occasion

[uh-key-zhuhn]

noun

1. a particular time, especially as marked by certain circumstances or occurrences.

   They met on three occasions.

2. a special or important time, event, ceremony, celebration, etc..

   His birthday will be quite an occasion.

3. a convenient or favorable time, opportunity, or juncture.

   This slack period would be a good occasion to take inventory.

   Synonyms: opening, chance

4. the immediate or incidental cause or reason for some action or result.

   What is the occasion for this uproar?

   Synonyms: influence, inducement, motive

5. (in the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead) the coincidence of the eternal objects forming a specific point-event.

6. Obsolete.,  occasions,

   1. needs or necessities.

   2. necessary business matters.

      to go about one's lawful occasions.

verb (used with object)

1. to give occasion or cause for; bring about.

   Synonyms: create, produce, originate, motivate

occasion

/ əˈkeɪʒən /

noun

1. (sometimes foll by of) the time of a particular happening or event

2. (sometimes foll by for) a reason or cause (to do or be something); grounds

   there was no occasion to complain

3. an opportunity (to do something); chance

4. a special event, time, or celebration

   the party was quite an occasion

5. every so often

6. to have the courage, wit, etc, to meet the special demands of a situation

7. to avail oneself of an opportunity (to do something)

verb

1. (tr) to bring about, esp incidentally or by chance

Other Word Forms

• preoccasioned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of occasion¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English occasioun, from Old French occasion, from Latin occāsiōn-, stem of occāsiō, literally, “a falling out,” from occās(us) “fallen down” (past participle of occidere “to fall down, set,” from oc- oc- + -cidere, combining form of cadere “to fall”) + -iō -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of occasion¹

C14: from Latin occāsiō a falling down, from occidere, from ob- down + cadere to fall

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. on occasion, now and then; from time to time; occasionally.

   She visits New York on occasion.

see on occasion; rise to the occasion.

Synonym Study

See cause.

Example Sentences

A lover of art, music and religion, this must have been a big occasion for King Charles.

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On all occasions the IDF said it fired upon those involved.

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Ms Roberts said she received numerous excuses as to why work could not done, including Mr Cole's staff having Covid on three occasions.

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On occasions it said the scheduled work could be interrupted by bad weather or the presence of protected species of ground-nesting birds.

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In some instances, they had been asked to explain what had been said, on other occasions, prisoners were instructed by staff to switch to English.

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Related Words

• affair 
• celebration 
• circumstance 
• episode 
• experience 
• incident 
• milestone 
• moment 
• scene 
• thing 
• time