为辨些许词，捻断若干须。辨析词汇真是件苦差事，但若徜徉其中，废寝忘食，则善莫大焉。

effect， consequence， result， outcome， upshot， sequel

These nouns denote something, such as an occurrence, a situation, or a condition, that is brought about by a cause. An effect is produced by the action of an agent or a cause and follows it in time: 这些名词表示由某种原因引起的事物，如事件、情况或条件等。

effect 是由行为者的行为或原因产生并随后产生的：

“Every cause produces more than one effect” (Herbert Spencer). A consequence also follows a cause and is traceable to it, but the relationship between them is less sharply definable: “每个原因可产生多个结果” （休伯特·斯宾塞）。

consequence 也由原因引起并可追溯到该原因， 但两个词间的关系并不能严格界定：

“Servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt” (John P. Curran). A result is an effect, or the last in a series of effects, that is viewed as the end product of the operation of the cause: “强制劳动立即成为他犯罪的结果和对其罪行的惩罚” （约翰·P·卡伦）。

result 是一种结果，或系列结果中最后一个，被认为是原因作用下产生的最后结果：

“Judging from the results I have seen . . . I cannot say . . . that I agree with you” (William H. Mallock). An outcome is a result but more strongly than result implies finality and may suggest the operation of a cause over a relatively long period: “从我看到的后果来看…我不能说…我同意你” （威廉·H·马洛克）。

outcome 作为一种结果比 result 要强烈， 表示最终结果或原因作用了较长一段时间以后的结果：

If you had refused, the outcome would probably not have been very different. An upshot is a decisive result, often of the nature of a climax: 如果你拒绝的话，结局也许也不会有什么不同。

upshot 是一种决定性结果，常用于形容高潮：

“The upshot of the matter . . . was that she showed both of them the door” (Robert Louis Stevenson). A sequel is a consequence that ensues after a lapse of time: “事情的结局…是她把两人都赶出了门” （罗伯特·路易斯·史蒂文森）。

sequel 是一种在一段时间之后再产生的结果：

“Our dreams are the sequel of our waking knowledge” (Ralph Waldo Emerson).“我们的梦想是我们清醒时意识的继续” （拉尔夫·瓦尔多·爱默生）

effect,consequence,result这三词作为名词在一起比较的一般含义是由某种原因所产生的结果。

effect 和原因的关系是立刻性的，即马上可以看到的

Jasper has put up “No Parking”signs outside his gate, but these have not had any effect.

贾斯珀“把禁止停车”的牌子挂在大门外，但这没产生什么效果。

The idea to have the capital moved so far inland will have a great effect on the future of Brazil.

把首都远迁内地的这一主张对巴西的未来将产生巨大的影响。

The drug has had an immediate effect on the patient.此药对病人立刻产生了效果。

consequence 和原因的关系没有那么紧密，并非马上可以可见。

You should be responsible for all the consequences.你应当为这一切后果承担责任。

Do you know what the consequences of your action will be?你知道你的行为将会产生什么后果吗？

The consequence was that he caught a bad cold.结果是他得了重感冒。

result 虽然和原因关系密切，却不是立即可见，而是最后才能显示出的。比方某人头部受到沉重的一击，马上产生的脑震荡(此为effect)。脑震荡后他的身体渐渐垮了(即consequence)，最后不能从事正常工作了(即result)

When the first radio messages have been received, the results of the trip will be announced immediately.

当收到第一批无线电信息时，这次太空之行的结果将立即公布出去。

His limp is result of a car accident last year.他的跛足是去年一次车祸所致的结果。

注：consequence 和result 都可以用复数形式，而effect 一般常用单数，有时也用复数形式表示“结果”，但其复数形式常用来表示“所有物、财物”的意思。