affecting

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
affecting
    adj 1: arousing affect; "the homecoming of the released hostages
           was an affecting scene"; "poignant grief cannot endure
           forever"; "his gratitude was simple and touching" [syn:
           {affecting}, {poignant}, {touching}]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Affect \Af*fect"\, 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.
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            As might affect the earth with cold heat. --Milton.
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            The climate affected their health and spirits.
                                                  --Macaulay.
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   2. To influence or move, as the feelings or passions; to
      touch.
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            A consideration of the rationale of our passions
            seems to me very necessary for all who would affect
            them upon solid and pure principles.
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   3. To love; to regard with affection. [Obs.]
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            As for Queen Katharine, he rather respected than
            affected, rather honored than loved, her. --Fuller.
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   4. To show a fondness for; to like to use or practice; to
      choose; hence, to frequent habitually.
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            For he does neither affect company, nor is he fit
            for it, indeed.                       --Shak.
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            Do not affect the society of your inferiors in rank,
            nor court that of the great. --Hazlitt.
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   5. To dispose or incline.
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            Men whom they thought best affected to religion and
            their country's liberty.              --Milton.
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   6. To aim at; to aspire; to covet. [Obs.]
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            This proud man affects imperial ?way. --Dryden.
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   7. To tend to by affinity or disposition.
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            The drops of every fluid affect a round figure.
                                                  --Newton.
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   8. To make a show of; to put on a pretense of; to feign; to
      assume; as, to affect ignorance.
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            Careless she is with artful care,
            Affecting to seem unaffected.         --Congreve.
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            Thou dost affect my manners.          --Shak.
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   9. To assign; to appoint. [R.]
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            One of the domestics was affected to his special
            service.                              --Thackeray.
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   Syn: To influence; operate; act on; concern; move; melt;
        soften; subdue; overcome; pretend; assume.
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from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Affecting \Af*fect"ing\, a.
   1. Moving the emotions; fitted to excite the emotions;
      pathetic; touching; as, an affecting address; an affecting
      sight.
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            The most affecting music is generally the most
            simple.
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   2. Affected; given to false show. [Obs.]
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            A drawling; affecting rouge.          --Shak.
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from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
46 Moby Thesaurus words for "affecting":
      afflictive, bitter, bleak, cheerless, comfortless, deplorable,
      depressing, depressive, discomforting, dismal, dismaying,
      distressful, distressing, disturbing, doleful, dolorific,
      dolorogenic, dolorous, dreary, emotive, grievous, heartrending,
      impressive, joyless, lamentable, mournful, moving, painful,
      pathetic, piteous, pitiable, pitiful, poignant, regrettable,
      rueful, sad, saddening, sharp, sore, sorrowful, touching,
      troubling, uncomfortable, woebegone, woeful, wretched

    

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