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affect
1[ verb uh-fekt; noun af-ekt ]
verb (used with object)
- to act on; produce an effect or change in:
Cold weather affected the crops.
- to impress the mind or move the feelings of:
The music affected him deeply.
- (of pain, disease, etc.) to attack or lay hold of.
noun
- Psychology. feeling or emotion.
- Psychiatry. an expressed or observed emotional response:
Restricted, flat, or blunted affect may be a symptom of mental illness, especially schizophrenia.
- Obsolete. affection; passion; sensation; inclination; inward disposition or feeling.
affect
2[ uh-fekt ]
verb (used with object)
- to give the appearance of; pretend or feign:
to affect knowledge of the situation.
- to assume artificially, pretentiously, or for effect:
to affect a Southern accent.
- to use, wear, or adopt by preference; choose; prefer:
the peculiar costume he affected.
- to assume the character or attitude of:
to affect the freethinker.
- (of things) to tend toward habitually or naturally:
a substance that affects colloidal form.
- (of animals and plants) to occupy or inhabit; live in or on:
Lions affect Africa. Moss affects the northern slopes.
- Archaic.
- to have affection for; fancy.
- to aim at; aspire to.
verb (used without object)
- Obsolete. to incline, tend, or favor (usually followed by to ):
He affects to the old ways.
affect
2/ əˈfɛkt /
verb
- to put on an appearance or show of; make a pretence of
to affect ignorance
- to imitate or assume, esp pretentiously
to affect an accent
- to have or use by preference
she always affects funereal clothing
- to adopt the character, manner, etc, of
he was always affecting the politician
- (of plants or animals) to live or grow in
penguins affect an arctic climate
- to incline naturally or habitually towards
falling drops of liquid affect roundness
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Confusables Note
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Other Words From
- af·fecta·ble adjective
- af·fecta·bili·ty noun
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Word History and Origins
Origin of affect1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of affect1
Origin of affect2
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Synonym Study
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Example Sentences
The vaccine is delivered through a “carrier virus” that causes a common cold in chimpanzees but does not affect humans.
At this point in his life, Denton has enough filthy lucre in his bank account to affect a certain lack of interest in the stuff.
If they are treating black people differently, then how can that not affect the president?
We tried to become involved with committees that affect us and policing before Ferguson.
Her personal feelings about religion do not affect how she behaves legally, politically, or socially.
It did not in any way affect prices or wages, which were rendered neither greater nor less thereby.
He did not affect to conceal his anger; and yet, strange to say, it was not visible to Mr Bellamy.
All the parts are made of metal, so that no change in the weather can affect their relative positions.
As all parts of this apparatus are of metal changes in humidity or temperature do not affect its regulation.
At such a moment neither party would affect to forget the Bruce's royal pretensions.
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