Emily Dickinson Lexicon

IN-EF-FECT'IVE, a. [in and effective.]

1. Not effective; not producing any effect, or the effect intended; inefficient; useless. The word of God, without the spirit, is a dead and ineffective letter. Taylor.
2. Not able; not competent to the service intended; as, ineffective troops; ineffective force.
3. Producing no effect.