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conj. Informal Because. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
| n. 1. a. The producer of an effect, result, or consequence. b. The one, such as a person, event, or condition, that is responsible for an action or result. 2. A basis for an action or response; a reason: The doctor's report gave no cause for alarm. 3. A goal or principle served with dedication and zeal: “the cause of freedom versus tyranny” (Hannah Arendt). 4. 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). 5. Law a. A lawsuit or criminal prosecution. b. The ground or basis for a lawsuit. 6. A subject under debate or discussion. tr.v. caused, caus·ing, caus·es 1. To be the cause of or reason for; result in. 2. To bring about or compel by authority or force: The moderator invoked a rule causing the debate to be ended. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin causa, reason, cause, grounds for a lawsuit, lawsuit, of unknown origin.] causa·ble adj. causeless adj. causer n. 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 something that brings on or precipitates an action, condition, or event: “Injustice provides the occasion for change” (Alan Dershowitz). 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. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
