Operative

a.	1.	Having the power of acting; hence, exerting force, physical or moral; active in the production of effects; as, an operative motive; operative laws. It holds in all operative principles. - South.
	2.	Producing the appropriate or designed effect; efficacious; effective; as, an operative dose, rule, or penalty.
	3.	(Surg.) Based upon, or consisting of, an operation or operations; as, operative surgery.
n.	1.	A skilled worker; an artisan; esp., one who operates a machine in a mill or manufactory.
	2.	One who acts as an agent of another, especially a detective or spy.

Noun	1.	operative - a person secretly employed in espionage for a government Synonyms: intelligence agent, intelligence officer, secret agent
	2.	operative - someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information Synonyms: private detective, private eye, private investigator, shamus, sherlock, PI
Adj.	1.	operative - being in force or having or exerting force; "operative regulations"; "the major tendencies operative in the American political system" Antonyms: inoperative - not operating; "an inoperative law"
	2.	operative - of or relating to a surgical operation; "operative surgery"
	3.	operative - relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery especially as opposed to medicine; "a surgical appendix"; "a surgical procedure"; "operative dentistry" Synonyms: surgical
	4.	operative - effective; producing a desired effect; "the operative word" Synonyms: key
	5.	operative - (of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing; "in running (or working) order"; "a functional set of brakes" Synonyms: working, functional, running

OPERATIVE. A workman; one employed to perform labor for another.
     2. This word is used in the bankrupt law of 19th August, 1841, s. 5, which directs that any person who shall have performed any labor as an operative in the service of any bankrupt shall be entitled to receive the full amount of wages due to him for such labor, not exceeding twenty-five dollars; provided that such labor shall have been performed within six months next before the bankruptcy of his employer.
     3. Under this act it has been decided that an apprentice who had done work beyond a task allotted to him by his master, commonly called overwork, under an agreement on the part of the master to pay for such work, was entitled as an operative. 1 Penn. Law Journ. 368. See 3 Rob. Adm. R. 237; 2 Cranch, 240 270.

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