different between effect vs attain

English

Etymology

For noun: from Middle English effect, from Old French effect (modern French effet), from Latin effectus (“an effect, tendency, purpose”), from effici? (“accomplish, complete, effect”); see effect as a verb. Replaced Old English fremming, fremednes from fremman.

For verb: from Middle English effecten, partly from Latin effectus, perfect passive participle of effici? (“accomplish, complete, do, effect”), from ex (“out”) + faci? (“do, make”) (see fact and compare affect, infect) and partly from the noun effect.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??f?kt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??f?kt/
• (Malaysia, Singapore) IPA^(key): /i?f?kt/
• Rhymes: -?kt
• Hyphenation: ef?fect

Noun

effect (countable and uncountable, plural effects)

1. The result or outcome of a cause.

2. Impression left on the mind; sensation produced.
   • October 1832, unknown author, The Tears of Parents (in The Christian Observer Volume 32

     patchwork […] introduced for oratorical effect

   • 1832, Washington Irving, Tales of the Alhambra

     The effect was heightened by the wild and lonely nature of the place.

3. Execution; performance; realization; operation.
   1. (uncountable) The state of being binding and enforceable, as in a rule, policy, or law.

4. (cinematography) An illusion produced by technical means (as in "special effect")

5. (sound engineering) An alteration, or device for producing an alteration, in sound after it has been produced by an instrument.

6. (physics, psychology, etc.) A scientific phenomenon, usually named after its discoverer.

7. (usually in the plural) Belongings, usually as personal effects.
8. Consequence intended; purpose; meaning; general intent; with to.

   • They spake to her to that effect.

9. (obsolete) Reality; actual meaning; fact, as distinguished from mere appearance.
   • 1642, John Denham, Cooper's Hill

     no other in effect than what it seems

10. (obsolete) Manifestation; expression; sign.

Usage notes

Do not confuse with affect.

Adjectives often applied to "effect":

• biological, chemical, cultural, economic, legal, mental, moral, nutritional, personal, physical, physiological, political and social
• actual, bad, beneficial, catastrophic, deleterious, disastrous, devastating, fatal, good, harmful, important, intended, likely, natural, negative, positive, potential, primary, real, secondary, significant, special, strong, undesirable and weak

Hyponyms

Derived terms

• after-effect

Related terms

• in effect
• take effect
• personal effects

Translations

References

Verb

effect (third-person singular simple present effects, present participle effecting, simple past and past participle effected)

1. (transitive) To make or bring about; to implement.

2. Misspelling of affect.

Usage notes

Effect is often confused with affect. The latter suggests influence over existing ideas, emotions and entities; the former indicates the manifestation of new or original ideas or entities:

• “New governing coalitions have effected major changes” indicates that major changes were made as a result of new governing coalitions.
• “New governing coalitions have affected major changes” indicates that before new governing coalitions, major changes were in place, and that the new governing coalitions had some influence over those existing changes.

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• effect in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• effect in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch effect, from Latin effectus. The sense ‘(equitable) security’ borrowed from German Effekt or French effet.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??f?kt/
• Hyphenation: ef?fect
• Rhymes: -?kt

Noun

effect n (plural effecten, diminutive effectje n)

1. effect
2. (finance, usually in the plural) security

   Hypernym: waardepapier

3. (ball games) spin (rotation of a ball)
4. (obsolete) personal effect, belonging

Compounds

• broeikaseffect
• domino-effect
• effectbal
• effectenbeurs
• sneeuwbaleffect

Derived terms

• effectief

Descendants

• Afrikaans: effek
• ? Indonesian: efek

References

Middle French

Alternative forms

• effaict

Etymology

From Old French effect

Noun

effect m (plural effects)

1. effect

Descendants

• French: effet

Old French

Etymology

From Latin effectus

Noun

effect m (oblique plural effecz or effectz, nominative singular effecz or effectz, nominative plural effect)

1. effect
2. (law) judgment; decree
   • punir les contrevenantz solonc l’effect des estatut

     Punish the offender according to the decree of the statute

Descendants

• ? English: effect
• French: effet

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman ataindre, from Old French, from Latin atting?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??te?n/
• Rhymes: -e?n

Verb

attain (third-person singular simple present attains, present participle attaining, simple past and past participle attained)

1. (transitive) To gain (an object or desired result).

   Synonyms: accomplish, achieve, get

   To attain such a high level of proficiency requires hours of practice each day.

   • c. 1595, William Shakespeare, Richard II, Act II, Scene 3,^[1]

     Lord Ross. Your presence makes us rich, most noble lord.

     Lord Willoughby. And far surmounts our labour to attain it.

   • 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair, London: Bradbury and Evans, Chapter 63, p. 572,^[2]

     […] he will stick at no falsehood, or hesitate at no crime, to attain his ends.

   • 1885, W. S. Gilbert, The Mikado, London: Chappell & Co., Act I, p. 6,^[3]

     […] that’s the highest rank a citizen can attain!

   • 1937, George Orwell, The Road to Wigan Pier, New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1958, Part 1, Chapter 5, p. 82,^[4]

     […] solitude is never easy to attain in a working-class home

   • 2007, Mohsin Hamid, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Orlando: Harcourt, Chapter 11, p. 157,^[5]

     Where else could I […] hope to attain such an impressive income?

2. (transitive) To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at (a place, time, state, etc.).
   • c. 1599, William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Act V, Scene 5,^[6]

     […] my bones would rest,

     That have but labour’d to attain this hour.

   • 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 10, line 1026,^[7]

     Canaan he now attains,

   • 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, London: J. Johnson, Part 1, Chapter 4, p. 150,^[8]

     It has also been asserted, by some naturalists, that men do not attain their full growth and strength till thirty; but that women arrive at maturity by twenty.

   • 1818, Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, London: Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, Volume 1, Letter 3,^[9]

     the southern gales […] blow us speedily towards those shores which I so ardently desire to attain

3. (intransitive) To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.

   Synonyms: get, reach

   • 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Psalm 139.6,^[10]

     Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it.

   • 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Acts 27.12,^[11]

     if by any means they might attain to Phenice

   • 1782, William Cowper, letter to Joseph Hill dated 11 November, 1782, in Private Correspondence of William Cowper, London: Henry Colburn, 1824, Volume 1, p. 222,^[12]

     You may not, perhaps, live to see your trees attain to the dignity of timber—I, nevertheless, approve of your planting, and the disinterested spirit that prompts you to it.

   • 1810, Walter Scott, The Lady of the Lake, Edinburgh: John Ballantyne, Canto 1, stanza 7, p. 10,^[13]

     For, scarce a spear’s length from his haunch,

     Vindictive toiled the blood-hounds staunch;

     Nor nearer might the dogs attain,

     Nor farther might the quarry strain.

   • 1874, John Richard Green, A Short History of the English People, London: Macmillan, Chapter 2, Section 6, p. 90,^[14]

     Few boroughs had as yet attained to power such as this,

4. (transitive, obsolete) To get at the knowledge of.

   Synonym: ascertain

   • 1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-History of Britain, London: John Williams, Century 13, section 2, p. ,^[15]

     […] Master Camden, sometimes acknowledgeth, sometimes denieth him for an English Earle. Not that I accuse him as inconstant to himself, but suspect my self not well attaining his meaning therein.

5. (transitive, obsolete) To reach in excellence or degree.

   Synonym: equal

   • 1625, Francis Bacon, Essays, “Of Innovations,” p. 139,^[16]

     Yet notwithstanding as Those that first bring Honour into their Family, are commonly more worthy, then most that succeed: So the first President (if it be good) is seldome attained by Imitation.

6. (transitive, obsolete) To reach a person after being behind them.

   Synonyms: catch up with, overtake

   • 1622, Francis Bacon, History of the Reign of King Henry VII, London, 1629, p. 174,^[17]

     The Earle finding […] the enemie retired, pursued with all celeritie into Scotland; hoping to haue ouer-taken the Scottish King, and to haue giuen him Battaile; But not attaining him in time, sate downe before the Castle of Aton […] which in a small time hee tooke.

Derived terms

• attainable

Related terms

• attainder
• attainment
• attaint
• attainture

Translations

Anagrams

• Anitta