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Agency; influence; production of effects. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

Not operative; not active; producing no effects; as, laws renderd inoperative by neglect; inoperative remedies or processes.

To hasten, or press forward. [Obs.]

The act of hastening; haste. [Obs.] T. Adams.

Producing no effect; inoperative. [Obs.] South.

To separate, as ideas, by the operation of the mind; to consider by itself; to contemplate separately, as a quality or attribute. Whately.

A cooperator. [R.] Success unto our valiant general, And happiness to his accomplices! Shak.

Operative surgery.

Operating in any way.

dy acts on another; the effect of power exerted on one body by another; agency; activity; operation; as, the action of heat; a man of action. One wise in council, one in action brave. Pope.

Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative; - - opposed to Ant: speculative or Ant: theoretical; as, an active rather than a speculative statesman.

The state or quality of being active; nimbleness; agility; vigorous action or operation; energy; active force; as, an increasing variety of human activities. "The activity of toil." Palfrey.

A mode of arresting hemorrhage resulting from wounds or surgical operations, by passing under the divided vessel a needle, the ends of which are left exposed externally on the cutaneous surface. Simpson.

To perform the arithmetical operation of addition; as, he adds rapidly.

The operation of bringing all the parts of an instrument, as a microscope or telescope, into their proper relative position for use; the condition of being thus adjusted; as, to get a good adjustment; to be in or out of adjustment.

d that its action opens and closes valves, producing synchronous air blasts sufficient to operate a larger diaphragm with greater amplitude of vibration.

A railway brake operated by condensed air. Knight.

Of or pertaining to algebra; containing an operation of algebra, or deduced from such operation; as, algebraic characters; algebraical writings. Algebraic curve, a curve such that the equation which expresses the relation between the coördinates of its points involves only the ordinary operations of algebra; -- opposed…

In a state of action; in force or operation; unextinguished; unexpired; existent; as, to keep the fire alive; to keep the affections alive.

That which allures; any real or apparent good held forth, or operating, as a motive to action; as, the allurements of pleasure, or of honor.