KJV Dictionary Definition: affect

affect

AFFECT', v.t. L. afficio, affectum, of ad and facio, to make; affecto, to desire, from the same room. Affect is to make to, or upon to press upon.

1. To act upon; to produce an effect or change upon; as, cold affects the body; loss affects our interests.

2. To act upon, or move the passions; as, affected with grief.

3. To aim at; aspire to; desire or entertain pretension to; as, to affect imperial sway. See the etymology of Affair.

4. To tend to by natural affinity or disposition; as, the drops of a fluid affect a spherical form.

5. To love, or regard with fondness.

Think not that wars we love and strife affect.

This sense is closely allied to the third.

6. To make a show of; to attempt to imitate, in a manner not natural; to study the appearance of what is not natural, or real; as, to affect to be grave; affected friendship.

It seems to have been used formerly for convict or attaint, as in Ayliffe's Parergon; but this sense is not now in use.

affectation

AFFECTA'TION, n. L. affectatio.

1. An attempt to assume or exhibit what is not natural or real; false pretense; artificial appearance, or show; as, an affectation of wit, or of virtue.

2. Fondness; affection. Not used.

affected

AFFECT'ED, pp.

1. Impressed; moved, or touched, either in person or in interest; having suffered some change by external force, loss, danger, and the like; as, we are more or less affected by the failure of the bank.

2. Touched in the feelings; having the feelings excited; as, affected with cold or heat.

3. Having the passions moved; as, affected with sorrow or joy.

4. a. Inclined, or disposed; followed by to; as, well affected to government.

5. a. Given to false show; assuming, or pretending to possess what is not natural or real; as, an affected lady.

6. a. Assumed artificially; not natural; as, affected airs.

affecter

AFFECT'ER, n. One that affects; one that practices affectation.

affecting

AFFECT'ING, ppr.

1. Impressing; having an effect on; touching the feelings; moving the passions; attempting a false show; greatly desiring; aspiring to possess.

2. a. Having power to excite, or move the passions; tending to move the affections; pathetic; as, an affecting address.

The most affecting music is generally the most simple.

affectingly

AFFECT'INGLY, adv. In an affecting manner; in a manner to excite emotions.

affection

AFFEC'TION, n.

1. The state of being affected. Little used.

2. Passion; but more generally,

3. A bent of mind towards a particular object, holding a middle place between disposition, which is natural, and passion, which is excited by the presence of its exciting object. Affection is a permanent bent of the mind, formed by the presence of an object, or by some act of another person, and existing without the presence of its object.

4. In a more particular sense, a settle good will, love or zealous attachment; as, the affection of a parent for his child. It was formerly followed by to or towards, but is now more generally followed by far.

5. Desire; inclination; propensity, good or evil; as, virtuous or vile affections. Rom. 1. Gal. 5.

6. In a general sense, an attribute, quality or property, which is inseparable from its object; as, love, fear and hope are affections of the mind; figure, weight, &c., are affections of bodies.

7. Among physicians, a disease, or any particular morbid state of the body; as, a gouty affection; hysteric affection.

8. In painting, a lively representation of passion.

Shakespeare uses the word for affectation; but this use is not legitimate.

affectioned

AFFEC'TIONED, a.

1. Disposed; having an affection of heart.

Be ye kindly affectioned one to another. Rom 12.

2. Affected; conceited. Obs.

affective

AFFECT'IVE, a. That affects, or excites emotion; suited to affect. Little used.

affectively

AFFECT'IVELY, adv. In an affective or impressive manner.

Definitions from Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828.
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