Affect — Defs

01 v. t. To act upon; to produce an effect or change upon.

imp. & p. p. Affected; p. pr. & vb. n. Affecting

1.
To act upon; to produce an effect or change upon.
“As might affect the earth with cold heat.” — Milton.

“The climate affected their health and spirits.” — Macaulay.
2.
To influence or move, as the feelings or passions; to touch.
“A consideration of the rationale of our passions seems to me very necessary for all who would affect them upon solid and pure principles.”
3.
To love; to regard with affection.[Obs.]
“As for Queen Katharine, he rather respected than affected, rather honored than loved, her.” — Fuller.
4.
To show a fondness for; to like to use or practice; to choose; hence, to frequent habitually.
“For he does neither affect company, nor is he fit for it, indeed.” — Shak.

“Do not affect the society of your inferiors in rank, nor court that of the great.” — Hazlitt.
5.
To dispose or incline.
“Men whom they thought best affected to religion and their country's liberty.” — Milton.
6.
To aim at; to aspire; to covet.[Obs.]
“This proud man affects imperial �way.” — Dryden.
7.
To tend to by affinity or disposition.
“The drops of every fluid affect a round figure.” — Newton.
8.
To make a show of; to put on a pretense of; to feign; to assume; as, to affect ignorance.
“Careless she is with artful care, Affecting to seem unaffected.” — Congreve.

“Thou dost affect my manners.” — Shak.
9.
To assign; to appoint.[R.]
“One of the domestics was affected to his special service.” — Thackeray.

Syn. To influence; operate; act on; concern; move; melt; soften; subdue; overcome; pretend; assume.

02 n. Affection; inclination; passion; feeling; disposition.

1.
Affection; inclination; passion; feeling; disposition.[Obs.]
2.
The emotional complex associated with an idea or mental state. In hysteria, the affect is sometimes entirely dissociated, sometimes transferred to another than the original idea.(Psychotherapy)