1. That produces its intended effect, or adequately answers its purpose. Of legal documents or covenants: Valid, binding.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sompn. T., 162. Our orisouns ben more effectuel.
1485. Act 1 Hen. VII., Annex. Ducat. Lanc. Ruffhead IX. App. 106. Every such Lese … be as good effectual and available in the Law.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, vi. 151. To bryng the matere to a conclusion effectuell.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 232. One single Pipe of competent bore, would be as effectual as three or four.
a. 1687. Petty, Pol. Arith. (1690), 73. The charge of the Government … would be more … effectual.
1794. Burke, Corr. (1844), IV. 205. We must endeavour to make our complaints rather effectual than loud.
1884. Earl Selborne, in Law Times Rep., 1 March. Registration does not make effectual a document which was … inoperative and of no effect.
b. Theol. Effectual calling (see quot.). So also effectual grace: the special grace given to those elected to salvation.
1609. Bible (Douay), Index, Grace sufficient is geven to every one, effectual or Gods especial mercie to some.
1648. Shorter Catech., Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby … he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ.
1662. Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., III. iii. § 7. 487. If God withdrew not any effectual grace from man.
c. Effectual demand: in Political Economy.
1776. Adam Smith, W. N., I. I. vii. 68. Such people may be called effectual demanders, and their demand the effectual demand; since it may be sufficient to effectuate the bringing of the commodity to market.
1798. Malthus, Popul., III. x. (1806), II. 250. The sole cause which would determine the quantity of effective capital employed in agriculture would be the extent of the effectual demand for corn.
1868. Rogers, Pol. Econ., iii. (ed. 3), 21. And this demand must be effectual, that is, must be accompanied with the power of proffering some other object in exchange.
† 2. = EFFECTIVE in various senses. Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIII. xxvi. (1495), 462. The more whyte … a perle is, the more effectuell and vertuous it is holde.
1586. T. Bright, A Treatise of Melancholie, x. 44. I take it … to be an effectuall & pregnant substance.
1662. Marvell, Corr., xxxv. Wks. 1872–5, II. 79. My Lord of Bath, who is … as effectuall an hand as can be chosen in the whole Court.
1674. Playford, Skill Mus., I. 51. He with his Harp or Polychord Lyra expressed such effectual melody and harmony.
1689. Bp. G. Walker, Siege of Derry, 37. We also got into our Garrison some Effectual Men out of their number.
† 3. Effectual cause: = efficient cause. Obs.
1581. W. Stafford, Exam. Compl., iii. 46 a. I must … try out the effectuall cause of this inclosures.
4. Of prayers, entreaties: earnest, urgent (see also 1).
Cf. Anglo-Lat. effectuose supplicantes ‘earnestly entreating,’ A.D. 1229 in Rymer I. 308. Perhaps this use was originally due to confusion with AFFECTUAL; but the translators of the A. V. ingeniously availed themselves of it in James v. 16 to render Gr. ἐνεργουμένη (R. V. ‘in its working’).
[cf. 1386 in 1.]
c. 1440. [see EFFECTUALLY 2].
1547. Bidding Prayer, Ye shall also make your harty and effectual prayer to Almighty God for the peace of all Christian regions.
1611. Bible, James v. 16. The effectuall feruent prayer of a righteous man auaileth much.
1616. N. Brent, trans. Sarpi’s Counc. Trent (1676), 505. Letters came … with most effectual Exhortations, in the Popes name; to accommodate the differences.
† 5. ? Actual, now existing. Obs.
1598. J. Heywood (title), Workes, namelie a Dialogue, wherein are pleasantlie contrived the number of all the effectual Proverbs in our English tongue.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., II. 116. The Danes had London … and Alfred onely three effectuall Shires.
† 6. ‘To the point,’ pertinent, conclusive. Obs.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., III. i. 41. Reprove my allegation … Or else conclude my words effectuall.
1608. Yorksh. Trag., I. iv. 207. ’Tis … my fashion … to be plain and effectual.
1625. Meade, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 315, III. 203. He would give a speedy and effectual answer.
1677. Marvell, Corr., cccviii. Wks. 1872–5, II. 552. There will be no mony given this sitting, but upon very visible and effectuall termes.
