effect
1ef·fect
noun \i-ˈfekt, e-, ē-, ə-\Definition of EFFECT
2
: something that inevitably follows an antecedent (as a cause or agent)
3
: an outward sign : appearance
5
: power to bring about a result : influence <the content itself of television … is therefore less important than its effect — Current Biography>
6
plural : movable property : goods <personal effects>
7
a : a distinctive impression <the color gives the effect of being warm> b : the creation of a desired impression <her tears were purely for effect> c (1) : something designed to produce a distinctive or desired impression —usually used in plural (2) plural : special effects
8
: the quality or state of being operative : operation <the law goes into effect next week>
— in effect
: in substance : virtually <the … committee agreed to what was in effect a reduction in the hourly wage — Current Biography>
— to the effect
: with the meaning <issued a statement to the effect that he would resign>
See Examples of EFFECT
- He now needs more of the drug to achieve the same effect.
- The experience has had a bad effect on him.
- Computers have had a profound effect on our lives.
- The effects of the drug soon wore off.
- This treatment causes fewer ill effects.
- The change in policy had little effect on most people.
- He was able to stop taking the drug without ill effect.
- The total effect of the painting was one of gloom.
- The color gives the effect of being warm.
- He achieves amazing effects with wood.
- The nation's most solvent individuals—private-equity barons—have not been immune from the ill effects of the credit crunch. —Daniel Gross, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2008
- In the Spanish conquest of the Incas, guns played only a minor role. … They did produce a big psychological effect on those occasions when they managed to fire. —Jared M. Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel, 1997
- Economic effects of such high speed change are also unpredictable and somewhat chilling … —Genevieve Stuttaford, Publisher's Weekly, 29 July 1996
- Unlike the venom of coral snakes, fer-de-lance venom has no direct effect on the nervous system but digests muscle, destroys blood cells and causes hemorrhaging and massive edema (swelling). —Robert K. Colwell, Natural History, April 1985
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Origin of EFFECT
Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin effectus, from efficere to bring about, from ex- + facere to make, do — more at do
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to EFFECT
Synonyms: aftereffect, aftermath, backwash, child, conclusion, consequence, corollary, development, fate, fruit, issue, outcome, outgrowth, precipitate, product, result, resultant, sequel, sequence, upshot, matter of course
Related Words: ramification; denouement (also dénouement), echo, implication, repercussion; afterclap, afterglow, aftershock; blowback, by-product, fallout, offshoot, ripple, side effect (also side reaction), spin-off
Near Antonyms: consideration, determinant, factor; base, basis, foundation, ground, groundwork; impetus, incentive, inspiration, instigation, stimulus; mother, origin, root, source, spring
Rhymes with EFFECT
abject, advect, affect, aspect, bisect, cathect, collect, confect, connect, convect, correct, cowl-necked, defect, deflect, deject, detect, direct, Dordrecht, eject, elect, erect, ewe-necked, expect, goosenecked, infect, inflect, inject, insect, inspect, neglect, object, pandect, porrect, prefect, prelect, project, prospect, protect, refect, reflect, reject, resect, respect, ring-necked, roll-necked, select, stiff-necked, subject, suspect, traject, transect, trisect, Utrecht, V-necked
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