɑː-/ ●●● S2 W2 AWL adjective 1 attitudeCONFIDENT if you are positive about things, you are hopeful and confident, and think about what is good in a situation rather than what is bad OPP negativepositive about You’ve got to be more positive about your work.positive attitude/approach/outlook etc She’s got a really positive attitude to life. the power of positive thinking ‘Think positive!’ she advised herself.2 good thingEFFECTIVE good or useful OPP negative At least something positive has come out of the situation. Write down all the positive things about your life. The rural environment was having a positive effect on the children’s health. It’s been a very positive experience for her. TV can be a positive influence. the positive contribution to the community made by many older people It’s been a difficult time but, on the positive side, I feel physically fine. Women should be portrayed in a more positive light.3 action if you take positive action, you do something definite in order to try to achieve something We need to take positive steps to improve the situation of families in poverty. Positive action was required. It’s a relief to know that something positive is being done.4 supportSUPPORT A PERSON, GROUP, OR PLAN expressing support, agreement, or approval OPP negativepositive response/reaction The response we’ve had from the public has been very positive. We’ve had a lot of positive feedback from the people of this city.positive about Most people have been very positive about the show.5 sure [not before noun]SURE very sure, with no doubt at all that something is right or true SYN certainpositive (that) Are you absolutely positive you locked the door? ‘Are you sure about that?’ ‘Positive.’► see thesaurus at sure 6 signSUCCEED IN DOING something showing that something is likely to succeed or improve The fact that he’s breathing on his own again is a positive sign.7 → positive proof/evidence/identification etc8 scientific testSM showing signs of the medical condition or chemical that is being looked for OPP negative The test results came back positive. athletes who had tested positive for banned substances children who are HIV positive9 emphasis [only before noun] spokenEMPHASIZE used to emphasize how good or bad something is SYN total The journey was a positive nightmare.10 number technicalHMN a positive number is more than zero OPP negative11 electricity technicalHPE having the type of electrical charge that is carried by protons OPP negative a positive chargeCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: if you are positive about things, you are hopeful and confident, and think about what is good in a situation rather than what is badnounsa positive attitude/outlookHaving a positive attitude makes life so much better.a positive approachThis is just the positive approach that the school needs.a positive viewHe takes a fairly positive view of the future.a positive thoughtThink positive thoughts.positive thinkingMany people believe that positive thinking can help your recovery from serious illnesses.verbsthink positive (=think positive thoughts)Cheer up and think positive. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: good or usefulnounsa positive thingThat's not a very positive thing to say.a positive aspectThere are a lot of positive aspects to retirement.a positive effect/impactExercise has a positive effect on health.a positive influenceHis mother was a strong positive influence.a positive contributionMost refugees are determined to make a positive contribution to their new country.a positive result/outcomeWe hope there will be a positive outcome to the talks.a positive experienceWorking here has been a very positive experience for me.a positive role modelWe should provide girls with more positive role models.a positive imageIt's important to promote a positive image of our industry to young people.phrasessee/present something in a positive light (=see or present something as good)If you spend a year travelling after school, employers often see this in a positive light.The merger was presented to the world in a positive light.on the positive side (=used when saying what is good about something)On the positive side, the company’s financial condition remains strong.
Examples from the Corpus
positive• "Are you sure you locked the door?" "Yes, I'm positive."• Public response to the ads has been overwhelmingly positive.• type AB positive• He has a very positive attitude about death.• A positive correlation was observed between the gastric juice ammonium and severity of gastritis.• a very positive experience• The clinic reported back that some samples tested positive for pregnancy.• We're glad that something positive has come out of the situation.• I'm absolutely positive I haven't made a mistake.• a positive message for the youth of today• This new weak current had also to be electrically charged because in beta decay the neutral neutron turns into a positive proton.• The increase was a positive response to a strategic initiative.• positive role models• The fact that he's breathing on his own again is a positive sign.• She said she was positive the exam was next Tuesday.• He's a convert to the power of positive thinking.• It means putting weakness on one side, and openly acknowledging the positive worth of the person.positive thinking• Haslam points oui that such experiences demand a great deal of positive thinking.• He's a convert to the power of positive thinking.• For most of us, however, positive thinking and self-awareness can be learned.• Stone immersed himself in a program of positive thinking and tough mental preparation.• Health Optimism and positive thinking are your greatest assets in keeping fit and well.• The positive thinking golfer, Player A has picked out an aiming point at the end of the fairway.• The power of their positive thinking is infectious and pervades our daily working life.• By simply following the day by day eating, exercise and positive thinking programme that is detailed in this book.in a ... positive light• Present everything in a positive light.• This may help one to see the beauty and wisdom of the natural world in a much more positive light.• Books portraying black men in a positive light are simply not part of the growth industry.• Yet the presentational imperative to project the policies of government in a positive light masked the existence of inner doubts.• You can always interpret things in a more positive light or a more negative light.• By contrast, 57 percent viewed Dole in a positive light, while only 27 percent saw him in a negative light.something positive• As he and Dooley unpacked it on the kitchen counter, he felt compelled to say something positive.• Plus, 209 was proposed as eliminating something seemingly negative rather than something positive.• She was brushing aside her own contribution, saying it was one thing to be seen but another to do something positive.• When I gave up my job I would try to do something positive every day.• As it turns out, however, both fared better than expected in an election which produced something positive for almost everyone.• The suggestion that he might do something positive, however, came completely from the blue.• They had to be seen to be doing something positive, something caring.• I hope that the Minister of State will provide information tonight that will assure the House that something positive will be done.positive feedback• But in swarm systems, positive feedback can lead to increasing order.• Lack of appreciation and positive feedback from those around you.• However, allosteric positive feedback is not sufficient to produce sustained oscillations.• Another possible origin of positive feedback is the finite internal impedance of the bias supply.• Nor is positive feedback necessary for oscillatory behavior.• It can be shown that simple positive feedback systems fail to display oscillations { 91 }.• The curve shown suggests a positive feedback that works towards disaster.• He found that positive feedback was predictably given most often for accuracy and quantity of reading.absolutely positive• Never accept ActiveX controls unless you're absolutely positive they're from a reputable firm.positive sign• Muddy colours in the aura indicate negative emotions or ill health; clear colours are generally a positive sign.• However, the curiosity factor was a positive sign as far as Phoenix Hockey is concerned.• It's a very complex area but I do think there are positive signs in favour of nuclear.• The positive signs on both indicate that these variables were probably indicating availability of leisure time.• Among the positive signs that investors are noticing is the prospect of favorable financial comparisons to 1995.• For investors, the Ketchum acquisition is a positive sign that Omnicom intends to stick to its strategy of growth through acquisitions.• There are positive signs; there is more money in circulation and some of it is being spent.• The most positive sign was that the rattan lashings of the main hull seemed to be holding firm.tested positive• Since 1990, more than 20 swimmers have tested positive.• I had tested positive a few months before.• Out of 16 cases that tested positive for creatine kinase, nine were confirmed, giving an incidence of 1:3082 births.• He was suspended for two years after he tested positive for drugs when finishing second in the 1988 New York race.• Seven of the 12 winners tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.• All 20 tested positive for squalene antibodies.• Flanker Fox tested positive for the banned stimulant ephedrine following Neath's opening league game against Pontypridd on September 5.• In December 1993, Anna tested positive for tuberculosis.positive charge• Rather than being balanced throughout, they have spots of excess negative or positive charge.• Likewise, regular protons have a positive charge, but antiprotons are negative.• In such an environment the electrons would oscillate in ways which would depend upon the details of the positive charge distribution.• As in electricity, a positive charge glances away from a positive charge: like charges repel each other.• The positive charge of the protons generates an electrostatic field, which binds the negative electrons of the atom to the nucleus.• This charge meshes nicely with the slight positive charge on one side of water molecules.• This momentarily reverses the positive charge on the outside.positivepositive2 noun [countable] a quality or feature that is good or useful OPP negative You can find positives in any situation. Always emphasise the positive. → false positiveExamples from the Corpus
positive• It may even be that what at first appeared to be a problem could turn into a positive.• But Salsburg wondered how many of these might be false positives.• Study their words carefully, though, and you find many more possible negatives than positives.• Deciding to choose the positive is to celebrate the birdsong, regardless of the weather.From Longman Business Dictionarypositivepos‧i‧tive /ˈpɒzətɪvˈpɑːz-/ adjective1good or usefulWhen interest rates fall, there is a positive effect on business confidence.He felt that these meetings did not make any sort of positive contribution to branch performance.2expressing support, agreement, or approvalThe response we’ve had from our customers has been very positive.3thinking that a situation is good or will be goodpositive aboutThe company is very positive about its future.4if you take positive action, you do something definite in order to try and achieve somethingShe took positive steps to boost her design team.5more than zeroExports totaled $1,275 million, while imports totaled $1,050 million, giving a positive trade balance of $225 million. —positively adverbThe market has responded positively to these types of restructuring moves.Origin positive1 (1300-1400) Old French positif, from Latin positivus, from positus; → POSITION1 