Efficient

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  efficient \ef*fi"cient\ ([e^]f*f[i^]sh"ent), a. [L. efficiens,
     -entis, p. pr. of efficere to effect: cf. F. efficient. See
     {Effect}, n.]
     Causing effects; producing results; that makes the effect to
     be what it is; actively operative; not inactive, slack, or
     incapable; characterized by energetic and useful activity;


     as, an efficient officer, power.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           The efficient cause is the working cause. --Wilson.
  
     Syn: Effective; effectual; competent; able; capable;
          material; potent.
          [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Efficient \Ef*fi"cient\, n.
     An efficient cause; a prime mover.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           God . . . moveth mere natural agents as an efficient
           only.                                    --Hooker.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  efficient
       adj 1: being effective without wasting time or effort or expense;
              "an efficient production manager"; "efficient engines
              save gas" [ant: {inefficient}]
       2: able to accomplish a purpose; functioning effectively;
          "people who will do nothing unless they get something out
          of it for themselves are often highly effective
          persons..."-G.B.Shaw; "effective personnel"; "an efficient
          secretary"; "the efficient cause of the revolution" [syn:
          {effective}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  39 Moby Thesaurus words for "efficient":
     able, active, adequate, au fait, banausic, capable, competent,
     economic, effective, effectual, efficacious, equal to, feasible,
     fit, fitted, fitted for, functional, go, journeyman, operable,
     operational, operative, practicable, practical, pragmatic,
     productive, proficient, qualified, realizable, suited, thrifty,
     unwasteful, up to, up to snuff, well-fitted, well-qualified,
     well-suited, workable, worthy