Operative
“Operative” 作形容词意为“有效的、起作用的、关键的”,如 the operative word is “free”(关键词是“免费”)。作名词可指情报机构的 undercover operative( undercover 特工),外科语境中可指手术医师,亦泛指执行具体任务的现场人员。与 operation、operate 同族。
- “The operative clause in the contract limits liability.” (合同中的生效条款限制了赔偿责任。)
- “A field operative reported back from the border.” (一名外勤特工从边境传回报告。)
- “Is the new safety rule still operative as of Monday?” (新安全规定周一起还有效吗?)
来自拉丁语 operari(工作、操作),经 operate → operative。oper- 与“工作、施行”相关,与 operation、operator 同族。
“-ive” 构成形容词或名词,表示“与……有关的、从事……的人”;oper-(工作)+ -ative → operative(有效的;执行者)。
美国政治与媒体语境中 operative 常指竞选团队或党派的幕后操盘手;谍战影视中多指 undercover agent。法律文本里 the operative part 指“起实际作用的条款”。
- 固定搭配: “operative word” (关键词), “field operative” (外勤特工), “still operative” (仍然有效)
- 名词复数: operatives
- 相关词: operate, operation, operator
operate(操作)+ -ive:能 operate 起来、真在起作用的——operative;干具体操作的人也是 operative。
“The lawyer pointed to one operative sentence that changed who would pay the damages.” (律师指出一句起决定作用的条款,改变了由谁承担赔偿。)