Part 123

Af*fair" (f*fâr"), n. [OE. afere, affere, OF. afaire, F. affaire, fr. a faire to do; L.. ad + facere to do. See Fact, and cf. Ado.] 1. That which is done or is to be done; matter; concern; as, a difficult affair to manage; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public; -- often in the plural. "At the head of affairs." Junius. "A talent for affairs." Prescott.

2. Any proceeding or action which it is wished to refer to or characterize vaguely; as, an affair of honor, i. e., a duel; an affair of love, i. e., an intrigue.

3. (Mil.) An action or engagement not of sufficient magnitude to be called a battle.

4. Action; endeavor. [Obs.]

And with his best affair Obeyed the pleasure of the Sun. Chapman.

5. A material object (vaguely designated).

A certain affair of fine red cloth much worn and faded. Hawthorne.

Af*fam"ish (f*fm"sh), v. t. & i. [F. affamer, fr. L. ad + fames hunger. See Famish.] To afflict with, or perish from, hunger. [Obs.] Spenser.

Af*fam"ish*ment (-ment), n. Starvation. Bp. Hall.

Af*fat"u*ate (&?;), v. t. [L. ad + fatuus foolish.] To infatuate. [Obs.] Milton.

Af*fear" (&?;), v. t. [OE. aferen, AS. f&?;ran. See Afeard.] To frighten. [Obs.] Spenser.

Af*fect" (f*fkt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Affected; p. pr. & vb. n. Affecting.] [L. affectus, p. p. of afficere to affect by active agency; ad + facere to make: cf. F. affectere, L. affectare, freq. of afficere. See Fact.] 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.

Burke.

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.