a. Also 7 effœte. [ad. L. effēt-us that has brought forth young, hence worn out by bearing, exhausted, f. ex out + fētus breeding.]
† 1. Of animals: That has ceased to bring forth offspring. Obs.
1660. H. More, Myst. Godl., II. vi. 39. The Earth … grown effete and old Hardly bears small ones [i.e., men] now.
1691. Ray, Creation, I. (1704), 134. The Animal becomes barren and effete.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), V. 165. Hens … after three years become effete and barren.
fig. 1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. iv. I. § 5 (1651), 374. Nature is not effœte … to bestow all her gifts upon an age.
1796. Burke, Regic. Peace, Wks. 1842, II. 289/2. Even she [France], the mother of monsters,… shews symptoms of being almost effete.
1830. Blackw. Mag., XXVII. 410. Wonder-producers in youth generally become in manhood effete even of common births.
1840. Carlyle, Heroes (1858), 337. Nature, turned into a ‘Machine,’ was as if effete now; could not any longer produce Great Men.
2. transf. Of material substances: That has lost its special quality or virtue; exhausted, worn out.
1662. H. Stubbe, Ind. Nectar, v. 100, marg. The [Chocolata] Paste alone grows effœte, and insipid.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 228. That imprison’d and Effœte Air, within the Green-house.
1756. C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, II. 106. It … grows more effete or less smart to taste.
1828. Steuart, Planter’s G., 187. The Lime is rendered nearly effete and powerless.
1845. Todd & Bowman, Phys. Anat., I. 12. Animals and plants are ever throwing off effete particles from their organisms.
¶ Of strength, vital power: Spent, worn out.
1765. Warburton, Lett. late Prelate (1809), 359. Till all the vigour … of that monarch of the grove [the oak] be effete and near exhausted.
3. fig. Of men in an intellectual sense, of systems, etc.: That has exhausted its vigor and energy; incapable of efficient action.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 228. They find the old governments effete, worn out, and with their springs relaxed.
1844. Emerson, Lect. Yng. Amer., Wks. (Bohn), II. 295. It [gardening] is the fine art which is left for us, now that sculpture, painting … have become effete.
1857. Kingsley, Two Y. Ago, I. 226. Pray accept your effete English aristocrat.
1869. Goulburn, Purs. Holiness, xv. 143. But the monastic system … is now effete altogether.
Effeteness, exhaustion, worn-out condition.
1862. R. Patterson, Ess. Hist. & Art, 274. The effeteness of this Mantchoo dynasty.
1876. Gladstone, in Contemp. Rev., 6 June. The mummy-like effeteness … of Ultramontanism.
