side effect meaning: definition, quotations

side-effect

verbalso spelled side-effect

To alter as a side effect.

Furthermore, we are on the look-out for pre-conditions for good therapy - so as to prevent the unintended bad therapy: but our efforts are duly side-effected by lack of control over such preconditions.1980, W. de Moor, H. R. Wijngaarden, Psychotherapy, research and training, page 147:
Local objects can further be distinguished by whether or not they are escaping from the execution of m, and non-local objects can be further distinguished by whether or not they are side-effected by a visible side-effect during the execution of m:2002, Asian Symposium on Partial Evaluation and Semantics-Based Program Manipulation:

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Hence, side-effecting the environment is equivalent to collaborating with an autonomous co-robot.2012, Robert L. Constable, Alexandra Silva, Logic and Program Semantics:

side effect

noun

An unintended consequence, or secondary result, of any action, in addition to the main or intended consequence of that action.

The processing of certain raw materials - pulp and paper, oil, and alumina, for example - can have substantial environmental side effects.1987, Brundtland Report:
A side effect of this architecture (which was designed only for efficient fabrication) is that it also performs automated repair.1980, Advanced Automation for Space Missions:

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So you go along for a long time / And nothing seems to worry your mind / But what it adds up to / It's the side effect / That finally gets to you / It's the side effect / That finally gets to you1983, Ashford & Simpson, “Side Effect”, in High-Rise (album):
Useful for mild depression but may trigger coronary problems. A positive side effect is that it may actually help with degenerative joint disease symptoms.2007, Sylvia Escott-Stump, Nutrition and Diagnosis-Related Care:

Medicine, Sciences An unintended consequence of a drug or therapy; usually an adverse effect, and not a beneficial one.

“While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication.”2018 May 30, Christine Hauser, quoting Sanofi, “Roseanne Barr’s Ambien Defense Is Disputed: ‘Racism Is Not a Known Side Effect’”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Programming, Sciences A change a in state outside of the local environment of the function being called.

The Eiffel programming language is somewhat purist in insisting that functions have no side effects.

Derived terms: side-effect, side-effect-free, side-effecting