Word Direct Answers

What does "affection" mean?

Affection: An attribute; a quality or property; a condition; a bodily state; as, figure, weight, etc. , are affections of bodies. "The affections of quantity." Boyle. And, truly, waking dreams were, more or less, An old and strange affection of the house. Tennyson.

Additional senses

  1. 2.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. Affection is applicable to an unpleasant as well as a pleasant state of the mind, when impressed by any object or quality. Cogan.
  2. 3.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.
  3. 4.Prejudice; bias. [Obs.] Bp. Aylmer.
  4. 5.(Med.) Disease; morbid symptom; malady; as, a pulmonary affection. Dunglison.
  5. 6.The lively representation of any emotion. Wotton.
  6. 7.Affectation. [Obs.] "Spruce affection." Shak.
  7. 8.Passion; violent emotion. [Obs.] Most wretched man, That to affections does the bridle lend. Spenser. See Attachment; Disease.

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