cause

¹

[ kawz ]

noun

1. a person or thing that acts, happens, or exists in such a way that some specific thing happens as a result; the producer of an effect:

   You have been the cause of much anxiety.

   What was the cause of the accident?

2. the reason or motive for some human action:

   The good news was a cause for rejoicing.

3. good or sufficient reason:

   to complain without cause;

   to be dismissed for cause.

4. Law.
   1. a ground of legal action; the matter over which a person goes to law.
   2. a case for judicial decision.
5. any subject of discussion or debate.
6. a principle, ideal, goal, or movement to which a person or group is dedicated:

   the Socialist cause;

   the human rights cause.

7. the welfare of a person or group, seen as a subject of concern:

   support for the cause of the American Indian.

8. Philosophy.
   1. the end or purpose for which a thing is done or produced.
   2. Aristotelianism. any of the four things necessary for the movement or the coming into being of a thing, namely a material material cause, something to act upon it efficient cause, a form taken by the movement or development formal cause, and a goal or purpose final cause.

verb (used with object)

, caused, caus·ing.

1. to be the cause of; bring about.

   Synonyms: produce, create, make, effect

'cause

²

[ kawz, kuhz, unstressed kuhz ]

conjunction

, Informal.

1. a shortened form of because.

cause

/ kɔːz /

noun

1. a person, thing, event, state, or action that produces an effect
2. grounds for action; motive; justification

   she had good cause to shout like that

3. the ideals, etc, of a group or movement

   the Communist cause

4. the welfare or interests of a person or group in a dispute

   they fought for the miners' cause

5. a matter of widespread concern or importance

   the cause of public health

6. 1. a ground for legal action; matter giving rise to a lawsuit
   2. the lawsuit itself
7. (in the philosophy of Aristotle) any of four requirements for a thing's coming to be, namely material (material cause), its nature (formal cause), an agent (efficient cause), and a purpose (final cause)
8. make common cause with
   make common cause with to join with (a person, group, etc) for a common objective

verb

1. tr to be the cause of; bring about; precipitate; be the reason for

Derived Forms

• ˈcausable, adjective
• ˌcausaˈbility, noun
• ˈcauseless, adjective
• ˈcauser, noun

Other Words From

• causa·ble adjective
• causa·bili·ty noun
• causeless adjective
• causeless·ly adverb
• causeless·ness noun
• causer noun
• non·causa·ble adjective
• self-caused adjective
• subcause noun
• un·causa·ble adjective
• under·cause noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cause¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Latin causa “case, reason, sake”

Origin of cause²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; aphetic variant

Word History and Origins

Origin of cause¹

C13: from Latin causa cause, reason, motive

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. make common cause, to unite in a joint effort; work together for the same end:

   They made common cause with neighboring countries and succeeded in reducing tariffs.

More idioms and phrases containing cause

• lost cause

Synonym Study

Cause, occasion refer to the starting of effects into motion. A cause is an agency, perhaps acting through a long time, or a long-standing situation, that produces an effect: The cause of the quarrel between the two men was jealousy. An occasion is an event that provides an opportunity for the effect to become evident, or perhaps promotes its becoming evident: The occasion was the fact that one man's wages were increased. See reason.

Example Sentences

But Cosby Truthers are applying their principles to the wrong cause.

From The Daily Beast

So we know that boring down to the bedrock and pumping it full of fluid can cause earthquakes.

From The Daily Beast

These days weather should never cause a commercial airliner to crash.

From The Daily Beast

If Dudesmash were to be something we continued doing, this would be an important year to do it, ‘cause we didn’t do one last year.

From The Daily Beast

Michelle Obama tweeting a hashtag is somehow cause for outrage.

From The Daily Beast

Whether they had ever, at different times, pleaded for or against the same cause, and cited precedents to prove contrary opinions?

From Project Gutenberg

Without any known cause of offence, a tacit acknowledgement of mutual dislike was shewn by Louis and de Patinos.

From Project Gutenberg

There is cause for alarm when they bring one hundred and ten ships into these seas without any means of resistance on our part.

From Project Gutenberg

If we are to have a real education along lines of expression we must begin with the "content," or cause, of expression.

From Project Gutenberg

Rapidity of action and a self-confidence which on the battlefield never felt itself beaten were the cause of Murat's success.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• element
• explanation
• matter
• motivation
• motive
• origin
• principle
• purpose
• root
• source