efficientef‧fi‧cient /ɪˈfɪʃənt/ ●●● S3 W3 adjective 
a very efficient secretary an efficient use of land Lighting is now more energy efficient.—efficiently adverbCOLLOCATIONSadverbsextremely/highly efficient· The factory is modern and highly efficient.efficient + NOUNan efficient way· Email is an efficient way of contacting a large number of people.an efficient method· The railways used to provide a cheap efficient method of travel.an efficient means· The tram is a very efficient means of transport.an efficient system· We need a more efficient system for collecting money.an efficient service· We aim to provide our clients with an efficient and friendly service.the efficient use of something· We must work towards the more efficient use of all natural resources.the efficient operation of something· The law must protect investors without interfering with the efficient operation of the market.NOUN + efficientenergy/fuel efficient (=not wasting any fuel or energy)· an energy efficient heating systemcost efficient (=costing or spending as little as possible)· The larger a firm becomes the more cost efficient it can become.
WORD ORIGINefficient
Origin:
1300-1400 Latin present participle of efficere; ➔ EFFECT1EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- an energy efficient heating system
- For a successful business, friendly and efficient staff are essential.
- Modern houses are much more energy efficient
- My new computer's much faster and more efficient than the old one was.
- Service at the restaurant is efficient and friendly.
- The doctor was cheerful and efficient, which immediately made me feel more relaxed.
- The passport office seems very efficient - I got a new passport in just 48 hours.
- This is the most efficient and economical washing machine on the market.
- We need more efficient methods of transporting goods.
- Government rules now require car companies to design and produce cars with increasingly efficient engines.
- If you are already using Ventura then these changes will all make your work more efficient and easy.
- In its draft version the report declares that market forces alone will not ensure more efficient use of energy.
- It is so efficient and saves vast amounts of time and money.
- Or the child may at first become even less efficient and then show some improvement.
- Organisationally, the working of both payroll and personnel records has been very useful in providing an efficient administrative service.
- They point out that bottom-up statistical methods are efficient from a computational point of view, but exhibit poor error correcting capabilities.
- Thus, an efficient managerial labour market would be enough.
Longman Language Activatororganization/system/method
an efficient organization, method, or system is one in which all the parts work well together and good results are achieved without any money or time being wasted: · The passport office seems very efficient - I got a new passport in just 48 hours.· We need more efficient methods of transporting goods.
also well-organised British organized in a careful and efficient way, and therefore likely to be successful: · The exhibition was very well-organized.· It was a well-organized demonstration, in which about 1000 people took part.· More employers now have well-financed and well-organized health promotion programs within the workplace.
use this about an organization or business that is successful and efficient because the people in charge organize it well: · The Klausner is a comfortable, well-run hotel.· Public transport in this country is well-run and inexpensive.
an organization or system that is very efficient and operates easily, without any problems: run/work like a well-oiled machine: · The administration runs like a well-oiled machine.
efficient and without problems or difficulties: · To ensure a smooth change-over, we'd like you to start work one week before your predecessor leaves.· FrontPage is a software program that helps to organize the entire web site so that it works in a smooth fashion.· The main responsibility of the Project Co-ordinator is to ensure the smooth running of the department.
machine use this about a machine that works well and produces good results without any money or time being wasted: · This is the most efficient and economical washing machine on the market.· My new computer's much faster and more efficient than the old one was.energy efficient (=using less gas, oil etc than other systems, machines etc): · Modern houses are much more energy efficient· an energy efficient heating system
a machine or vehicle that is economical is not expensive to use or run because it does not use much electricity, oil, gas etc: · People should be encouraged to buy smaller, more economical cars with fewer toxic emissions.· The Unipot does the work of several saucepans, and is very economical.economical on: · I'd like to buy a car that is more economical on petrol.
person someone who is efficient works well and does what needs to be done without wasting time: · For a successful business, friendly and efficient staff are essential.· The doctor was cheerful and efficient, which immediately made me feel more relaxed.
an efficient way of working: · I was impressed by her speed and efficiency.· The management seems to expect staff to be constantly achieving higher levels of efficiency and productivity.
someone who is effective , especially someone in a position of authority, deals quickly and successfully with the work they have to do: · An effective teacher will always produce better exam results.· What we need is a tough and effective leader with a sense of direction .
someone who is capable does things well and confidently and does not need anyone else's help or advice: · All the staff at the nursing home seemed very capable.· They've got a very capable lawyer working on the case.· Rebecca was, without question, the most capable technician on the team.
also well-organised British someone who is well-organized plans things well so that they achieve what they want to achieve: · If you work as a personal assistant, you need to be well-organized.· Well-organized rebel forces have succeeded in recapturing the town.
someone who is businesslike deals with people effectively and does not waste time on things that are not important: · As a lawyer, you have to be controlled and businesslike at all times.· Gates gave a brief, businesslike explanation of his plans for the company.
to manage a business or company very efficiently, especially by having strict rules and by not allowing the people working there to have much freedom: · We run a very tight ship here, and we expect all our employees to be at their desks by nine o'clock.
someone who is productive does a job efficiently and with good results, because they work faster than most people or do more work than most people: · Studies show that if screen workers have short but frequent breaks they become much more productive.· The most productive members of staff are rewarded by financial bonuses.
to make a business or system more efficient · We must increase efficiency and reduce costs if we are to make a profit this year.· The company has concentrated on encouraging worker involvement and improving efficiency.· Less complex business processes can reduce costs and improve efficiency and quality.
to make the processes of a business or system simpler so that it operates more quickly and more efficiently: · We have streamlined the whole business by introducing a new computer system.· People are calling for steps to reform the juvenile justice system, including streamlining the process of prosecuting young offenders.
also rationalise British to make a business or system more efficient by making it quicker, more modern, and less wasteful: · Since the administrative side of the business has been rationalized, all departments have become more efficient.· The budget proposed selling off $1,300 million worth of state-run enterprises and rationalizing the tax structure.
not efficient something or someone that is inefficient does not work as well as they should or could, in a way that wastes time, money, or effort: · The postal service in this country is very inefficient.· Inefficient management leads to poor employee performance.
a person or organization that is ineffectual is not able to get things done because they are not good enough or do not have a strong character: · The police were completely ineffectual in this matter.· He's a nice enough man, but rather ineffectual as a team captain.· The problems were made worse by the ineffectual political leadership of the coalition.
someone who is ineffective , especially someone in a position of authority, is not able to deal successfully with the work they have to do: · I sometimes feel that she is just totally ineffective in this job.· A combination of ineffective management and inadequate investment brought about this collapse.
an organization that is badly-run produces bad results because it is badly managed: · The club was badly run and had to close after only six months.· a badly-run company
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYadverbs a highly successful politician
if someone or something is efficient, they work well without wasting time, money, or energy OPP inefficient: · The factory is modern and highly efficient.
efficient + NOUN· Email is an efficient way of contacting a large number of people.
· The railways used to provide a cheap efficient method of travel.
· The tram is a very efficient means of transport.
· We need a more efficient system for collecting money.
· We aim to provide our clients with an efficient and friendly service.
· We must work towards the more efficient use of all natural resources.
· The law must protect investors without interfering with the efficient operation of the market.
NOUN + efficient (=not wasting any fuel or energy)· an energy efficient heating system
(=costing or spending as little as possible)· The larger a firm becomes the more cost efficient it can become.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES a highly successful politician· Speed bumps are an effective means of stopping cars from going too fast.
(=giving the result you want)· Some methods are more effective than others.
· It was a highly effective system of communication.
· Doing the work in stages makes the most efficient use of resources.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· Also, often as not and depending on the turnover rate, air operated filters are just as efficient.· The arrangement of the room should be as efficient and convenient for several people moving about as for one person sitting reading.· Modern heating appliances of all types are generally well-designed, unobtrusive, and as efficient as current technology allows.· Greengate proved to be almost four times as efficient as any other Pilkingtons glass plant.· She never did, being as efficient as she was creative in the kitchen that she loved so much.· The only question for me was if Neil's sources in the financial sector were as efficient as mine.· But the whole process is still not as efficient.· If heavy bushes are out of place, graceful grasses can be just as efficient.
· As very few records will not be on their home tracks, this procedure is extremely efficient.· Furthermore, they are extremely efficient.· It would also make extremely efficient use of potentially dwindling uranium supplies.· Amphoterics are high foaming and extremely efficient detergents but their expense tends to rule them out for all but specialist applications.· Jim McWhir, working with Ray Ansell, devised an extremely efficient method for doing this.· Indeed, the network of Essene houses seems to have been both widespread and extremely efficient.· Cats are normally extremely efficient at regulating the amount of food they take in.
· Culturing microorganisms offers a highly efficient means of producing high-protein food supplements for a hungry world of the future.· They are highly efficient and especially adroit at cutting out excessive steps and cumbersome procedures.· Though this makes many passengers change aeroplanes, it is highly efficient for the airlines themselves.· It was unlikely that this highly efficient virus would carry any superfluous baggage.· Law was a highly efficient, rather unimaginative, detailed administrator, given political force by a strong sense of partisan combativeness.· They know him only as a highly efficient and exacting captain.· These national breeding programmes are highly efficient and successful but the diversity has been lost.· The edge and beyond. Highly efficient and visually satisfying.
· To protect Britain's biggest manufacturer by making it less efficient: now that should really worry the public.· It was less efficient in practice.· Use of n-grams requires little storage or processing but is less efficient at discriminating between acceptable and unacceptable letter strings.· Or the child may at first become even less efficient and then show some improvement.· Such anaerobic respiration is much quicker than aerobic respiration, but also much less efficient in terms of energy produced per unit of fuel.· This anaerobic system is much less efficient than the primary, oxygen-using system.· The escaping water would quickly turn to steam, it was feared, which would be much less efficient at removing heat.· The feeding of insect-eaters is less efficient.
· This makes sense if and only if these committees and interfaces produce more innovation and more efficient innovation than the alternatives.· This can make markets more efficient, and lets investors spend less time and money searching for information.· The system functions as a turnkey management solution to service providers, making their operation more efficient and profitable.· One person leading into another can make for a smoother flow and a more efficient use of time.· A far more efficient option is a fire which has a convector firebox to boost output.· In the winter, reversible ceiling fans can help circulate warm air and make furnace use more efficient.
· The skilled reader does not guess so much as eliminate alternatives by the most efficient route.· The answer is that firms will want to use the most efficient technique because it yields the greatest profit.· But I am not the most efficient of fell walkers; others may go up top to conquer the summits.· It is competition which forces firms to adopt the most efficient productive techniques.· Instead of allocating resources in the most efficient way there is a list of priorities.· Patents and other proprietary mechanisms may prevent the use of the most efficient processes turning out the best quality products.· In sum, it enables the body to be most able to deal with danger and to be most efficient physically.· Buffalo is one of the most efficient grass-eating animals in the world, thus it is more economical to raise than cattle.
· It is so efficient and saves vast amounts of time and money.· Text is so efficient over the Internet that it is feasible to give away this kind of service.· These days you are so efficient that the magazine even arrives on time!· It was all so easy in those early weeks. So efficient.· Not so efficient at collecting clippings.· You're so efficient it seems strange you haven't mastered the art of the dumpling.· Cagoules and other modern waterproofs, so efficient today, had not then been invented.· Enjoy organization that's so efficient you hardly notice it.
· Since marginal private and social benefits diverge, private markets will not produce the socially efficient quantity.· Hence a competitive market will produce a socially efficient quantity of private goods.· Property rights thus have a distributional implication - who compensates whom - but also act to achieve the socially efficient allocation.· Although this is the socially efficient output in the short run it is not efficient in the long run.· The equilibrium quantity remains the socially efficient quantity.· The market therefore does not produce a socially efficient allocation of resources.· First, the industry survives with two firms for much longer than is socially efficient.· E *; is the socially efficient point at which output is Q *;.
· She liked to think that she was very efficient in all she did.· They are not very efficient in the way they do their business.· Print is very efficient for the communication and imbibing of information.· The chance of reproducing is high even if the organism is not very efficient.· The bureaucratic style can be very efficient in a stable environment and when the organisation is of a large size.· They therefore are also very efficient at releasing all the trapped solar-wind gases in the lunar material.· Both types are called close packing since they are very efficient in the use of space.· By the theory of centralization, it would be very efficient.
NOUN· For the international economy it hopefully brings about a more efficient allocation of investment or financial resources.· Property rights thus have a distributional implication - who compensates whom - but also act to achieve the socially efficient allocation.· The basic economic argument for the market system-that it tends to provide an efficient allocation of resources-Is not easily undermined.· I believe this to be most important if we are to have rational investment decisions and efficient allocations of resources.· Such specialization, we saw in Chapter 3, means a more efficient allocation of resources.· The market therefore does not produce a socially efficient allocation of resources.· If the market does not achieve an efficient allocation of resources there is said to be market failure.
· Data Communications: Collection and manipulation of data on the shop floor with a view to allowing more efficient management of the industry's resources.· The complete dominance of the control function over the planning function in the 1980s made service planning and efficient management extremely difficult.· With efficient management, you can be one of two teams promoted at the end of the 14-game season.· The policy confusion at the top did not preclude efficient management lower down.
· In a responsive and efficient manner, they have demonstrated how to deliver good services at an affordable price.· Once she came second among 60 contestants in a competition to find the telephone operator with the most pleasant and efficient manner.· If you follow the guidelines below your complaint will be dealt with in the most efficient manner possible.
· The first is referred to as the efficient markets hypothesis.· Yet the path to stable democracy, efficient market economy and social justice is a hard one. 5.· This may represent an anomaly in what is otherwise an efficient market.
· For their sakes, and the sakes of others who follow, more efficient means of apprehending offending corporations are desirable.· Writing is downgraded as if it is a clumsy substitute for more efficient means of preserving data and the findings or conclusions.· Culturing microorganisms offers a highly efficient means of producing high-protein food supplements for a hungry world of the future.· In this way society benefits from the most efficient means of producing wealth, consistent with the protection of non-aggregative social values.· For the expert in the field, trivial names are short, convenient and an efficient means of communication.· Fax machines have now been installed in the specialist gardens, as they represent a very cost-effective and efficient means of communicating.· It is immediately apparent from this matrix that most of our information resources lack efficient means for exploiting those resources.· Views differed as to whether the review procedure was also an efficient means of arriving at prescriptions for changes and motivating their implementation.
· Further Work Statistical processing provides a simple, efficient method for picking the correct words based on local neighbourhood.· The public will applaud the seeming gains in excellence achieved by more efficient methods of exclusion.· One efficient method of covering the roof is to combine twin wall Lexon Thermoclear sheeting with Twinfix aluminium structural glazing bar.· It connoted a rational, efficient method of organization-something to take the place of the arbitrary exercise of power by authoritarian regimes.· We would also like to establish a functional and efficient method for connecting our systems to the specialist gardens.· Emulation within Parallel Architecture A more efficient method than computer simulations for implementing neural networks is to emulate within parallel architecture.· Easy Project is an efficient method of planning, tracking and controlling all types of projects.· The number of compounds is large and an efficient method must be used to store such information.
· Such procedures should aim to ensure efficient operation and the provision of fresh, clean air.· The reduction in train lengths also impedes efficient operation.· Ffos Las continues as a well run and efficient operation, and coal input is set to climb.· The organization is the framework on which the entire management system depends for efficient operation.· A second has been the creation of new technologies that have altered the scale needed for efficient operation.· Economic development programs, it was alleged, undermine the efficient operation of the market.· First, state planning and regulation of the economy inhibit its efficient operation by distorting market forces.· Such huge concentrations of animals offer the potential for significant cost savings through more efficient operations than are possible on smaller farms.
· On the other hand, more efficient production was a significant benefit to those who had been on courses.· But, second, in the vast majority of markets, efficient production can be attained with a high degree of competition.· The company has appointed Bob Dover as the project chief charged with bringing the car to efficient production.· Perhaps the time had now come to change the emphasis to more efficient production.· They felt the courses led to increased income, a reduction in stock losses, and more efficient production.· There was a general acceptance of the need for further and continuing training with greater emphasis on efficient production as opposed to increased production.· Intended to develop recognition and efficient production of key functional phrases, improve listening ability, and expand basic business vocabulary.
· All bedrooms are spacious and impeccably decorated, and the hotel's swift and efficient service is renowned.· A friendly, efficient service aimed at getting it right first time.· Payroll Staff have always tried to provide a friendly and efficient service.· It is an efficient service and it causes the customer much less trouble.· The tour will provide an insight into the modern technology used to co-ordinate an efficient service to over 200,000 customers.· Now they are urging people to register lost and found pets to ensure an efficient service.· They are confined to discussions of a very general nature and to providing the resources necessary for an efficient service.· The retailer has acquired a reputation for low prices and efficient service.
· Since individuals have different tastes, it may be that the efficient solution is for individuals of similar taste to group together.· In this way we get closer to the efficient solution in which the marginal cost of pollution reduction is equalized across firms.· The efficient solution is rarely to have a zero quantity of the externality.· Whatever happens, either we obtain an efficient solution or we can deduce that there are no efficient solutions.· Thus the efficient solutions of P2 can be expressed as and.· However, this does not mean that P3 has no efficient solutions, as we shall see below.
· The clearing system, being nationwide and increasingly computerized, makes for a very efficient system of transmitting payments.· Inventing an economically efficient system for counting and cutting emissions that encompasses the public and private sectors, is the biggest challenge.· Without an efficient system and good professional advice, unforeseen problems can develop into major setbacks.· A triangle is an efficient system of emotional checks and balances, allowing chil-dren to work out complicated feelings without volatile outbursts.· Thieves could evade an efficient system by taking stolen cattle to another district for sale.
· It is obvious that the relatively low price of high grade primary aggregates discourages efficient use of available resources and increases wastage.· Such rigidity and unresponsiveness make the efficient use of productive resources unlikely.· The extent to which the momentum towards more efficient use of energy for heat had slackened since 1985 had surprised them.· An equally efficient use of resource.· Does the library education programme result in an increase in, or more efficient use of, the library?· This makes efficient use of electricity and provides more light.· The alternative of using a fully trained adviser as receptionist would probably not be considered an efficient use of staff.· An efficient stock market is therefore necessary to ensure an efficient use of capital.
· What is the most cost-effective and efficient way of achieving those ends remains to be decided after proper examination.· But, given that we already have the separated material, civilian reactors provide an efficient way of permanent disposal.· This is quite enough to lose, and it is the most efficient way to control weight loss.· This obviously is not an especially efficient way to promote capital formation.· There must be a clean and efficient way of disposing of the ash.· The most efficient way to heat a house is to give each register its own supply duct directly off the trunk lines.· Along the link there also flows a realisation that there are more efficient ways to run a country.· Screening by income criteria alone is not an efficient way of discovering nutritional risk.
· Along the link there also flows a realisation that there are more efficient ways to run a country.· Both are more efficient ways for subscribers to download and upload more and larger files, thus increasing network usage.· Economy in bits can be achieved by using more efficient ways to represent data.
a very efficient secretary an efficient use of land Lighting is now more energy efficient.—efficiently adverbCOLLOCATIONSadverbsextremely/highly efficient· The factory is modern and highly efficient.efficient + NOUNan efficient way· Email is an efficient way of contacting a large number of people.an efficient method· The railways used to provide a cheap efficient method of travel.an efficient means· The tram is a very efficient means of transport.an efficient system· We need a more efficient system for collecting money.an efficient service· We aim to provide our clients with an efficient and friendly service.the efficient use of something· We must work towards the more efficient use of all natural resources.the efficient operation of something· The law must protect investors without interfering with the efficient operation of the market.NOUN + efficientenergy/fuel efficient (=not wasting any fuel or energy)· an energy efficient heating systemcost efficient (=costing or spending as little as possible)· The larger a firm becomes the more cost efficient it can become.