adj. (Med.) directed from the cerebral cortex; -- of nerves and nerve impulses.
Syn. -- corticofugal, corticifugal. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a genus of evergreen perennial herbs of tropical America with lush foliage and poisonous sap; often cultivated as houseplants.
Syn. -- genus Dieffenbachia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. effectus, fr. efficere, effectum, to effect; ex + facere to make: cf. F. effet, formerly also spelled effect. See Fact. ] 1. Execution; performance; realization; operation; as, the law goes into effect in May. [ 1913 Webster ]

That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
The effect and it. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Manifestation; expression; sign. [ 1913 Webster ]

All the large effects
That troop with majesty. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. In general: That which is produced by an agent or cause; the event which follows immediately from an antecedent, called the cause; result; consequence; outcome; fruit; as, the effect of luxury. [ 1913 Webster ]

The effect is the unfailing index of the amount of the cause. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Impression left on the mind; sensation produced. [ 1913 Webster ]

Patchwork . . . introduced for oratorical effect. J. C. Shairp. [ 1913 Webster ]

The effect was heightened by the wild and lonely nature of the place. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Power to produce results; efficiency; force; importance; account; as, to speak with effect. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Consequence intended; purpose; meaning; general intent; -- with to. [ 1913 Webster ]

They spake to her to that effect. 2 Chron. xxxiv. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. The purport; the sum and substance. “The effect of his intent.” Chaucer.

8. Reality; actual meaning; fact, as distinguished from mere appearance. [ 1913 Webster ]

No other in effect than what it seems. Denham. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. pl. Goods; movables; personal estate; -- sometimes used to embrace real as well as personal property; as, the people escaped from the town with their effects. [ 1913 Webster ]

For effect, for an exaggerated impression or excitement. --
In effect, in fact; in substance. See 8, above. --
Of no effect,
Of none effect,
To no effect, or
Without effect, destitute of results, validity, force, and the like; vain; fruitless. “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition.” Mark vii. 13. “All my study be to no effect.” Shak. --
To give effect to, to make valid; to carry out in practice; to push to its results. --
To take effect, to become operative, to accomplish aims. Shak.

Syn. -- Effect, Consequence, Result. These words indicate things which arise out of some antecedent, or follow as a consequent. Effect, which may be regarded as the generic term, denotes that which springs directly from something which can properly be termed a cause. A consequence is more remote, not being strictly caused, nor yet a mere sequence, but following out of and following indirectly, or in the train of events, something on which it truly depends. A result is still more remote and variable, like the rebound of an elastic body which falls in very different directions. We may foresee the effects of a measure, may conjecture its consequences, but can rarely discover its final results. [ 1913 Webster ]

Resolving all events, with their effects
And manifold results, into the will
And arbitration wise of the Supreme. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shun the bitter consequence, for know,
The day thou eatest thereof, . . . thou shalt die. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Effected; p. pr. & vb. n. Effecting. ] 1. To produce, as a cause or agent; to cause to be. [ 1913 Webster ]

So great a body such exploits to effect. Daniel. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bring to pass; to execute; to enforce; to achieve; to accomplish. [ 1913 Webster ]

To effect that which the divine counsels had decreed. Bp. Hurd. [ 1913 Webster ]

They sailed away without effecting their purpose. Jowett (Th. ).

Syn. -- To accomplish; fulfill; achieve; complete; execute; perform; attain. See Accomplish. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who effects. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being done or achieved; practicable; feasible. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. effectio: cf. F. effection. ] Creation; a doing. [ R. ] Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. effectivus: cf. F. effectif. ] Having the power to produce an effect or effects; producing a decided or decisive effect; efficient; serviceable; operative; as, an effective force, remedy, speech; the effective men in a regiment. [ 1913 Webster ]

They are not effective of anything, nor leave no work behind them. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whosoever is an effective, real cause of doing his heighbor wrong, is criminal. Jer. Taylor.

Syn. -- Efficient; forcible; active; powerful; energetic; competent. See Effectual. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which produces a given effect; a cause. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who is capable of active service. [ 1913 Webster ]

He assembled his army -- 20, 000 effectives -- at Corinth. W. P. Johnston. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. [ F. effectif real, effective, real amount. ] (Com.) Specie or coin, as distinguished from paper currency; -- a term used in many parts of Europe. Simmonds. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The serviceable soldiers in a country; an army or any military body, collectively; as, France's effective. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

adv. With effect; powerfully; completely; thoroughly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being effective. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without effect or advantage; useless; bootless. Shak. -- Ef*fect"less*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. ] An effecter. Derham. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Effect, n. ] Producing, or having adequate power or force to produce, an intended effect; adequate; efficient; operative; decisive. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Effectual steps for the suppression of the rebellion. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Effectual calling (Theol.), a doctrine concerning the work of the Holy Spirit in producing conviction of sin and acceptance of salvation by Christ, -- one of the five points of Calvinism. See Calvinism.

Syn. -- Effectual, Efficacious, Effective. An efficacious remedy is had recourse to, and proves effective if it does decided good, effectual if it does all the good desired. C. J. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the power to be effective.
Syn. -- effectiveness, effectivity, effectualness. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. 1. With effect; efficaciously. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Actually; in effect. [ Obs. ] Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being effectual. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Effectuated p. pr. & vb. n. Effectuating. ] [ Cf. F. effectuer. See Effect, n. & v. t. ] To bring to pass; to effect; to achieve; to accomplish; to fulfill. [ 1913 Webster ]

A fit instrument to effectuate his desire. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

In order to effectuate the thorough reform. G. T. Curtis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Act of effectuating.

{ } a. Effective. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Effectively. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Effeminacies [ From Effeminate. ] Characteristic quality of a woman, such as softness, luxuriousness, delicacy, or weakness, which is unbecoming a man; womanish delicacy or softness; -- used reproachfully of men. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. effeminatus, p. p. of effeminare to make a woman of; ex out + femina a woman. See Feminine, a. ] 1. Having some characteristic of a woman, as delicacy, luxuriousness, etc.; soft or delicate to an unmanly degree; womanish; weak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The king, by his voluptuous life and mean marriage, became effeminate, and less sensible of honor. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

An effeminate and unmanly foppery. Bp. Hurd. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Womanlike; womanly; tender; -- in a good sense. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gentle, kind, effeminate remorse. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Effeminate and womanish are generally used in a reproachful sense; feminine and womanly, applied to women, are epithets of propriety or commendation. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Effeminated p. pr. & vb. n. Effeminating ] To make womanish; to make soft and delicate; to weaken. [ 1913 Webster ]

It will not corrupt or effeminate children's minds. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To grow womanish or weak. [ 1913 Webster ]

In a slothful peace both courage will effeminate and manners corrupt. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In an effeminate or womanish manner; weakly; softly; delicately. “Proud and effeminately gay.” Fawkes. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. By means of a woman; by the power or art of a woman. [ R. ] “Effeminately vanquished.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being effeminate; unmanly softness. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. effeminatio. ] Effeminacy; womanishness. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make effeminate. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n., [ Turk. efendi, fr. Modern Gr. &unr_;, fr. Gr. &unr_; a chief. See Authentic. ] Master; sir; -- a Turkish title of respect, applied esp. to a state official or man of learning, as one learned in the law, but often simply as the courtesy title of a gentleman. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ L. efferens, -entis, p. pr. of effere to bear out; ex out + ferre to bear. ] (Physiol.) (a) Conveying outward, or discharging; -- applied to certain blood vessels, lymphatics, nerves, etc. (b) Conveyed outward; as, efferent impulses, i. e., such as are conveyed by the motor or efferent nerves from the central nervous organ outwards; -- opposed to afferent. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An efferent duct or stream. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. efferus savage; ex (intens.) + ferus wild. ] Like a wild beast; fierce. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Effervesced p. pr. & vb. n. Effervescing ] [ L. effervescere; ex + fervescere to begin boiling, incho., fr. fervere to boil. See Fervent. ] 1. To be in a state of natural ebullition; to bubble and hiss, as fermenting liquors, or any fluid, when some part escapes in a gaseous form. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To exhibit, in lively natural expression, feelings that can not be repressed or concealed; as, to effervesce with joy or merriment.

{ } n. [ Cf. F. effervescence. ] A kind of natural ebullition; that commotion of a fluid which takes place when some part of the mass flies off in a gaseous form, producing innumerable small bubbles; as, the effervescence of a carbonate with citric acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. effervescences, p. pr. of effervescere: cf. F. effervescent. ] Gently boiling or bubbling, by means of the disengagement of gas [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of effervescing. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tending to produce effervescence. “An effervescive force.” Hickok. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Eft, n. ] (Zoöl.) The common newt; -- called also asker, eft, evat, and ewt. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. effetus that has brought forth, exhausted; ex + fetus that has brought forth. See Fetus. ] No longer capable of producing young, as an animal, or fruit, as the earth; hence, worn out with age; exhausted of energy; incapable of efficient action; no longer productive; barren; sterile. [ 1913 Webster ]

Effete results from virile efforts. Mrs. Browning [ 1913 Webster ]

If they find the old governments effete, worn out, . . . they may seek new ones. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Ineffectual; impracticable. [ R. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. in- not + effective: cf. F. ineffectif. ] Not effective; not having the desired effect; ineffectual; futile; inefficient; useless; as, an ineffective appeal; an ineffective herbal remedy. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

The word of God, without the spirit, [ is ] a dead and ineffective letter. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an ineffective manner; without effect; inefficiently; ineffectually. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Quality of being ineffective. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not producing the proper effect; without effect; inefficient; weak; useless; futile; unavailing; as, an ineffectual attempt; an ineffectual expedient. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

The peony root has been much commended, . . . and yet has been by many found ineffectual. Boyle.

Syn. -- Inefficient; useless; inefficacious; vain; fruitless; unavailing; futile. See Useless, Inefficacious. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Ineffectualness. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Without effect; in vain. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hereford . . . had been besieged for about two months ineffectually by the Scots. Ludlow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Lack of effect, or of power to produce it; inefficacy. [ 1913 Webster ]

The ineffectualness of some men's devotion. Wake. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Lack of effervescence. Kirwan. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not effervescing, or not susceptible of effervescence; quiescent. [ 1913 Webster ]