occasion

[ uh-key-zhuhn ]

/ əˈkeɪ ʒən /

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR occasion ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a particular time, especially as marked by certain circumstances or occurrences: They met on three occasions.

a special or important time, event, ceremony, celebration, etc.: His birthday will be quite an occasion.

a convenient or favorable time, opportunity, or juncture: This slack period would be a good occasion to take inventory.

the immediate or incidental cause or reason for some action or result: What is the occasion for this uproar?

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

occasions, Obsolete.

needs or necessities.
necessary business matters: to go about one's lawful occasions.

verb (used with object)

to give occasion or cause for; bring about.

Nearby words

Idioms

on occasion, now and then; from time to time; occasionally: She visits New York on occasion.

Origin of occasion

1350–1400; Middle English occasioun < Old French occasion < Latin occāsiōn- (stem of occāsiō), equivalent to oc- oc- + cās(us) (past participle of cadere to fall, befall) + -iōn- -ion

SYNONYMS FOR occasion

3. chance, opening. 4. motive, inducement, influence. 7. motivate, originate, produce, create.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR occasion ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formspre·oc·ca·sioned, adjective

Synonym study

4. See cause.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for occasioned

Remember what Romney was asked that occasioned his infamous comments?
Michael Tomasky on How the Right Is Still Racist|Michael Tomasky|November 11, 2012|DAILY BEAST
My obituary for Andrew Breitbart has occasioned a lot of comment.
Mickey Kaus Proves My Point About Breitbart|David Frum|March 2, 2012|DAILY BEAST
This was occasioned by the muzzles being pointed downwards into the ditch, which gave the report an unusual and appalling effect.
Twenty-Five Years in the Rifle Brigade|William Surtees
One is my dedication for my essays; it was occasioned by that delicious article in the Spectator.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 23 (of 25)|Robert Louis Stevenson

Some delay in their arrival home was occasioned by an untoward incident even before they finally left London.
The Story of the Cambrian|C. P. Gasquoine
For, be it known, it was this avanc that had occasioned the flood.
Welsh Folk-Lore|Elias Owen
An instance of mischievous credulity, occasioned by consulting this impostor, once fell under the re-130-view of the Author.
A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis|Patrick Colquhoun

British Dictionary definitions for occasioned

occasion

/ (əˈkeɪʒən) /

noun

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

(sometimes foll by for) a reason or cause (to do or be something); groundsthere was no occasion to complain

an opportunity (to do something); chance

a special event, time, or celebrationthe party was quite an occasion

on occasion every so often

rise to the occasion to have the courage, wit, etc, to meet the special demands of a situation

take occasion to avail oneself of an opportunity (to do something)

verb

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

Word Origin for occasion

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

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

Word Origin and History for occasioned

occasion

late 14c., "opportunity; grounds for action, state of affairs that makes something else possible; a happening, occurrence," from Old French ochaison, ocasion "cause, reason, excuse, pretext; opportunity" (13c.) or directly from Latin occasionem (nominative occasio) "opportunity, appropriate time," in Late Latin "cause," from occasum, occasus, past participle of occidere "fall down, go down," from ob "down, away" (see ob-) + cadere "to fall" (see case (n.1)). The notion is of a "falling together," or juncture, of circumstances.

occasion

mid-15c., "to bring (something) about," from occasion (n.), or else from Old French occasionner "to cause," from Medieval Latin occasionare, from Latin occasionem (see occasion (n.)). Related: Occasioned; occasioning.

Idioms and Phrases with occasioned

occasion

see on occasion; rise to the occasion.

occasion

noun

verb (used with object)

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Origin of occasion

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Examples from the Web for occasioned

occasion

noun

verb

Word Origin for occasion

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