Princeton's WordNet(3.25 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. cause(noun)

   events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

   "they are trying to determine the cause of the crash"

2. cause, reason, grounds(noun)

   a justification for something existing or happening

   "he had no cause to complain"; "they had good reason to rejoice"

3. campaign, cause, crusade, drive, movement, effort(noun)

   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. causal agent, cause, causal agency(noun)

   any entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or results

5. lawsuit, suit, case, cause, causa(verb)

   a comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy

   "the family brought suit against the landlord"

6. cause, do, make(verb)

   give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally

   "cause a commotion"; "make a stir"; "cause an accident"

7. induce, stimulate, cause, have, get, make(verb)

   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"

Wiktionary(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. cause(Noun)

   The source or reason of an event or action

2. cause(Noun)

   A goal, aim or principle, especially one which transcends purely selfish ends.

   He is fighting for a just cause.

3. cause(Verb)

   To set off an event or action.

   The lightning caused thunder.

4. cause(Verb)

   To actively produce as a result, by means of force or authority.

   His dogged determination caused the fundraising to be successful.

5. cause(Conjunction)

   because

Origin: From cause, from cause, from causa, in also "a thing". Origin uncertain. See accuse, excuse. Displaced native sake (from sacu), andweorc (from andweorc).

Webster Dictionary(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Cause

   that which produces or effects a result; that from which anything proceeds, and without which it would not exist

2. Cause

   that which is the occasion of an action or state; ground; reason; motive; as, cause for rejoicing

3. Cause

   sake; interest; advantage

4. Cause

   a suit or action in court; any legal process by which a party endeavors to obtain his claim, or what he regards as his right; case; ground of action

5. Cause

   any subject of discussion or debate; matter; question; affair in general

6. Cause

   the side of a question, which is espoused, advocated, and upheld by a person or party; a principle which is advocated; that which a person or party seeks to attain

7. Cause(noun)

   to effect as an agent; to produce; to be the occasion of; to bring about; to bring into existence; to make; -- usually followed by an infinitive, sometimes by that with a finite verb

8. Cause(verb)

   to assign or show cause; to give a reason; to make excuse

9. Cause

   abbreviation of Because

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Cause

   kawz, n. that which produces an effect: that by or through which anything happens: motive: inducement: a legal action between contending parties: sake, advantage: that side of a question which is taken up by an individual or party: (Shak.) accusation: (Shak.) matter, affair in general.—v.t. to produce: to make to exist: to bring about: (Spens.) to give excuses.—conj. (dial.) because.—adj. Caus′al, relating to a cause or causes.—n. Causal′ity, the working of a cause: (phren.) the faculty of tracing effects to their causes.—adv. Caus′ally, according to the order of causes.—ns. Causā′tion, the act of causing: the bringing about of an effect; the relation of cause and effect; Causā′tionism, the theory of causation; Causā′tionist, a believer in the foregoing.—adj. Caus′ative, expressing causation.—n. a form of verb or noun expressing such.—adv. Caus′atively.—adj. Cause′less, having no cause or occasion.—adv. Cause′lessly.—ns. Cause′lessness; Caus′er, one who causes an effect to be produced.—Cause célèbre, a convenient French term for a specially interesting and important legal trial, criminal or civil.—Final cause, the end or object for which a thing is done, esp. the design of the universe; First cause, the original cause or creator of all.—Hour of cause (Scot.), hour or time of trial.—Secondary causes, such as are derived from a primary or first cause.—Have or Show cause, to have to give reasons for a certain line of action; Make common cause (with), to unite for a common object; Show cause (Eng. law), to argue against the confirmation of a provisional order or judgment.—For Occasional causes, see Occasionalism. [Fr.,—L. causa.]

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'cause' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1406

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'cause' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2153

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'cause' in Nouns Frequency: #456

4. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'cause' in Verbs Frequency: #109

Anagrams for cause »

1. sauce

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of cause in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of cause in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of cause in a Sentence

1. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls:

   The cause is at present unknown.

2. Avi Nissenkorn:

   We need to cause shockwaves here.

3. Heywood Broun:

   Men are blind in their own cause.

4. Jose Daniel Ferrer:

   Yes, that's positive for the cause.

5. German proverb:

   Charity sees the need not the cause.

Images & Illustrations of cause

Popularity rank by frequency of use