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operative

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
op·er·a·tive  (pr--tv, --rtv, pr-)
adj.
1. Being in effect; having force; operating: "Two major tendencies are operative in the American political system" (Heinz Eulau).
2. Functioning effectively; efficient.
3. Engaged in or concerned with physical or mechanical activity.
4. Of, relating to, or resulting from a surgical operation.
5. Significant; most important; key: The operative word is "low-fat."
n.
1. A skilled worker, especially in industry.
2.
a. A secret agent; a spy.
b. A private investigator.
3. One who works for a political organization, often wielding influence out of public view.

oper·a·tive·ly adv.

operative [op-rat-tiv]
Adjective
1. in force, effect, or operation: these pension provisions became operative from 1978
2. (of a word) particularly relevant or significant: `if' is the operative word
3. of or relating to a surgical operation
Noun
a worker with a special skill
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.operativeoperative - a person secretly employed in espionage for a government
agent - a representative who acts on behalf of other persons or organizations
agent-in-place - an operative serving as a penetration into an intelligence target
agent provocateur, provocateur - a secret agent who incites suspected persons to commit illegal acts
bridge agent - an operative who acts as a courier or go-between from a case officer to a secret agent in a hostile area
case officer - an operative who also serves as an official staffer of an intelligence service
codetalker, windtalker - a secret agent who was one of the Navajos who devised and used a code based on their native language; the code was unbroken by the Japanese during World War II
foot - a member of a surveillance team who works on foot or rides as a passenger
NOC - an undercover agent who is given no official cover
spy, undercover agent - (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors
walk-in - an operative who initiates his own defection (usually to a hostile country) for political asylum
2.operativeoperative - someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information
detective - an investigator engaged or employed in obtaining information not easily available to the public
hotel detective, house detective, house dick - a private detective employed by a hotel or retail store
inquiry agent - a private detective
store detective - a private detective employed by a merchant to stop pilferage
Adj.1.operative - being in force or having or exerting force; "operative regulations"; "the major tendencies operative in the American political system"
inoperative - not working or taking effect; "an inoperative law"
2.operative - relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery especially as opposed to medicine; "a surgical appendix"; "a surgical procedure"; "operative dentistry"
3.operative - effective; producing a desired effect; "the operative word"
significant, important - important in effect or meaning; "a significant change in tax laws"; "a significant change in the Constitution"; "a significant contribution"; "significant details"; "statistically significant"
4.operative - (of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing; "in running (or working) order"; "a functional set of brakes"
functioning - performing or able to perform its regular function; "a functioning flashlight"

operative
noun 3. worker, hand, employee, mechanic, labourer, workman, artisan, machinist, working man or working woman
4. U.S., Canad. spy, secret agent, double agent, secret service agent, undercover agent, mole, foreign agent, fifth columnist, nark Brit., Austral., N.Z. (slang)
Translations
operative [ˈɔpərətɪv] adj [measure] → en vigor;
the operative word → la palabra clave
operative [ˈɔpərətɪv] adj [measure] → en vigueur
n (in factory) → ouvrier/ière;
the operative word → le mot clef
operative [ˈɔpərətɪv] operate adj [measure, system] → wirksam; [law] → gültig
n (in factory) → Maschinenarbeiter(in) m(f);
the operative word operate → das entscheidende Wort
operative [ˈɔpərətɪv] adj [measure] → operativo/a
n (in factory) → operaio/a;
the operative word → la parola chiave


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In short, so operative were the terrors that surrounded them, that of twenty-four young men, who deserted from a transport, twenty-two were glad to return of themselves, the others being shot by sentinels; and one of their friends, who was supposed to have been accessory to their escape, was carried on shore to behold the destruction of his house and effects, which were burned in his presence, as a punishment for his temerity and perfidious aid to his comrades.
There are others which have a more circumscribed though an equally operative influence within their spheres.
They had seen, in a variety of instances, assumptions by Congress, not only of recommendatory, but of operative, powers, warranted, in the public estimation, by occasions and objects infinitely less urgent than those by which their conduct was to be governed.
 
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