cause
(kôz)
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin causa, reason, purpose.]
noun
- The producer of an effect, result, or consequence.
- The one, such as a person, event, or condition, that is responsible for an action or result.
- A basis for an action or response; a reason: The doctor's report gave no cause for alarm.
- A goal or principle served with dedication and zeal: “the cause of freedom versus tyranny” (Hannah Arendt)
- The interests of a person or group engaged in a struggle: “The cause of America is in great measure the cause of all mankind” (Thomas Paine)
- Law
- A ground for legal action.
- A lawsuit.
- A subject under debate or discussion.
transitive verb: caused, caus·ing, caus·es.
- To be the cause of or reason for; result in.
- To bring about or compel by authority or force: The moderator invoked a rule causing the debate to be ended.
derivatives
- cauśa·ble
- adjective
- causéless
- adjective
- cauśer
- noun
synonyms:
cause, reason, occasion, antecedent These nouns denote what brings about or is associated with an effect or result. A cause is an agent or condition that permits the occurrence of an effect or leads to a result: “He is not only dull in himself, but the cause of dullness in others” (Samuel Foote) Reason refers to what explains the occurrence or nature of an effect: There was no obvious reason for the accident. Occasion is a situation that permits or stimulates existing causes to come into play: “The immediate occasion of his departure … was the favorable opportunity … of migrating in a pleasant way” (Thomas De Quincey) Antecedent refers to what has gone before and implies a relationship—but not necessarily a causal one—with what ensues: Some of the antecedents of World War II lie in economic conditions in Europe following World War I.
