All 8 Uses of
positive
in
Main Street
- He was positive.
Chpt 2 (definition 1) *positive = certain
- I know positively that Mrs. Clark, after swearing that she wouldn't weaken and encourage them in their outrageous demands, went and paid five-fifty—think of it! practically a dollar a day for unskilled work and, of course, her food and room and a chance to do her own washing right in with the rest of the wash.
Chpt 7 (definition 1)positively = with certainty
- Oh, maybe once or twice, when Will has positively known of a case where Doctor—where one of the others has continued to call on patients longer than necessary, he has laughed about it, but——†
Chpt 13 (definition 1)
- I've failed at every positive thing I've tried.
Chpt 13 (definition 2) *positive = good
- The woman was positively known to have worn handkerchiefs in her bodice as padding—oh, the town had simply roared at her.
Chpt 21 (definition 1)positively = absolutely (used for emphasis)
- It is negation canonized as the one positive virtue.†
Chpt 22 (definition 1)
- It may have been the fact that Mrs. Swiftwaite's friend remained to Kennicott an ill-told rumor, it may have been Carol's voice, wistful in the pallid evening as she sang to Hugh, it may have been natural and commendable virtue, but certainly he was positive: "Nope."
Chpt 25 (definition 1)positive = certain
- Her most positive experience was the revelation of Mrs. Flickerbaugh, the tall, thin, twitchy wife of the attorney.†
Chpt 27 (definition 1)
Definitions:
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(1) (positive as in: I'm absolutely positive!) certain (having no doubt; or used for emphasis)
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(2) (positive as in: had a positive effect) good or beneficial