Here's how it works:
* ex-: Often means "out of," "from," or "away from"
* Example: "effect" (to bring about) comes from the Latin "ex" and "facere" (to make)
* e-: Can have various meanings depending on the word, including "out," "from," "away," or "completely"
* Example: "efface" (to wipe out) comes from the Latin "e" and "facere"
So, "eff" itself doesn't have a specific meaning. It's a combination with other prefixes that forms complete prefixes like "ex-" or "e-."