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
Ruby Bridges, who today is an author, speaker and civil rights activist, confirmed the death and said the cause was cancer.
Lucille Bridges, who stood by daughter Ruby through school desegregation, dies at 86 | Emily Langer | November 12, 2020 | Washington PostThe cause was heart failure, said his daughter-in-law Maggie Crosby.
Norm Crosby, comedian who mangled words with great extinction, dies at 93 | Harrison Smith | November 9, 2020 | Washington PostYet it is also one of the most common causes of drug allergies.
Penicillin allergies may be linked to one immune system gene | Jeanne Erdmann | November 9, 2020 | Science NewsWhen there is so much cause for emotion, it’s hard to remember that there exists — somewhere in this universe, somewhere in you — emotion without cause.
After the 2016 election, Agnes Martin's paintings gave me solace. This time, they're still an escape. | Kelsey Ables | November 8, 2020 | Washington PostAs we reported, the elder Rocky’s lawsuits may be actually hurting the cause of ballot access.
Politics Report: Winners and Losers Special Edition | Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts | November 7, 2020 | Voice of San Diego
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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