All 5 Uses of

negative
in
The Count of Monte Cristo

Though answered in the negative, he begged so earnestly to be permitted to visit those on the fifth floor, that, in despite of the oft-repeated assurance of the concierge that they were occupied, Dantes succeeded in inducing the man to go up to the tenants, and ask permission for a gentleman to be allowed to look at them.
Chpt 25-26

negative = indicating an answer of "no"

The young man's finger, glided over the words, but at each one Noirtier answered by a negative sign.
Chpt 75-76 *

Definitions:

(1) (negative as in: had a negative effect)
bad or harmful
(2) (negative as in: negative feedback from customers)
to express criticism or disagreement, or (especially when talking over a radio or in a military setting) to say "no"
(3) (negative as in: a negative attitude)
pessimistic (emphasizing bad things) or disagreeable
(4) (negative as in: The test came back negative.)
did not find a condition or substance to be present
(5) (negative as in: a negative number)
less than zero
(6) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
meaning too rare to warrant focus:

See a comprehensive dictionary for less common meanings of negative including some in the fields of electricity, physics, chemistry, medicine, photography, and grammar. Note that most non-technical senses of negative indicate that something is bad or lacking.