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effort

 - 4 dictionary results

ef⋅fort

  [ef-ert]
Use effort in a Sentence
–noun
1. exertion of physical or mental power: It will take great effort to achieve victory.
2. an earnest or strenuous attempt: an effort to keep to the schedule.
3. something done by exertion or hard work: I thought it would be easy, but it was an effort.
4. an achievement, as in literature or art: The painting is one of his finest efforts.
5. the amount of exertion expended for a specified purpose: the war effort.
6. Chiefly British.
a. an organized community drive or achievement.
b. a fund-raising drive.
7. Mechanics. the force or energy that is applied to a machine for the accomplishment of useful work.
Origin:
1480–90; < MF; OF esfort, esforz, deriv. of esforcier to force (es- ex- 1 + forcier to force )

Synonyms:
1. struggle, striving. Effort, application, endeavor, exertion imply actions directed or force expended toward a definite end. Effort is an expenditure of energy to accomplish some objective: He made an effort to control himself. Application is continuous effort plus careful attention: constant application to duties. Endeavor means a continued and sustained series of efforts to achieve some, often worthy and difficult, end: a constant endeavor to be useful. Exertion is the vigorous and often strenuous expenditure of energy, frequently without an end: out of breath from exertion.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To effort
ef·fort   (ěf'ərt)   
n.  

  1. The use of physical or mental energy to do something; exertion.

  2. A difficult exertion of the strength or will: It was an effort to get up.

  3. A usually earnest attempt: Make an effort to arrive promptly.

  4. Something done or produced through exertion; an achievement: a play that was his finest effort.

  5. Physics Force applied against inertia.


[Middle English, from Old French esfort, from esforcier, to force, exert, from Medieval Latin exfortiāre : Latin ex-, ex- + Latin fortis, strong; see bhergh-2 in Indo-European roots.]
ef'fort·ful adj., ef'fort·ful·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

effort 
c.1489, from M.Fr. effort, noun of action from O.Fr. esforz, from esforcier "force out, exert oneself," from V.L. *exfortiare "to show strength," from L. ex- "out" + fortis "strong."
"Effort is only effort when it begins to hurt." [Ortega y Gasset, 1949]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

effort

see all out (effort); last-ditch effort.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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