All 3 Uses of
positive
in
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
- Ever since we read The Fall of the House of Usher, we had made a pact that neither of us would allow the other to be buried without making "absolutely, positively sure" (his favorite phrase) that the person was dead.
p. 196..1 (definition 1)positively = with certainty
- He seemed positively diabolic in his enjoyment of our discomfort.
p. 228..5 (definition 1) *positively = absolutely (used for emphasis)
- Translated, that meant there was nothing a person can't do, and there should be nothing a human being didn't care about. It was the most positive encouragement I could have hoped for.
p. 265..9 (definition 2) *positive = optimistic
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: a positive attitude) optimistic (expecting or focusing good things); or agreeable