affect
verb
- to assume a false appearance of
- assume/take on
noun
- expression of a subjectively experienced feeling state (emotion)
- experience of feeling or emotion
verb
- influence or alter
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈæ.fɛkt/ / /əˈfɛkt/
noun
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”).
- 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.”
- One's mood or inclination; mental state.
- A desire, an appetite.
verb
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).
- 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”
- 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 it.”
“For it is believed, that he never was married, affecting and embracing Chastity through the whole course of his Life.”
- 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.”
“From that day forth she gan to him affect, / And daily more her favour to augment […]”
- 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.”
“Go, let him have a table by himself, for he does neither affect company, nor is he fit for’t, indeed.”