DORMANT

dormant. Dormant, a. sleeping, lying, neglected, concealed

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Dor″mant (?), a. [[F., p. pr. of dormir to sleep, from L. dormire; cf. Gr. �, Skr. drā, OSlav. dr�mati.]] 1. 1. Sleeping; as, a dormant animal; hence, not in action or exercise; quiescent; at rest; in abeyance; not disclosed, asserted, or insisted on; as, dormant passions; dormant claims or titles.
It is by lying dormant a long time, or being . . . very rarely exercised, that arbitrary power steals upon a people. Burke. 2. 2. (Her.) In a sleeping posture; as, a lion dormant; — distinguished from couchant.
Dormant partner (Com.), a partner who takes no share in the active business of a company or partnership, but is entitled to a share of the profits, and subject to a share in losses; — called also sleeping or silent partner. — Dormant window (Arch.), a dormer window. See Dormer. — Table dormant, a stationary table. Chaucer.