From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
1. That which produces a given effect; a cause. --Jer. Taylor.
2. One who is capable of active service.
He assembled his army -- 20,000 effectives -- at Corinth. --W. P. Johnston.
3. [F. effectif real, effective, real amount.] (Com.) Specie or coin, as distinguished from paper currency; -- a term used in many parts of Europe. --Simmonds.
4. The serviceable soldiers in a country; an army or any military body, collectively; as, France's effective. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Effective \Ef*fect"ive\, adjective [L. effectivus: cf. F. effectif.] Having the power to produce an effect or effects; producing a decided or decisive effect; efficient; serviceable; operative; as, an effective force, remedy, speech; the effective men in a regiment.
They are not effective of anything, nor leave no work behind them. --Bacon.
Whosoever is an effective, real cause of doing his heighbor wrong, is criminal. --Jer. Taylor.
Syn: Efficient; forcible; active; powerful; energetic; competent. See {Effectual}.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
adjective
1: producing or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect; "an air-cooled motor was more effective than a witch's broomstick for rapid long-distance transportation"-LewisMumford; "effective teaching methods"; "effective steps toward peace"; "made an effective entrance"; "his complaint proved to be effectual in bringing action"; "an efficacious law" [syn: {effectual}, {efficacious}] [ant: {ineffective}]
2: able to accomplish a purpose; functioning effectively; "people who will do nothing unless they get something out of it for themselves are often highly effective persons..."-G.B.Shaw; "effective personnel"; "an efficient secretary"; "the efficient cause of the revolution" [syn: {efficient}]
3: works well as a means or remedy; "an effective reprimand"; "a lotion that is effective in cases of prickly heat"
4: exerting force or influence; "the law is effective immediately"; "a warranty good for two years"; "the law is already in effect (or in force)" [syn: {good}, {in effect(p)}, {in force(p)}]
5: existing in fact; not theoretical; real; "a decline in the effective demand"; "confused increased equipment and expenditure with the quantity of effective work done"
6: equipped and ready for service; "the fort was held by about 100 effective soldiers"
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
107 Moby Thesaurus words for "effective": able, acid, active, actual, adequate, armipotent, authoritative, banausic, basic, biting, capable, charismatic, charming, cogent, compelling, competent, consequential, conspicuous, convincing, corrosive, cutting, direct, driving, dynamic, effectual, efficacious, efficient, enchanting, energetic, equal to, essential, estimable, feasible, forceful, forcible, functional, functioning, go, gutsy, high-potency, high-powered, high-pressure, high-tension, imperative, important, impressive, in force, in operation, in power, incisive, influential, irresistible, magnetic, mighty, mighty in battle, momentous, mordant, moving, nervous, noticeable, operable, operational, operative, outstanding, penetrating, personable, persuasive, piercing, poignant, potent, powerful, practicable, practical, pragmatic, prepotent, prestigious, productive, proficient, puissant, punchy, real, realizable, remarkable, reputable, ruling, sensational, serviceable, sinewed, sinewy, slashing, sound, striking, strong, suasive, substantial, telling, trenchant, true, up to, useful, valid, vigorous, virtuous, vital, weighty, winning, workable
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