Adjacent Words

Influence definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

IN'FLUENCE, n. [L. influens, influo, to flow in; in and fluo, to flow.] Literally, a flowing in, into or on, and referring to substances spiritual or too subtil to be visible, like inspiration. Hence the word was formerly followed by into.
God hath his influence into the very essence of all things.
It is not followed by on or with.
1. In a general sense, influence denotes power whose operation is invisible and known only by its effects, or a power whose cause and operation are unseen.
2. The power which celestial bodies are supposed to exert on terrestrial; as the influence of the planets on the birth and fortunes of men; an exploded doctrine of astrology.
3. Moral power; power of truth operating on the mind, rational faculties or will, in persuading or dissuading, as the influence of motives, of arguments,or of prayer. We say, arguments had no influence on the jury. The magistrate is not popular; he has no influence with the people; or he has great influence with the prince.
4. Physical power; power that affects natural bodies by unseen operation; as, the rays of the sun have an influence in whitening cloth, and in giving a green color to vegetables.
5. Power acting on sensibility; as the influence of love or pity in sympathy.
6. Spiritual power, or the immediate power of God on the mind; as divine influence; the influences of the Holy Spirit.
IN'FLUENCE, v.t. To move by physical power operating by unseen laws or force; to affect.
These experiments 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.
1. To move by moral power; to act on and affect, as the mind or will, in persuading or dissuading; to induce. Men are influenced by motives of interest or pleasure. An orator may influence the people to take arms, or to abandon an enterprise.
2. To move, as the passions, as, to influence one by pity.
3. To lead or direct. This revelation is sufficient to influence our faith and practice.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc; "used her parents' influence to get the job"
2: causing something without any direct or apparent effort
3: a cognitive factor that tends to have an effect on what you do; "her wishes had a great influence on his thinking"
4: the effect of one thing (or person) on another; "the influence of mechanical action"
5: one having power to influence another; "she was the most important influence in my life"; "he was a bad influence on the children" v
1: have and exert influence or effect; "The artist's work influenced the young painter"; "She worked on her friends to support the political candidate" [syn: influence, act upon, work]
2: shape or influence; give direction to; "experience often determines ability"; "mold public opinion" [syn: determine, shape, mold, influence, regulate]
3: induce into action by using one's charm; "She charmed him into giving her all his money" [syn: charm, influence, tempt]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin influentia, from Latin influent-, influens, present participle of influere to flow in, from in- + fluere to flow — more at fluid Date: 14th century 1. a. an ethereal fluid held to flow from the stars and to affect the actions of humans b. an emanation of occult power held to derive from stars 2. an emanation of spiritual or moral force 3. a. the act or power of producing an effect without apparent exertion of force or direct exercise of command b. corrupt interference with authority for personal gain 4. the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways ; sway 5. one that exerts influence Synonyms: influence, authority, prestige, weight, credit mean power exerted over the minds or behavior of others. influence may apply to a force exercised and received consciously or unconsciously <used her influence to get the bill passed>. authority implies the power of winning devotion or allegiance or of compelling acceptance and belief <his opinions lacked authority>. prestige implies the ascendancy given by conspicuous excellence or reputation for superiority <the prestige of the newspaper>. weight implies measurable or decisive influence in determining acts or choices <their wishes obviously carried much weight>. credit suggests influence that arises from the confidence of others <his credit with the press>. II. transitive verb (-enced; -encing) Date: 1658 1. to affect or alter by indirect or intangible means ; sway 2. to have an effect on the condition or development of ; modify Synonyms: see affect • influenceable adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a (usu. foll. by on, upon) the effect a person or thing has on another. b (usu. foll. by over, with) moral ascendancy or power. c a thing or person exercising such power (is a good influence on them). 2 Astrol. an ethereal fluid supposedly flowing from the stars and affecting character and destiny. 3 Electr. archaic = INDUCTION. --v.tr. exert influence on; have an effect on. Phrases and idioms: under the influence colloq. affected by alcoholic drink. Derivatives: influenceable adj. influencer n. Etymology: ME f. OF influence or med.L influentia inflow f. L influere flow in (as IN-(2), fluere flow)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Influence In"flu*ence, n. [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 : ?Ah,dearest lord ! what evil star On you hath frown'd,and poured, his 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.) Induction. Syn: Control; persuasion; ascendency; sway; power; authority; supremacy; mastery; management; restraint; character; reputation; prestige.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(influences, influencing, influenced) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. Influence is the power to make other people agree with your opinions or do what you want. He denies exerting any political influence over them... The government should continue to use its influence for the release of all hostages. N-UNCOUNT: oft N over n 2. If you influence someone, you use your power to make them agree with you or do what you want. He is trying to improperly influence a witness... My dad influenced me to do electronics. VERB: V n, V n to-inf 3. To have an influence on people or situations means to affect what they do or what happens. Van Gogh had a major influence on the development of modern painting... N-COUNT: usu with supp 4. If someone or something influences a person or situation, they have an effect on that person's behaviour or that situation. We became the best of friends and he influenced me deeply... They still influence what's played on the radio. VERB: V n, V wh 5. Someone or something that is a good or bad influence on people has a good or bad effect on them. I thought Sue would be a good influence on you... N-COUNT: usu sing, usu adj N, oft N on n 6. If you are under the influence of someone or something, you are being affected or controlled by them. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. PHRASE: PHR n, usu v-link PHR, PHR after v

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Authority, sway, control, predominance, ascendency, power of impelling or directing, controlling power, directing agency. 2. Reputation, credit, weight of character. 3. Influx, inflow, inflowing. 4. Mystic power, unseen or mysterious agency. II. v. a. 1. Control, sway, bias, lead, direct, modify, affect. 2. Move, induce, impel, instigate, persuade, actuate, incite, rouse, arouse, work upon, prevail upon.

Moby Thesaurus

Rasputin, Svengali, VIP, access, acme, act on, act upon, actuation, advance, affect, alter, amperage, animation, armipotence, ascendancy, authority, authorization, bad influence, be-all and end-all, beef, behind-the-scenes influence, bend, bias, big wheel, black power, blue ribbon, bring, brute force, carry, championship, change, charge, charisma, clout, cogence, cogency, color, command, compulsion, concentrate on, conduce to, connections, consequence, contribute to, control, court, credit, decide, determine, devices, dint, direction, directorship, dispose, distort, dominance, domination, dominion, drag, drive, duress, effect, effectiveness, effectuality, eminence, eminence grise, energy, engage, enlist, expedients, favor, favoritism, first place, first prize, five-percenter, flower power, focus on, force, force majeure, forcefulness, forward, friend at court, full blast, full force, get, get to do, good influence, gray eminence, greatness, headship, heavyweight, hegemony, height, hidden hand, highest, hold, impact, imperium, importance, impress, impress upon, in, incline, induce, influence peddler, influencer, influentialness, ingroup, inner-direction, inspire, interest in, jaundice, jurisdiction, key, kingmaker, kingship, lead, lead to, leadership, leverage, lobby, lobbyist, lords of creation, lordship, lure, machination, main force, main strength, man of influence, mana, management, maneuvering, maneuvers, manipulate, manipulation, manipulator, mastership, mastery, maximum, might, might and main, mightiness, modify, moment, most, motivate, motivation, move, moving, moxie, muscle power, ne plus ultra, new high, open sesame, operate on, other-direction, palms, paramountcy, persuade, pizzazz, political influence, poop, potence, potency, potentiality, power, power pack, power structure, power struggle, powerfulness, powers that be, precedence, predispose, predominance, prejudice, prejudice against, prejudice the issue, prepossess, prepotency, presidency, pressure, pressure group, prestige, primacy, priority, procure, productiveness, productivity, prominence, prompt, prompting, puissance, pull, punch, push, rank, record, redound to, rule, say, seniority, sinew, sinister influence, soften up, sovereignty, special interests, special-interest group, stature, steam, stimulation, strength, strike, strong arm, subserve, superiority, superpower, supremacy, sway, tactical maneuvers, tactics, tempt, the Establishment, tinge, tone, top spot, touch, treat, turn the scale, twist, validity, vehemence, very important person, vigor, vim, virility, virtue, virulence, vitality, warp, wattage, wear down, weigh with, weight, weightiness, wheeler-dealer, wire-puller, wire-pulling, work, work on, zenith