Search the Dictionary

not inactive, slack, or incapable; characterized by energetic and useful activity; as, an efficient officer, power. The efficient cause is the working cause. Wilson.

With effect; effectively.

unknown, to show how many times the latter is to be taken; as, 6x; bx; here 6 and b are coefficients of x.

Not efficient; not producing the effect intended or desired; inefficacious; as, inefficient means or measures.

In an inefficient manner.

r become a part of it, though not essential. [R.] Where no act of the will advenes as a coefficient. Coleridge.

An artificial alkaloid, believed to be efficient in abating fever.

A branch of the military service; as, the cavalry arm was made efficient.

war; the art of navigation. Science is systematized knowledge . . . Art is knowledge made efficient by skill. J. F. Genung.

The beginner, former, or first mover of anything; hence, the efficient cause of a thing; a creator; an originator. Eternal King; thee, Author of all being. Milton.

our cause is just. Shak. The part they take against me is from zeal to the cause. Burke. Efficient cause, the agent or force that produces a change or redult. -- Final cause, the end, design, or object, for which anything is done. -- Formal cause, the elements of a conception which make the conception or the thing c…

A function involving the coefficients and the variables of a quantic, and such that when the quantic is lineally transformed the same function of the new variables and coefficients shall be equal to the old function multiplied by a factor. An invariant is a like function involving only the coefficients of the quantic.…

said of mechanism. Differential calculus. (Math.) See under Calculus. -- Differential coefficient, the limit of the ratio of the increment of a function of a variable to the increment of the variable itself, when these increments are made indefinitely small. -- Differential coupling, a form of slip coupling used in…

To obtain the differential, or differential coefficient, of; as, to differentiate an algebraic expression, or an equation.

A stupid, awkward, inefficient person.[Slang]

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 h…

Producing, or having adequate power or force to produce, an intended effect; adequate; efficient; operative; decisive. Shak. Effectual steps for the suppression of the rebellion. Macaulay. Effectual calling (Theol.), a doctrine concerning the work of the Holy Spirit in producing conviction of sin and acceptance of salv…

imal, or fruit, as the earth; hence, worn out with age; exhausted of energy; incapable of efficient action; no longer productive; barren; sterile. Effete results from virile efforts. Mrs. Browning If they find the old governments effete, worn out, . . . they may seek new ones. Burke.

The quality of being efficient or producing an effect or effects; efficient power; effectual agency. The manner of this divine efficiency being far above us. Hooker.

Power of resistance to, or recovery from, depression or overwork. Coefficient of elasticity, the quotient of a stress (of a given kind), by the strain (of a given kind) which it produces; -- called also coefficient of resistance. -- Surface of elasticity (Geom.), the pedal surface of an ellipsoid (see Pedal); a surfac…