Active capital

Active \Ac"tive\, a. [F. actif, L. activus, fr. agere to act.]
   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.
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   2. Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body;
      nimble; as, an active child or animal.
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            Active and nervous was his gait.      --Wordsworth.
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   3. In action; actually proceeding; working; in force; --
      opposed to {quiescent}, {dormant}, or {extinct}; as,
      active laws; active hostilities; an active volcano.
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   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.
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   5. Requiring or implying action or exertion; -- opposed to
      {sedentary} or to {tranquil}; as, active employment or
      service; active scenes.
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   6. Given to action rather than contemplation; practical;
      operative; -- opposed to {speculative} or {theoretical};
      as, an active rather than a speculative statesman.
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   7. Brisk; lively; as, an active demand for corn.
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   8. Implying or producing rapid action; as, an active disease;
      an active remedy.
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   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.
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   {Active capital}, {Active wealth}, money, or property that
      may readily be converted into money.
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   Syn: Agile; alert; brisk; vigorous; nimble; lively; quick;
        sprightly; prompt; energetic.
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capital \cap"i*tal\ (k[a^]p"[i^]*tal), n. [Cf. L. capitellum and
   capitulum, a small head, the head, top, or capital of a
   column, dim. of caput head; F. chapiteau, OF. capitel. See
   {chief}, and cf. {cattle}, {chattel}, {chapiter}, {chapter}.]
   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}.
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   2. [Cf. F. capilate, fem., sc. ville.] (Geog.) The seat of
      government; the chief city or town in a country; a
      metropolis. "A busy and splendid capital" --Macauly.
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   3. [Cf. F. capital.] 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.
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   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. --M'Culloch.
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   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). --T.
         Raleigh.
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   5. Anything which can be used to increase one's power or
      influence.
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            He tried to make capital out of his rival's
            discomfiture.                         --London
                                                  Times.
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   6. (Fort.) An imaginary line dividing a bastion, ravelin, or
      other work, into two equal parts.
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   7. A chapter, or section, of a book. [Obs.]
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            Holy St. Bernard hath said in the 59th capital.
                                                  --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.
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   8. (Print.) See {Capital letter}, under {Capital}, a.
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   {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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