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Definition of effect verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

effect

verb
 
/ɪˈfekt/
 
/ɪˈfekt/
(formal)
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they effect
 
/ɪˈfekt/
 
/ɪˈfekt/
he / she / it effects
 
/ɪˈfekts/
 
/ɪˈfekts/
past simple effected
 
/ɪˈfektɪd/
 
/ɪˈfektɪd/
past participle effected
 
/ɪˈfektɪd/
 
/ɪˈfektɪd/
-ing form effecting
 
/ɪˈfektɪŋ/
 
/ɪˈfektɪŋ/
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  1. effect something to make something happen
    • to effect a cure/change/recovery
    • The negotiators hoped to effect a smooth transition to an interim administration.
    • These drugs can sometimes effect miraculous cures.
    Which Word? affect / effectaffect / effect
    • affect = ‘to have an influence on somebody/​something’:
      • Does television affect children’s behaviour?
      It is not a noun.
    • effect noun = ‘result, influence’:
      • Does television have an effect on children’s behaviour?
    • effect verb is quite rare and formal and means ‘to achieve or produce’:
      • They hope to effect a reconciliation.
    Topics Change, cause and effectc2
    Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin effectus, from efficere ‘accomplish’, from ex- ‘out, thoroughly’ + facere ‘do, make’. Sense (3), ‘personal belongings’, arose from the obsolete sense ‘something acquired on completion of an action’.
See effect in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee effect in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
sufficiently
adverb
 
 
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