01 n. Execution; performance; realization; operation; as, the law goes into effect in May.
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1.
Execution; performance; realization; operation; as, the law goes into effect in May.“That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between The effect and it.” — Shak.
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2.
Manifestation; expression; sign.“All the large effects That troop with majesty.” — Shak.
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3.
In general: That which is produced by an agent or cause; the event which follows immediately from an antecedent, called the cause; result; consequence; outcome; fruit; as, the effect of luxury.“The effect is the unfailing index of the amount of the cause.” — Whewell.
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4.
Impression left on the mind; sensation produced.“Patchwork . . . introduced for oratorical effect.” — J. C. Shairp.“The effect was heightened by the wild and lonely nature of the place.” — W. Irving.
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5.
Power to produce results; efficiency; force; importance; account; as, to speak with effect.
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6.
Consequence intended; purpose; meaning; general intent; -- with to.“They spake to her to that effect.” — 2 Chron. xxxiv. 22.
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7.
The purport; the sum and substance.
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8.
Reality; actual meaning; fact, as distinguished from mere appearance.“No other in effect than what it seems.” — Denham.
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9.
Goods; movables; personal estate; -- sometimes used to embrace real as well as personal property; as, the people escaped from the town with their effects.“Resolving all events, with their effects And manifold results, into the will And arbitration wise of the Supreme.” — Cowper.“Shun the bitter consequence, for know, The day thou eatest thereof, . . . thou shalt die.” — Milton.
Phrases & compounds
For effect —
for an exaggerated impression or excitement.
In effect —
in fact; in substance. See 8, above.
Of no effect —
destitute of results, validity, force, and the like; vain; fruitless.
To give effect to —
to make valid; to carry out in practice; to push to its results.
To take effect —
to become operative, to accomplish aims.
Syn.
Effect, Consequence, Result.
These words indicate things which arise out of some antecedent, or follow as a consequent. Effect, which may be regarded as the generic term, denotes that which springs directly from something which can properly be termed a cause. A consequence is more remote, not being strictly caused, nor yet a mere sequence, but following out of and following indirectly, or in the train of events, something on which it truly depends. A result is still more remote and variable, like the rebound of an elastic body which falls in very different directions. We may foresee the effects of a measure, may conjecture its consequences, but can rarely discover its final results.