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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。

  1. “The operative clause in the contract limits liability.” (合同中的生效条款限制了赔偿责任。)
  2. “A field operative reported back from the border.” (一名外勤特工从边境传回报告。)
  3. “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。)