Definitions for cause
kɔzcause

Princeton's WordNet(3.75 / 8 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(2.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. cause(Noun)

   The source or reason of an event or action

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

2. cause(Noun)

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

   He is fighting for a just cause.

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

3. cause(Verb)

   To set off an event or action.

   The lightning caused thunder.

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

4. cause(Verb)

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

   His dogged determination caused the fundraising to be successful.

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

5. cause(Conjunction)

   because

   Etymology: 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.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. cause

   A logical reason.

   They knew the cause and could therefore make the necessary change to ensure optimum health.

   Submitted by MaryC on January 22, 2020  

2. cause

   Action or intention to create an effect.

   The cause was well known and is easily solved with the universe supporting us.

   Submitted by MaryC on January 22, 2020  

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

How to pronounce cause?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say cause in sign language?

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. Vladimir Lenin:

   Literature must become party literature. Down with unpartisan litterateurs! Down with the superman of literature! Literature must become a part of the general cause of the proletariat.

2. Edmund Burke, A Philosophical Enquiry Into The Sublime and Beautiful:

   A man who works beyond the surface of things,though he may be wrong himself, yet he clears the way for others and may make even his errors subservient to the cause of truth.

3. Lauren Antonucci:

   Eating such a low number of calories a day, regardless if you’re getting adequate protein or not, will cause weight loss, muscle mass loss, and a likely drop in metabolic rate.

4. Kim Jong:

   We're making clear that the North is entirely responsible for all the consequences this might cause.

5. Todd Harris:

   While we can't say explicitly the cause of the downward trend, what we do know is that there is a trend of increasing regulatory scrutiny, which may cause manufacturers to adhere to stricter quality guidelines.

Images & Illustrations of cause

Popularity rank by frequency of use