INFLUENCE

influence

(noun) causing something without any direct or apparent effort

influence

(noun) a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc; “used her parents’ influence to get the job”

influence

(noun) a cognitive factor that tends to have an effect on what you do; “her wishes had a great influence on his thinking”

influence

(noun) one having power to influence another; “she was the most important influence in my life”; “he was a bad influence on the children”

influence

(noun) the effect of one thing (or person) on another; “the influence of mechanical action”

determine, shape, mold, influence, regulate

(verb) shape or influence; give direction to; “experience often determines ability”; “mold public opinion”

charm, influence, tempt

(verb) induce into action by using one’s charm; “She charmed him into giving her all his money”

influence, act upon, work

(verb) have and exert influence or effect; “The artist’s work influenced the young painter”; “She worked on her friends to support the political candidate”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

influence (countable and uncountable, plural influences)

The power to affect, control or manipulate something or someone; the ability to change the development of fluctuating things such as conduct, thoughts or decisions.

An action exerted by a person or thing with such power on another to cause change.

A person or thing exerting such power or action.

(astrology) An element believed to determine someone's character or individual tendencies, caused by the position of the stars and planets at the time of one's birth.

(obsolete) The action of flowing in; influx.

(electricity) Electrostatic induction.

Usage notes

• Adjectives often applied to "influence": cultural, political, social, economic, military, personal, moral, intellectual, mental, good, bad, positive, negative, beneficial, harmful, huge, big, heavy, significant, important, potential, actual, primary.

Hyponyms

• social influence

Verb

influence (third-person singular simple present influences, present participle influencing, simple past and past participle influenced)

(transitive) To have an effect on by using gentle or subtle action; to exert an influence upon; to modify, bias, or sway; to persuade or induce.

(intransitive) To exert, make use of one's influence.

(transitive, obsolete) To cause to flow in or into; infuse; instill.

Source: Wiktionary


In"flu*ence, n. Etym: [F. influence, fr. L. influens, -entis, p.pr. See Influent, and cf. Influenza.]

1. A flowing in or upon; influx. [Obs.] God hath his influence into the very essence of all things. Hooker.

2. Hence, in general, the bringing about of an effect, phusical or moral, by a gradual process; controlling power quietly exerted; agency, force, or tendency of any kind which the sun exerts on animal and vegetable life; the influence of education on the mind; the influence, according to astrologers,of the stars over affairs. Astrologers call the evil influences of the stars,evil aspects. Bacon. Cantsthou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion Job xxxviii. 31. She said : influence bad " Spenser.

3. Power or authority arising from elevated station, excelence of character or intellect, wealth, etc.; reputation; acknowledged ascendency; as, he is a man of influence in the community. Such influence hath your excellency. Sir P. Sidney.

4. (Elec.)

Definition: Induction.

Syn.

– Control; persuasion; ascendency; sway; power; authority; supremacy; mastery; management; restraint; character; reputation; prestige.

In"flu*ence, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Influenced; p. pr. & vb. n. Influencing.]

Definition: To control or move by power, physical or moral; to affect by gentle action; to exert an influence upon; to modify, bias, or sway; to move; to persuade; to induce. Theseexperiments succeed after the same manner in vacuo as in the open air,and therefore are not influenced by the weight or pressure of the atmosphere. Sir I. Newton. This standing revelation . . . is sufficient to influence their faith and practice, if they attend. Attebury. The principle which influenced their obedience has lost its efficacy. Rogers.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET



Word of the Day

27 November 2024

NAUSEATING

(adjective) causing or able to cause nausea; “a nauseating smell”; “nauseous offal”; “a sickening stench”


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

According to Guinness World Records, the largest collection of coffee pots belongs to Robert Dahl (Germany) and consists of 27,390 coffee pots as of 2 November 2012, in Rövershagen, Germany.

coffee icon