Acting directly to produce an effect: an efficient cause.

直接产生效果：生效的原因。

youdao

To produce an effect on by imperceptible or intangible means; sway.

感化，影响用不可见的或不知不觉的方式来产生影响；

youdao

The scene seemed almost as if contrived with theatrical artifice to produce an effect upon the beholder.

此处的景象好像经过一番戏剧性的设计，要使目击者产生某种感触。

youdao

It did not take exceptional levels of exposure to produce an effect - abnormalities were found in women exposed to levels below those found in a quarter of US women.

BBC: NEWS | Health | Chemicals may damage male babies

In 1997 IBM harnessed the effect to produce an ultrasensitive disk drive that could pack 2.7 gigabytes of data into a square inch.

FORBES: Magazine Article

To produce an unimaginative or derivative work of art, therefore, will not have as desirable an effect on potential partners.

ECONOMIST: Come up and see my etchings