1. (noun)cause events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
"they are trying to determine the cause of the crash"
2. (noun)cause, reason, grounds a justification for something existing or happening "he had no cause to complain"; "they had good reason to rejoice"
3. (noun)campaign, cause, crusade, drive, movement, effort a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end
"he supported populist campaigns"; "they worked in the cause of world peace"; "the team was ready for a drive toward the pennant"; "the movement to end slavery"; "contributed to the war effort"
4. (noun)causal agent, cause, causal agency any entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or results
6. (verb)cause, do, make giverise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
"cause a commotion"; "make a stir"; "cause an accident"
7. (verb)induce, stimulate, cause, have, get, make cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner "The ads induced me to buy a VCR"; "My children finally got me to buy a computer"; "My wife made me buy a new sofa"