cause
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?
the reason or motive for some human action: The good news was a cause for rejoicing.
good or sufficient reason: to complain without cause;to be dismissed for cause.
Law.
a ground of legal action; the matter over which a person goes to law.
a case for judicial decision.
any subject of discussion or debate.
a principle, ideal, goal, or movement to which a person or group is dedicated: the Socialist cause;the human rights cause.
the welfare of a person or group, seen as a subject of concern: support for the cause of the American Indian.
Philosophy.
the end or purpose for which a thing is done or produced.
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 ).
to be the cause of; bring about.
Idioms about cause
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.
Origin of cause
1synonym study For cause
Other words for cause
Other words from cause
- caus·a·ble, adjective
- caus·a·bil·i·ty, noun
- causeless, adjective
- cause·less·ly, adverb
- cause·less·ness, noun
- causer, noun
- non·caus·a·ble, adjective
- self-caused, adjective
- subcause, noun
- un·caus·a·ble, adjective
- un·der·cause, noun
Words that may be confused with cause
Other definitions for 'cause (2 of 2)
Origin of 'cause
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use cause in a sentence
And the Causer of the mountain will probably know that they both are right.
Dynamic Thought | William Walker AtkinsonI call him Homo Causacadere, the fall causer, whose activator is hostility.
I Was a Teen-Age Secret Weapon | Richard SabiaThe causing of the little ones to offend hangs a fearful woe about the neck of the causer.
Mary Marston | George MacDonaldQuand Boum était assoupi, ses parents s'éloignaient de son lit et restaient à causer près de la cheminée.
Histoires grises | E. Edouard TavernierWit ye well I would not for the stint of my crown be causer to withdraw your hearts.
Stories of King Arthur and His Knights | U. Waldo Cutler
British Dictionary definitions for cause
/ (kɔːz) /
a person, thing, event, state, or action that produces an effect
grounds for action; motive; justification: she had good cause to shout like that
the ideals, etc, of a group or movement: the Communist cause
the welfare or interests of a person or group in a dispute: they fought for the miners' cause
a matter of widespread concern or importance: the cause of public health
a ground for legal action; matter giving rise to a lawsuit
the lawsuit itself
(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)
make common cause with to join with (a person, group, etc) for a common objective
(tr) to be the cause of; bring about; precipitate; be the reason for
Origin of cause
1Derived forms of cause
- causable, adjective
- causability, noun
- causeless, adjective
- causer, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with cause
In addition to the idioms beginning with cause
- cause a commotion
- cause raised eyebrows
also see:
- lost cause
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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