constructive

adj.

1. Serving to improve or advance; helpful: constructive criticism.
2. Of or relating to construction; structural.
3. Law. Based on an interpretation; not directly expressed.

constructively con·struc'tive·ly adv.
constructiveness con·struc'tive·ness n.

adj

Definition: helpful
Antonyms: destructive, hurting, injurious, negative, unhelpful

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A constructive proof is one that enables one to give an example, or give a rule for finding an example, of a mathematical object with some property. A non-constructive proof might result in us knowing that an example exists, but having no idea how to define it. The axiom of choice in set theory is the classical non-constructive existence axiom: it tells us that a certain set exists, whether or not there is any prospect of finding a condition defining membership in it. Similarly the definition of a function to take the value 0 if every even number is the sum of two primes, and 1 if this is not so, is classically a definition enabling us to assert that there is a number that is the value of the function, although we cannot identify which. The view that such a definition is inadmissible and that mathematics should confine itself to constructive proofs and definitions is known as constructivism. Constructivism will be suspicious of indirect existence proofs, because showing that a contradiction follows from denying that some object exists need not of itself show us how to identify the object. Constructivism frequently involves suspicion of the idea of a completed infinite set, thought of as a self-standing object of investigation, as a finite set would be.

This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

That which exists, not in fact, but as a result of the operation of law. That which takes on a character as a consequence of the way it is treated by a rule or policy of law, as opposed to its actual character.

For example, constructive knowledge is notice of a fact that a person is presumed by law to have, regardless of whether he or she actually does, since such knowledge is obtainable by the exercise of reasonable care.

For example, possession of the key to a safe-deposit box is constructive possession of the contents of the box since the key gives its holder power and control over the contents.

IN BRIEF: Helpful. Also: Tending to create.

Sam's criticism was very constructive.

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - konstruktiv, bygge-, hjælpsom, positiv

idioms:

• constructive criticism    konstruktiv kritik

Nederlands (Dutch)
constructief, opbouwend, impliciet

Français (French)
adj. - constructif

idioms:

• constructive criticism    critique constructive

Deutsch (German)
adj. - konstruktiv

idioms:

• constructive criticism    konstruktive Kritik

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - εποικοδομητικός, (νομ.) τεκμαιρόμενος ή τεκμαρτός

idioms:

• constructive criticism    εποικοδομητική κριτική

Italiano (Italian)
costruttivo

idioms:

• constructive criticism    critica costruttiva

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - construtivo, subentendido

idioms:

• constructive criticism    crítica (f) construtiva

Русский (Russian)
конструктивный, строительный, подразумеваемый

idioms:

• constructive criticism    конструктивная критика

Español (Spanish)
adj. - constructivo, positivo

idioms:

• constructive criticism    crítica constructiva

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - konstruktiv, som hör till byggnadsstommen, härledd genom tolkning (jur.)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
建设性的, 作图的, 构造上的

idioms:

• constructive criticism    建设性的批评

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 建設性的, 作圖的, 構造上的

idioms:

• constructive criticism    建設性的批評

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 건설적인, 구조상의, 해석상의

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 建設的な, 構造的な, 構造上の

idioms:

• constructive criticism    建設的批評

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) بناء, مفيد‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮בונה, מועיל, קונסטרוקטיבי‬

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constructive playthings toys