different between effect vs sign

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

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /sa?n/
• Homophones: sine, syne
• Rhymes: -a?n

Etymology 1

From Middle English signe, sygne, syng, seine, sine, syne, from Old English se?n (“sign; mark; token”) and Old French signe, seing (“sign; mark; signature”); both from Latin signum (“a mark; sign; token”); root uncertain. Doublet of signum. Partially displaced native token.

Noun

sign (countable and uncountable, plural signs)

1. (sometimes also used uncountably) A perceptible (e.g. visibile) indication.
   • 2000, Geoffrey McGuinness, Carmen McGuinness, How to Increase Your Child's Verbal Intelligence: The Language Wise Method, Yale University Press (?ISBN), page 38:

     The sound of the Orlando dinner train whistle reminds me that it ' s already Friday, an auditory sign. Another auditory sign, a distant thunder clap, warns me of limited computer time before our evening thunderstorm moves in.

2. (Canada, US, Australia, uncountable) Physical evidence left by an animal.

3. A clearly visible object, generally flat, bearing a short message in words or pictures.

4. A wonder; miracle; prodigy.
   • 1611, King James Version, Exodus 4:17:

     And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

5. (astrology) An astrological sign.

6. (mathematics) Positive or negative polarity, as denoted by the + or - sign.

7. A specific gesture or motion used to communicate by those with speaking or hearing difficulties; now specifically, a linguistic unit in sign language equivalent to word in spoken languages.
   • 2007, Marcel Danesi, The Quest for Meaning:

     In American Sign Language (ASL), for instance, the sign for 'catch' is formed with one hand (in the role of agent) moving across the body (an action) to grasp the forefinger of the other hand (the patient).

8. (uncountable) Sign language in general.

9. A semantic unit, something that conveys meaning or information (e.g. a word of written language); (linguistics, semiotics) a unit consisting of a signifier and a signified concept. (See sign (semiotics).)
   • 1692, Thomas Bennet, Short Introduction of Grammar ... of the Latine Tongue:

     A Noun substantive and a Noun adjective may be thus distinguished, that a substantive may have the sign a or the before it; as, puer, a boy, the boy; but an adjective cannot, as, bonus, good.

   • 1753, Charles Davies, Busby's English Introduction to the Latin Tongue Examined, page 11:

     A Pronoun is a Noun implying a Person, but not admitting the Sign a or the before it.

   • 2008, Eero Tarasti, Robert S. Hatten, A Sounding of Signs: Modalities and Moments in Music, Culture, and Philosophy : Essays in Honor of Eero Tarasti on His 60th Anniversary:

     And some linguistic signs, like “the”, “and” or “with”, may lack apparent objects, though they are clearly meaningful and interpretable.

10. An omen.

11. (medicine) A property of the body that indicates a disease and, unlike a symptom, is unlikely to be noticed by the patient.
12. A military emblem carried on a banner or standard.

    (Can we find and add a quotation of Milton to this entry?)

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English signen, seinen, seinien, partly from Old English se?nian (“to mark; sign”) and partly from Anglo-Norman seigner, seiner et al., Old French signer et al., and their source Latin sign?re (“to mark, seal, indicate, signify”); all from Latin signum (“a mark, sign”); see Etymology 1, above. Compare sain.

Verb

sign (third-person singular simple present signs, present participle signing, simple past and past participle signed)

1. To make a mark
   1. (transitive, now rare) To seal (a document etc.) with an identifying seal or symbol. [from 13th c.]

      The Queen signed her letter with the regal signet.

   2. (transitive) To mark, to put or leave a mark on. [from 14th c.]
      • 1726, Elijah Fenton, The Odyssey of Homer:

        Meantime revolving in his thoughtful mind / The scar, with which his manly knee was sign'd […].

   3. (transitive) To validate or ratify (a document) by writing one's signature on it. [from 15th c.]
      • c. 1597, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice:

        Enquire the Iewes house out, giue him this deed, / And let him signe it […].

   4. (transitive) More generally, to write one's signature on (something) as a means of identification etc. [from 15th c.]

      I forgot to sign that letter to my aunt.

   5. (transitive or reflexive) To write (one's name) as a signature. [from 16th c.]

      Just sign your name at the bottom there.

      I received a letter from some woman who signs herself ‘Mrs Trellis’.

   6. (intransitive) To write one's signature. [from 17th c.]

      Please sign on the dotted line.

   7. (intransitive) To finalise a contractual agreement to work for a given sports team, record label etc. [from 19th c.]
      • 2011, The Guardian, (headline), 18 Oct 2011:

        Agents say Wales back Gavin Henson has signed for Cardiff Blues.

   8. (transitive) To engage (a sports player, musician etc.) in a contract. [from 19th c.]

      It was a great month. I managed to sign three major players.

2. To make the sign of the cross
   1. (transitive) To bless (someone or something) with the sign of the cross; to mark with the sign of the cross. [from 14th c.]

      • We receive this child into the congregation of Christ's flock, and do sign him with the sign of the cross.

      • 1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society 2012, p. 34:

        At the baptismal ceremony the child was […] signed with the cross in holy water.

   2. (reflexive) To cross oneself. [from 15th c.]
      • 1855, Robert Browning, Men and Women:

        Shaking a fist at him with one fierce arm, / Signing himself with the other because of Christ.

3. To indicate
   1. (intransitive) To communicate using a gesture or signal. [from 16th c.]
   2. (transitive) To communicate or make known (a meaning, intention, etc.) by a sign.
   3. (transitive) To communicate using gestures to (someone). [from 16th c.]

      He signed me that I should follow him through the doorway.

   4. (intransitive) To use sign language. [from 19th c.]
   5. (transitive) To furnish (a road etc.) with signs. [from 20th c.]
4. To determine the sign of
   1. (transitive) To calculate or derive whether a quantity has a positive or negative sign.

Derived terms

Related terms

• signal
• signature
• signet
• signify

Translations

Further reading

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

Anagrams

• IGNs, Ings, NGIs, Sing, Sing., gins, ings, nigs, sing, sing., snig