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. 2023
How to use cause in a sentence
Any Republican who dismisses it will be branded a traitor to the cause.
The Republican Party’s future: Being terrorized by its unhinged base | Paul Waldman | November 20, 2020 | Washington PostHer son Twm Morys announced the death in a statement but did not state the cause.
Jan Morris, artful travel writer who broke many boundaries, dies at 94 | Matt Schudel | November 20, 2020 | Washington PostThe cause was complications from dementia, said his wife, Ann Langdon-Days.
Drew S. Days III, first African American to lead civil rights division at Justice Department, dies at 79 | Emily Langer | November 20, 2020 | Washington Post“If we had a cause for doubt of the safety of our fleet—or any subset of it—simply put, the planes would not fly,” Southwest Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly said Wednesday in a customer letter.
The Boeing 737 Max faces an even tougher hurdle now: passenger fear | kdunn6 | November 19, 2020 | FortuneThe storm surge reached four meters in places and was the principal cause of damage, according to a paper by researchers from the University of Bristol made available as a preprint by the Lancet in October.
There is the smell here of an indecent rush for scapegoats, even before we know what really caused this crash.
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501 | Clive Irving | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTDoes the sending of the message “justify” the tragedy that caused it?
Cover-Ups and Concern Trolls: Actually, It's About Ethics in Suicide Journalism | Arthur Chu | January 3, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThe Interview, which caused so much controversy, was never intended for release in South Korean cinemas.
Propaganda, Protest, and Poisonous Vipers: The Cinema War in Korea | Rich Goldstein | December 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe idea of black Bond caused Limbaugh to exclaim on his show last week that Bond was “white and Scottish, period.”
Her mother made demands about a big ceremony and caused a rift between them.
A Sunni-Shia Love Story Imperiled by al Qaeda | Ruth Michaelson | December 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThat which is called nasality is caused by the failure of the tone to reach freely the anterior cavities of the nares.
Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge SouthwickHer new joy and excitement, her gaiety and zest for life— all had been caused, not by himself, but by another.
The Wave | Algernon BlackwoodBut not only has the name tobacco and the implements employed in its use caused much discussion but also the origin of the plant.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.The foreman's immense voice, explaining machines and tools, caused physical vibrations in her.
Hilda Lessways | Arnold BennettAfter his death crowds flocked to his grave to touch his holy monument, till the authorities caused the church yard to be shut.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel Munsell
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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