n. [ L. effectus, fr. efficere, effectum, to effect; ex + facere to make: cf. F. effet, formerly also spelled effect. See Fact. ] 1. Execution; performance; realization; operation; as, the law goes into effect in May. [ 1913 Webster ]

That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
The effect and it. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Manifestation; expression; sign. [ 1913 Webster ]

All the large effects
That troop with majesty. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The effect is the unfailing index of the amount of the cause. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Impression left on the mind; sensation produced. [ 1913 Webster ]

Patchwork . . . introduced for oratorical effect. J. C. Shairp. [ 1913 Webster ]

The effect was heightened by the wild and lonely nature of the place. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Power to produce results; efficiency; force; importance; account; as, to speak with effect. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Consequence intended; purpose; meaning; general intent; -- with to. [ 1913 Webster ]

They spake to her to that effect. 2 Chron. xxxiv. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. The purport; the sum and substance. “The effect of his intent.” Chaucer.

8. Reality; actual meaning; fact, as distinguished from mere appearance. [ 1913 Webster ]

No other in effect than what it seems. Denham. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. pl. Goods; movables; personal estate; -- sometimes used to embrace real as well as personal property; as, the people escaped from the town with their effects. [ 1913 Webster ]

For effect, for an exaggerated impression or excitement. --
In effect, in fact; in substance. See 8, above. --
Of no effect,
Of none effect,
To no effect, or
Without effect, destitute of results, validity, force, and the like; vain; fruitless. “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition.” Mark vii. 13. “All my study be to no effect.” Shak. --
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. Shak.

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Resolving all events, with their effects
And manifold results, into the will
And arbitration wise of the Supreme. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shun the bitter consequence, for know,
The day thou eatest thereof, . . . thou shalt die. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Effected; p. pr. & vb. n. Effecting. ] 1. To produce, as a cause or agent; to cause to be. [ 1913 Webster ]

So great a body such exploits to effect. Daniel. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bring to pass; to execute; to enforce; to achieve; to accomplish. [ 1913 Webster ]

To effect that which the divine counsels had decreed. Bp. Hurd. [ 1913 Webster ]

They sailed away without effecting their purpose. Jowett (Th. ).

Syn. -- To accomplish; fulfill; achieve; complete; execute; perform; attain. See Accomplish. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who effects. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being done or achieved; practicable; feasible. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. effectio: cf. F. effection. ] Creation; a doing. [ R. ] Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. effectivus: cf. F. effectif. ] Having the power to produce an effect or effects; producing a decided or decisive effect; efficient; serviceable; operative; as, an effective force, remedy, speech; the effective men in a regiment. [ 1913 Webster ]

They are not effective of anything, nor leave no work behind them. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whosoever is an effective, real cause of doing his heighbor wrong, is criminal. Jer. Taylor.

Syn. -- Efficient; forcible; active; powerful; energetic; competent. See Effectual. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which produces a given effect; a cause. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who is capable of active service. [ 1913 Webster ]

He assembled his army -- 20, 000 effectives -- at Corinth. W. P. Johnston. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. [ F. effectif real, effective, real amount. ] (Com.) Specie or coin, as distinguished from paper currency; -- a term used in many parts of Europe. Simmonds. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The serviceable soldiers in a country; an army or any military body, collectively; as, France's effective. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

adv. With effect; powerfully; completely; thoroughly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being effective. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without effect or advantage; useless; bootless. Shak. -- Ef*fect"less*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. ] An effecter. Derham. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Effect, n. ] Producing, or having adequate power or force to produce, an intended effect; adequate; efficient; operative; decisive. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Effectual steps for the suppression of the rebellion. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Effectual calling (Theol.), a doctrine concerning the work of the Holy Spirit in producing conviction of sin and acceptance of salvation by Christ, -- one of the five points of Calvinism. See Calvinism.

Syn. -- Effectual, Efficacious, Effective. An efficacious remedy is had recourse to, and proves effective if it does decided good, effectual if it does all the good desired. C. J. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the power to be effective.
Syn. -- effectiveness, effectivity, effectualness. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. 1. With effect; efficaciously. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Actually; in effect. [ Obs. ] Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being effectual. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Effectuated p. pr. & vb. n. Effectuating. ] [ Cf. F. effectuer. See Effect, n. & v. t. ] To bring to pass; to effect; to achieve; to accomplish; to fulfill. [ 1913 Webster ]

A fit instrument to effectuate his desire. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

In order to effectuate the thorough reform. G. T. Curtis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Act of effectuating.

{ } a. Effective. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Effectively. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Ineffectual; impracticable. [ R. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. in- not + effective: cf. F. ineffectif. ] Not effective; not having the desired effect; ineffectual; futile; inefficient; useless; as, an ineffective appeal; an ineffective herbal remedy. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

The word of God, without the spirit, [ is ] a dead and ineffective letter. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an ineffective manner; without effect; inefficiently; ineffectually. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Quality of being ineffective. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not producing the proper effect; without effect; inefficient; weak; useless; futile; unavailing; as, an ineffectual attempt; an ineffectual expedient. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

The peony root has been much commended, . . . and yet has been by many found ineffectual. Boyle.

Syn. -- Inefficient; useless; inefficacious; vain; fruitless; unavailing; futile. See Useless, Inefficacious. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Ineffectualness. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Without effect; in vain. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hereford . . . had been besieged for about two months ineffectually by the Scots. Ludlow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Lack of effect, or of power to produce it; inefficacy. [ 1913 Webster ]

The ineffectualness of some men's devotion. Wake. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Not effective; ineffective. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mil.) Not fit or available for duty. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ After Jean C. A. Peltier, French physicist, the discoverer. ] (Elec.) The production or absorption of heat at the junction of two metals on the passage of a current. Heat generated by the passage of the current in one direction will be absorbed if the current is reversed. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. (Med.) a reaction by a patient who receives a placebo{ 2 }, in which the symptoms of illness are lessened or an anticipated effect is experienced. Because the placebo{ 2 } itself has no pharmacological activity, this reaction is mediated by the expectations of the patient receiving the placebo{ 2 }; the reaction is considered as an example of the power of suggestion. Dramatic subjective effects such as relief of discomfort or pain are sometimes observed due to administration of a placebo, but in some cases measurable physiological effects may also be observed. [ PJC ]

(Physics) The widening and duplication, triplication, etc., of spectral lines when the radiations emanate in a strong magnetic field, first observed in 1896 by P. Zeeman, a Dutch physicist, and regarded as an important confirmation of the electromagnetic theory of light. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]