affect
To influence or alter.
Noun
- A subjective feeling experienced in response to a thought or other stimulus; mood, emotion, especially as demonstrated in external physical signs.
- if we are afraid of robbers in a dream, the robbers are certainly imaginary, but the fear is real. This draws our attention to the fact that the development of affects [translating Affectentwicklung] in dreams is not...
- A third study demonstrated that the effects of self-affirmation on self-regulated performance were not due to positive affect. - 2004, Jeffrey Greenberg, Thomas A Pyszczynski, Handbook of Experimental Existential...
- One's mood or inclination; mental state.
- A desire, an appetite.
Origin
From Middle English affect, from Latin affectus, adfectus (“a state of mind or body produced by some (external) influence, especially sympathy or love”), from afficere (“to act upon, influence”).
Forms
Related
Derived
affect display flat affect labile affect pseudobulbar affect
Verb Entry 2
- To influence or alter.
- The experience affected me deeply.
- The heat of the sunlight affected the speed of the chemical reaction.
- The climate affected their health and spirits. - 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XVI, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London:...
Synonyms: alter change have an effect on influence play a role in play a part in
- To move to emotion.
- He was deeply affected by the tragic ending of the play.
- A consideration of the rationale of our passions seems to me very necessary for all who would affect them upon solid and pure principles. - 1757, Edmund Burke, A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the...
- Of an illness or condition, to infect or harm (a part of the body).
- Hepatitis affects the liver.
- To dispose or incline.
- men whom they thought best affected to religion and their country's liberty - 1649, J[ohn] Milton, ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC:
- To tend to by affinity or disposition.
- The drops of every fluid affect a round figure. - 1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “(please specify |book=1 to 3)”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. […], London: […]...
- To assign; to appoint.
- One of the domestics was affected to his special service. - 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:
- To burden (property) with a fixed charge or payment, or other condition or restriction.
- To feign or pretend.
- The light above the door made it unconvincing to affect that no one was at home. - 1923, Ernest Bramah, The Eyes of Max Carrados:
Origin
From Middle English affecten, from Latin affectāre, from Latin affectus, the participle stem of Latin afficere (“to act upon, influence, affect, attack with disease”), from ad- + facere (“to make, do”). By surface analysis, af- + Latin -fect.
Forms
affects affecting affected no-table-tags glossary affect affectest affectedst affecteth -
Derived
affectability affectable affectee affectingly affectless affector disaffect interaffect misaffect overaffect reaffect unaffect
Verb Entry 3
- To make a show of; to put on a pretense of; to feign; to assume. To make a false display of.
- to affect ignorance
- to affect a British accent
- He managed to affect a smile despite feeling quite miserable.
- To aim for, to try to obtain.
- Duke.[...] I loue the people, But doe not like to stage me to their eyes: Though it doe well, I doe not rellish well Their lowd applause, and Aues vehement: Nor doe I thinke the man of safe discretion That do's affect...
- For it is believed, that he never was married, affecting and embracing Chastity through the whole course of his Life. - 1662, Jacques Olivier, translated by Richard Banke, A Discourse of Women, Shewing Their...
- Wiſe are thy words, and glad I would obey, / But this proud man affects imperial ſway. - a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “The First Book of Homer’s Ilias”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume IV,...
- To feel affection for (someone); to like, be fond of.
- There is a Lady in Verona heere Whom I affect: but she is nice, and coy, And naught esteemes my aged eloquence. - c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William...
- From that day forth she gan to him affect, / And daily more her favour to augment […] - 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
- A young gentlewoman in Basil was married[…]to an ancient man against her will, whom she could not affect; she was continually melancholy, and pined away for grief […] - 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert...
- To show a fondness for (something); to choose.
- Amongst humane conditions this one is very common, that we are rather pleased with strange things then with our owne; we love changes, affect alterations, and like innovations. - 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 9, in...
- Go, let him have a table by himself, for he does neither affect company, nor is he fit for’t, indeed. - c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares...
- 1825, William Hazlitt, “On the Conduct of life: or Advice to a schoolboy” in Table-Talk Volume II, Paris: A. & W. Galignani, p. 284, Do not affect the society of your inferiors in rank, nor court that of the great.
Origin
From Middle English affecten, from Anglo-Norman affecter (“strive after”), Middle French affecter (“feign”), and their source, Latin affectāre (“to strive after, aim to do, pursue, imitate with dissimulation, feign”), frequentative of afficere (“to act upon, influence”) (see Etymology 1, above).