EFFECT

I. noun see: do Date: 14th century 1. purport , intent , basic meaning ; essence , something that inevitably follows an antecedent (as a cause or agent), an outward sign ; appearance , accomplishment , fulfillment , power to bring about a result ; influence , movable property ; goods , 7. a distinctive impression , the creation of a desired impression , c. something designed to produce a distinctive or desired impression, special ~s , the quality or state of being operative ; operation , II. transitive verb Date: 1533 to cause to come into being, 2. to bring about often by surmounting obstacles ; accomplish , to put into operation , see: perform Usage: Effect and affect are often confused because of their similar spelling and pronunciation. The verb 2affect usually has to do with pretense . The more common 3affect denotes having an ~ or influence . The verb ~ goes beyond mere influence; it refers to actual achievement of a final result . The uncommon noun affect, which has a meaning relating to psychology, is also sometimes mistakenly used for the very common ~. In ordinary use, the noun you will want is ~ .