Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
affection
1.
The act of affecting or acting upon; the state of being affected.
2.
(Philosophy)
An attribute, especially a contingent or alterable quality or property; a condition; a bodily state;
“The affections of quantity.” as, figure, weight, etc. , are
. affections
of bodiesBoyle.
And, truly, waking dreams were, more or less,
An old and strange
An old and strange
affection
of the house. Tennyson.
3.
Bent of mind; a feeling or natural impulse or natural impulse acting upon and swaying the mind; any emotion;
as, the benevolent
; inclination; disposition; propensity; tendency. affections
, esteem, gratitude, etc.; the malevolent affections
, hatred, envy, etc.Affection
is applicable to an unpleasant as well as a pleasant state of the mind, when impressed by any object or quality. Cogan.
4.
A settled good will; kind feeling; love; zealous or tender attachment; – often in the
pl.
Formerly followed by to, but now more generally by for or towards; as, filial, social, or conjugal
affections
; to have an affection
for or towards children.All his
affections
are set on his own country. Macaulay.
5.
Prejudice; bias.
[Obs.]
Bp. Aylmer.
6.
(Med.)
Disease; morbid symptom; malady;
as, a pulmonary
. affection
Dunglison.
AS
7.
The lively representation of any emotion.
Wotton.
8.
Affectation.
[Obs.]
“Spruce affection.” Shak.
9.
Passion; violent emotion.
[Obs.]
Most wretched man,
That to
That to
affections
does the bridle lend. Spenser.
Syn. – Attachment; passion; tenderness; fondness; kindness; love; liking; good will. See
Attachment
; Disease
. Webster 1828 Edition
Affection
AFFEC'TION
,Noun.
1.
The state of being affected. [Little used.]2.
Passion; but more generally,3.
A bent of mind towards a particular object, holding a middle place between disposition, which is natural, and passion, which is excited by the presence of its exciting object. Affection is a permanent bent of the mind, formed by the presence of an object, or by some act of another person, and existing without the presence of its object.4.
In a more particular sense, a settle good will, love or zealous attachment; as, the affection of a parent for his child. It was formerly followed by to or towards, but is now more generally followed by far.5.
Desire; inclination; propensity, good or evil; as, virtuous or vile affections. Rom. 1. Gal. 5.6.
In a general sense, an attribute, quality or property, which is inseparable from its object; as, love, fear and hope are affections of the mind; figure, weight, &c., are affections of bodies.7.
Among physicians, a disease, or any particular morbid state of the body; as, a gouty affection; hysteric affection.8.
In painting, a lively representation of passion.Shakespeare uses the word for affectation; but this use is not legitimate.
Definition 2024
affection
affection
English
Noun
affection (plural affections)
- The act of affecting or acting upon.
- The state of being affected.
- An attribute; a quality or property; a condition; a bodily state; as, figure, weight, etc., are affections of bodies.
- Bent of mind; a feeling or natural impulse or natural impulse acting upon and swaying the mind; any emotion; as, the benevolent affections, esteem, gratitude, etc.; the malevolent affections, hatred, envy, etc.; inclination; disposition; propensity; tendency.
- 2013 August 23, Mark Cocker, “Wings of Desire”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 11, page 26:
- Our affections for wild animals are distributed very unevenly. Take insects. Some 750,000 species have already been documented worldwide and the great American naturalist EO Wilson called them "the little things that run the world". Through their recycling of nutrients and the supply of base-level protein to a vast array of higher life forms, insects underpin the existence of life on this planet. Yet when it comes to human concern for creepy-crawlies, forget it.
-
- A feeling of love or strong attachment.
- 1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice Chapter 61
- Mr. Bennet missed his second daughter exceedingly; his affection for her drew him oftener from home than anything else could do. He delighted in going to Pemberley, especially when he was least expected.
- 1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice Chapter 61
- (medicine, archaic) Disease; morbid symptom; malady.
- Dunglison
- a pulmonary affection
- Dunglison
Synonyms
- (kind feeling): attachment, fondness, kindness, love, passion, tenderness
Usage notes
In the sense of "feeling of love or strong attachment", it is often in the plural; formerly followed by "to", but now more generally by "for" or "toward(s)", for example filial, social, or conjugal affections; to have an affection for or towards children
Derived terms
Terms derived from affection
Related terms
Related terms
Translations
act of affecting
state of being affected
attribute, quality or property
|
any emotion
feeling of love or strong attachment
|
morbid symptom
Verb
affection (third-person singular simple present affections, present participle affectioning, simple past and past participle affectioned)
Translations
to feel an affection for
External links
- affection at OneLook Dictionary Search
- affection in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- affection in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
French
Etymology
From Latin affectiō, affectiōnem.
Pronunciation
Noun
affection f (plural affections)