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effect
[ ih-fekt ]
noun
- something that is produced by an agency or cause; result; consequence:
Exposure to the sun had the effect of toughening his skin.
His protest had no effect.
- the state of being operative or functional; operation or execution; accomplishment or fulfillment:
to bring a plan into effect.
- a mental or emotional impression produced, as by a painting or a speech.
- meaning or sense; purpose or intention:
She disapproved of the proposal and wrote to that effect.
- the making of a desired impression:
We had the feeling that the big, expensive car was only for effect.
- an illusory phenomenon:
a three-dimensional effect.
- a real phenomenon (usually named for its discoverer):
the Doppler effect.
- Usually effects. a special effect, practical effect, or visual effect in a movie, TV show, or other video. : FX
verb (used with object)
- to produce as an effect; bring about; make happen; accomplish:
The new machines finally effected the transition to computerized accounting last spring.
Synonyms: consummate, perform, fulfill, realize, achieve
effect
/ ɪˈfɛkt /
noun
- something that is produced by a cause or agent; result
- power or ability to influence or produce a result; efficacy
with no effect
- the condition of being operative (esp in the phrases in or into effect )
the law comes into effect at midnight
- take effecttake effect to become operative or begin to produce results
- basic meaning or purpose (esp in the phrase to that effect )
- an impression, usually one that is artificial or contrived (esp in the phrase for effect )
- a scientific phenomenon
the Doppler effect
- in effectin effect
- in fact; actually
- for all practical purposes
- the overall impression or result
the effect of a painting
verb
- tr to cause to occur; bring about; accomplish
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Confusables Note
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Derived Forms
- efˈfectible, adjective
- efˈfecter, noun
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Other Words From
- ef·fect·i·ble adjective
- pre·ef·fect noun verb (used with object)
- un·ef·fect·ed adjective
- un·ef·fect·i·ble adjective
- well-ef·fect·ed adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of effect1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of effect1
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Idioms and Phrases
- in effect,
- take effect,
- to go into operation; begin to function.
- to produce a result:
The prescribed medicine failed to take effect.
More idioms and phrases containing effect
see in effect ; into effect ; take effect ; to that effect .Discover More
Synonym Study
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Example Sentences
In Israel, however, a new law took effect January 1st that banned the use of underweight models.
But they say its effect on the regular daily operation of organized crime has been negligible.
All of these increased barriers then have a snowball effect.
So now the company is asking the FCC to, in effect, reverse itself.
A revised version of the law goes into effect on January 1st, 2015.
In this case, I suspect, there was co-operant a strongly marked childish characteristic, the love of producing an effect.
He shrank, as from some one who inflicted pain as a child, unwittingly, to see what the effect would be.
And so this is why the clever performer cannot reproduce the effect of a speech of Demosthenes or Daniel Webster.
The well-known "cock and bull" stories of small children are inspired by this love of strong effect.
She stabbed him, noting the effect upon him with a detached interest that seemed indifferent to his pain.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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