affect
verbverbnouncommon in dialogue
- //əˈfɛkt//
- //ˈæ.fɛkt//
To influence or alter.
verb
- 1
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.
Libertarian paternalism is the view that, because the way options are presented to citizens affects what they choose, society should present options in a way that “nudges” our intuitive selves to make choices that are more consistent with what our more deliberative selves would have chosen if they were in control.
- 2
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.
- 3
Of an illness or condition, to infect or harm (a part of the body).
Hepatitis affects the liver.
- 4
archaicTo dispose or incline.
men whom they thought best affected to religion and their country's liberty
- 5
archaicTo tend to by affinity or disposition.
The drops of every fluid affect a round figure.
- 6
archaicTo assign; to appoint.
One of the domestics was affected to his special service.
- 7
To burden (property) with a fixed charge or payment, or other condition or restriction.
- 8
archaicTo feign or pretend.
The light above the door made it unconvincing to affect that no one was at home.
Etymology
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.
verb
- 1
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.
Thou dost affect my manners.
- 2
obsoleteTo 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 it.
For it is believed, that he never was married, affecting and embracing Chastity through the whole course of his Life.
Wiſe are thy words, and glad I would obey, / But this proud man affects imperial ſway.
I seek the Vatican, and the palaces. I affect to be intoxicated with sights and suggestions, but I am not intoxicated.
- 3
rareTo 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.
From that day forth she gan to him affect, / And daily more her favour to augment […]
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 […]
As for Queen Katharine, he rather respected, then affected; rather honoured, then loved her.
- 4
obsoleteTo 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.
Go, let him have a table by himself, for he does neither affect company, nor is he fit for’t, indeed.
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.
Think not, because he affecteth silks and jewels like a queen, and carrieth himself light and dainty as a silver birch tree on the mountain, that his hand is light or his courage doubtful in war.
Etymology
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).
noun
- 1
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 amenable to the judgement we make of the rest of the dream-content [...].
A third study demonstrated that the effects of self-affirmation on self-regulated performance were not due to positive affect.
- 2
obsoleteOne's mood or inclination; mental state.
- 3
obsoleteA desire, an appetite.
Etymology
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
- plural
- affects
- past tense
- affected
- past participle
- affected
- present participle
- affecting
- third person singular
- affects