Cambridge Cambridge English Dictionaries Online, the web's favourite learner dictionaries
  • Link to us
  • View basket
  • Help

Definition

effect noun (RESULT)

/ɪˈfekt/ n
[C or U] the result of a particular influence
The radiation leak has had a disastrous effect on/upon the environment.
I tried taking tablets for the headache but they didn't have any effect.
I think I'm suffering from the effects of too little sleep.
She has a lot of confidence which she uses to good effect (= to her advantage) in interviews.
See also: after effects

take effect

to produce or achieve the results you want
They had to wait ten minutes for the anaesthetic to take effect before they stitched up the cut.

for effect

mainly disapproving If you say or do something for effect, you intentionally do it to shock people or attract their attention
I get the impression that she uses bad language in meetings for effect.

in effect

in fact, or in practice
So in effect the government have lowered taxes for the rich and raised them for the poor.

to that effect

(also

to the effect that

)
used to express that what you are reporting is only a short and general form of what was really said
She said she was unhappy, or words to that effect.
He said something to the effect that he would have to change jobs if the situation continued.

(Definition of effect noun (RESULT) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)

The first and last word in dictionaries