neutral

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: neu=tral

CIDE DICTIONARY

neutral, a. [L. neutralis, fr. neuter. See Neuter.].

•  Not engaged on either side; not taking part with or assisting either of two or more contending parties; neuter; indifferent.  [1913 Webster]

  "The heart can not possibly remain neutral, but constantly takes part one way or the other."  [1913 Webster]
•  Neither good nor bad; of medium quality; middling; not decided or pronounced.  [1913 Webster]

  "Some things good, and some things ill, do seem,
  And neutral some, in her fantastic eye."  [1913 Webster]
•  Neuter. See Neuter, a., 3.  [1913 Webster]
•  Having neither acid nor basic properties; unable to turn red litmus blue or blue litmus red; -- said of certain salts or other compounds. Contrasted with acid, and alkaline.  [1913 Webster]

Neutral axis, Neutral surface (Mech.), that line or plane, in a beam under transverse pressure, at which the fibers are neither stretched nor compressed, or where the longitudinal stress is zero. See Axis. -- Neutral equilibrium (Mech.), the kind of equilibrium of a body so placed that when moved slighty it neither tends to return to its former position not depart more widely from it, as a perfect sphere or cylinder on a horizontal plane. -- Neutral salt (Chem.), a salt formed by the complete replacement of the hydrogen in an acid or base; in the former case by a positive or basic, in the latter by a negative or acid, element or radical. -- Neutral tint, a bluish gray pigment, used in water colors, made by mixing indigo or other blue some warm color. the shades vary greatly. -- Neutral vowel, the vowel element having an obscure and indefinite quality, such as is commonly taken by the vowel in many unaccented syllables. It is regarded by some as identical with the up, and is called also the natural vowel, as unformed by art and effort; it is also called the indefinite vowel. It is symbolized in some phonetic alphabets by the schwa (Guide to Pronunciation,

neutral, n. 

 A person or a nation that takes no part in a contest between others; one who is neutral.  [1913 Webster]
"The neutral, as far as commerce extends, becomes a party in the war."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

neutral, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 not helping or supporting either of two opposing sides, esp. States at war or in dispute; impartial.
2 belonging to a neutral party, State, etc. (neutral ships).
3 indistinct, vague, indeterminate.
4 (of a gear) in which the engine is disconnected from the driven parts.
5 (of colours) not strong or positive; grey or beige.
6 Chem. neither acid nor alkaline.
7 Electr. neither positive nor negative.
8 Biol. sexually undeveloped; asexual.
--n.
1 a a neutral State or person. b a subject of a neutral State.
2 a neutral gear.

Derivative

neutrality n. neutrally adv.

Etymology

ME f. obs. F neutral or L neutralis of neuter gender (as NEUTER)

THESAURUS

neutral

Hydromatic, Laodicean, Olympian, abstract, achromatic, achromic, aloof, anemic, anythingarian, apathetic, asexual, ashen, ashy, autarchic, autarkic, automatic transmission, autonomous, beige, bland, bled white, bloodless, broad, cadaverous, candid, castrated, centrist, changeable, chloranemic, cogwheel, cold, collective, colorless, compromiser, conservative, contemplative, cool, dead, deadly pale, deathly pale, detached, differential, differential gear, dim, dimmed, dingy, discolored, disinterested, dispassionate, do-nothing, dormant, drab, dull, ecru, emasculated, equitable, etiolated, eunuchized, even, evenhanded, exsanguinated, exsanguine, exsanguineous, faded, faint, fair, fallow, featureless, fence-sitter, fervorless, fifty-fifty, flat, free lance, free spirit, free trader, free-spirited, freethinker, freewheel, freewheeling, frigid, frustrated, gear, gear train, gearbox, gearing, gearshift, gearwheel, general, generalized, generic, ghastly, gray, haggard, half-and-half, halfhearted, high, hueless, hypochromic, idle, immobile, impartial, impersonal, impotent, inactive, indecisive, indefinite, independent, indeterminate, indifferent, indistinct, indistinguishable, individualist, individualistic, inert, infirm of purpose, infirm of will, inner-directed, insipid, intermediate, irresolute, isolationist, just, lackluster, laissez-aller, laissez-faire, latitudinarian, leaden, liberal, libertarian, libertine, livid, lofty, low, lukewarm, lurid, lusterless, mat, mealy, meditative, middle-of-the-roader, midway, milk-and-water, milky, moderate, moderationist, moderatist, motionless, muddy, mugwump, mugwumpian, mugwumpish, mushy, nebulous, neuter, nonaligned, noncommittal, noncommitted, nonpartisan, nonspecific, nothingarian, objective, on the fence, overdrive, pale, pale as death, pale-faced, pallid, paralytic, paralyzed, passive, pasty, perfunctory, procrastinating, quiescent, quietist, quietistic, rack, remote, removed, reverse, rugged individualist, sallow, self-contained, self-dependent, self-determined, self-directing, self-governed, self-governing, self-reliant, self-subsistent, self-sufficient, self-supporting, selfless, sexless, sickly, sovereign, stagnant, stagnating, standard transmission, standpat, static, stationary, stick shift, swing vote, synchromesh, tallow-faced, tasteless, tepid, third force, third world, third-force, third-world, toneless, transmission, unaffiliated, unallied, unbiased, uncharacterized, uncolored, uncommitted, uncommitted voter, undazzled, undifferentiated, uninfluenced, uninvolved, unjaundiced, unprejudiced, unprepossessed, unselfish, unsexed, unsexual, unspecified, unswayed, vague, vapid, vegetable, vegetative, wan, washed out, washed-out, watery, waxen, weak, whey-faced, white, wide, wishy-washy, withdrawn, zealless

ROGET THESAURUS

neutral

Absence of Choice

N absence of choice, no choice, Hobson's choice, first come first served, random selection, necessity, not a pin to choose, any, the first that comes, that or nothing, neutrality, indifference, indecision, arbitrariness, coercion (compulsion), neutral, neuter, indifferent, uninterested, undecided, either, who cares?, what difference does it make?, There's not a dime's worth of difference between t.

Avoidance

VB abstain, refrain, spare, not attempt, not do, maintain the even tenor of one's way, eschew, keep from, let alone, have nothing to do with, keep aloof keep off, stand aloof, stand off, hold aloof, hold off, take no part in, have no hand in, avoid, shun, steer clear of, keep clear of, fight shy of, keep one's distance, keep at a respectful distance, keep out of the way, get out of the way, evade, elude, turn away from, set one's face against, deny oneself, shrink back, hang back, hold back, draw back, recoil, retire, flinch, blink, blench, shy, shirk, dodge, parry, make way for, give place to, beat a retreat, turn tail, turn one's back, take to one's heels, runaway, run for one's life, cut and run, be off like a shot, fly, flee, fly away, flee away, run away from, take flight, take to flight, desert, elope, make off, scamper off, sneak off, shuffle off, sheer off, break away, tear oneself away, slip away, slink away, steel away, make away from, scamper away from, sneak away from, shuffle away from, sheer away from, slip cable, part company, turn one's heel, sneak out of, play truant, give one the go by, give leg bail, take French leave, slope, decamp, flit, bolt, abscond, levant, skedaddle, absquatulat, cut one's stick, walk one's chalks, show a light pair of heels, make oneself scarce, escape, go away, abandon, reject, lead one a dance, lead one a pretty dance, throw off the scent, play at hide and seek, Adj, unsought, unattempted, avoiding, neutral, shy of, elusive, evasive, fugitive, runaway, shy, wild.

N avoidance, abstention, abstinence, for bearance, refraining, inaction, neutrality, avoidance, evasion, elusion, seclusion, avolation, flight, escape, retreat, recoil, departure, rejection, shirker, truant, fugitive, refugee, runaway, runagate, maroon, unsought, unattempted, avoiding, neutral, shy of, elusive, evasive, fugitive, runaway, shy, wild, Adj, lest, in order to avoid, Int, forbear!, keep off, hands off!, sauve qui peut!, every man for himself!, devil take the hindmost!, things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme.

Mean

N mean, average, median, mode, balance, medium, mediocrity, generality, golden mean middle, compromise, middle course, middle state, neutrality, mediocrity, least common denominator, mean, intermediate, middle, average, neutral, mediocre, middle-class, commonplace, on an average, in the long run, taking one with another, taking all things together, taking it for all in all, communibus annis, in round numbers, medium tenuere beati.

Peace

N peace, amity, harmony, tranquility, calm, truce, peace treaty, accord, peace pipe, pipe of peace, calumet of peace, piping time of peace, quiet life, neutrality, dove of peace, white dove, dove, pax Romana, Pax Americana, pacific, peaceable, peaceful, calm, tranquil, untroubled, halcyon, bloodless, neutral, dovish, the storm blown over, the lion lies down with the lamb, all quiet on the Potomac, paritur pax bello, peace hath her victories no less renowned than war, they make a desert and they call it peace.