- effect
- [[t]ɪfe̱kt[/t]]
♦effects, effecting, effected1) N-VAR: oft N of/on n, N of -ing, adj N The effect of one thing on another is the change that the first thing causes in the second thing.
Parents worry about the effect of music on their adolescent's behavior...
The austerity measures will have little immediate adverse effect on the average Moroccan...
Even minor head injuries can cause long-lasting psychological effects.
2) N-COUNT An effect is an impression that someone creates deliberately, for example in a place or in a piece of writing.The whole effect is cool, light and airy.
Syn:3) N-PLURAL: with poss A person's effects are the things that they have with them at a particular time, for example when they are arrested or admitted to hospital, or the things that they owned when they died. [FORMAL]His daughters were collecting his effects.
Syn:4) N-PLURAL The effects in a film are the specially created sounds and scenery.5) VERB If you effect something that you are trying to achieve, you succeed in causing it to happen. [FORMAL][V n] Prospects for effecting real political change seemed to have taken a major step backwards.
6) → See also , placebo effect, , side-effect, , special effect7) PHRASE: PHR after v If you say that someone is doing something for effect, you mean that they are doing it in order to impress people and to draw attention to themselves.Jock paused for effect, his eyes glinting over his glass as he took another drink...
The Cockney accent was put on for effect.
8) PHRASE: PHR with cl (vagueness) You add in effect to a statement or opinion that is not precisely accurate, but which you feel is a reasonable description or summary of a particular situation.That deal would create, in effect, the world's biggest airline.
Syn:9) PHRASE: V inflects If you put, bring, or carry a plan or idea into effect, you cause it to happen in practice.These and other such measures ought to have been put into effect in 1985.
...a decree bringing into effect the political reforms adopted last month.
Syn:10) PHRASE: V inflects If a law or policy takes effect or comes into effect at a particular time, it officially begins to apply or be valid from that time. If it remains in effect, it still applies or is still valid....the ban on new logging permits which will take effect from July...
The decision was taken yesterday and will remain in effect until further government instructions.
11) PHRASE: V inflects You can say that something takes effect when it starts to produce the results that are intended.The second injection should only have been given once the first drug had taken effect...
International sanctions were beginning to take effect.
Syn:12) PHRASE: PHR after v You use effect in expressions such as to good effect and to no effect in order to indicate how successful or impressive an action is.Mr Morris feels the museum is using advertising to good effect...
Mr Charles complained, to no effect.
13) PHRASE: n PHR You use to this effect, to that effect, or to the effect that to indicate that you have given or are giving a summary of something that was said or written, and not the actual words used.I understand that a circular to this effect will be issued in the next few weeks...
Legislation to that effect created fierce controversy both in Parliament and outside...
He cited a Chinese proverb to the effect that you should never wish ill on your neighbour.
14) PHRASE: PHR after v If you say that something will happen with immediate effect or with effect from a particular time, you mean that it will begin to apply or be valid immediately or from the stated time. [BRIT, mainly FORMAL]We are now resuming relations with Syria with immediate effect...
The price of the Saturday edition is going up with effect from 3 November.
English dictionary. 2008.
