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cause Definition

cause (kôz)

noun

  1. anything producing an effect or result
  2. a person or thing acting voluntarily or involuntarily as the agent that brings about an effect or result drinking was the cause of his downfall
  3. a reason, motive, or ground for some action, feeling, etc.; esp., sufficient reason cause for complaint
  4. any objective or movement that a person or group is interested in and supports, esp. one involving social reform
  5. Law an action or question to be resolved by a court of law

Etymology: ME < OFr < L causa, a cause, reason, judicial process, lawsuit: infl. (in causesenses & ) by case

transitive verb caused, caus′·ing

to be the cause of; bring about; make happen; effect, induce, produce, compel, etc.

cause Related Forms

cause′·less adjective caus′er noun

cause Idioms

make common cause with

to work together with toward the same objective; join forces with

'cause Definition

'cause (kôz, kuz)

Informal, Dialectal because

cause Synonyms

cause

n.

  1. An underlying principle

    motive, reason, causation, object, purpose, explanation, inducement, incitement, prime mover, motive power, mainspring, ultimate cause, basis, justification, ground, matter, element, stimulation, instigation, foundation, determinant, wherefore, the why and wherefore; see also basis 1, reason 3.

    Antonyms effect, result*, outcome. *

  2. The origin or source, thought of as the cause

    antecedent, root, beginning; see origin 3.

  3. The immediate moving force

    antecedent, agent, condition, etiology, prompting, ground, problem, subject of dispute, matter, occasion, case, circumstance, precedent, situation, fault, straw that breaks the camel's back; see also circumstance 1, circumstances 2, event 1.

  4. A person who brings about a result

    originator, agent, doer, instigator; see author 1, doer.

  5. A belief

    principles, conviction, creed, movement; see belief 1, faith 2.

  6. Aim

    object, goal, ideal, objective; see plan 2, purpose 1.

causerefers to a situation, event, or agent that produces an effect or result carelessness is often a cause of accidents; reason implies the mental activity of a rational being in explaining or justifying some act or thought she had a reason for laughing; a motive is an impulse, emotion, or desire that leads to action the motive for a crime; an antecedent is an event or thing that is the predecessor of, and is usually to some extent responsible for, a later event or thing war always has its antecedents; a determinant is a cause that helps to determine the character of an effect or result ambition was a determinant in his success

cause Synonyms

cause

v.

  1. To bring about

    produce, effect, make, let; see begin 1, create 2.

  2. To be the cause

    originate, provoke, generate, occasion, kindle, give rise to, induce, precipitate, prompt, bring about, bring on, spell, give occasion to, lie at the root of, be at the bottom of, bring to pass, sow the seeds of, breed; see also begin 1.

cause Law Definition

n

  1. An action, event, or force that produces or contributes to an effect or result. Also called causation.
  2. The ground or reason for a choice made or action taken.
  3. A matter to be decided by a court.
but-for cause
. A cause without which the events or results that follow could not occur. Also called causa sine qua non. See also but-for test, causa, and proximate cause.
concurrent cause
  1. .
  2. One of multiple causes that simultaneously produce an effect or result that no single cause could.
  3. One of multiple causes that simultaneously produce an effect or result that any one of the causes could have produced alone.
for cause
In support of a request made or an action taken. See also challenge and excuse.
good cause
A substantial or legally sufficient reason for a choice made or action taken or for seeking a particular court order. What constitutes good cause usually rests upon the circumstances of a particular situation. See also insufficient cause.
immediate cause
The last of a series of causes, although not necessarily the proximate cause, of an effect or result.
insufficient cause
. An insubstantial or legally insufficient reason for a choice made or action taken or for seeking a particular court order. See also good cause.
intervening cause
A contributing cause that arises or occurs after the initial action, event, or force and alters the sequence of later actions, events, or forces to produce a final effect or result. For example, if a person walks into a ditch, the digging of the ditch is the initial (that is, but-for) action, and the subsequent removal of the barricade and warning signs that kept people away is the intervening cause. Also called supervening cause.
legal cause
See proximate cause.
proximate cause
A cause that directly, without the contribution of any subsequent action, event, or force, produces an effect or result, and without which the effect or result would not have occurred. Furthermore, the effect or result produced by the proximate cause would have occurred even if there were a subsequent action, event, or force that contributed to the eventual effect or result. For example, if a person is fatally injured in an accident, the cause of the accident is the proximate cause of his death and not the poor medical care they received after the accident. Also called causa proxima, direct cause, efficient cause, and legal cause. See also remote cause.
remote cause
A cause that contributes to, but is not necessary for, the production of an effect or result. See also proximate cause.
sole cause
The only cause responsible for the production of an effect or result.
superseding cause
A cause that arises or occurs after the initial action, event, or force, and so substantially alters the sequence of later actions, events, or forces that the persons responsible for all previous causes are not liable for the final effect or result, even if their own actions were a substantial factor in bringing about the final effect or result. For example, a parent may be negligent for letting her 14-year-old child drive a car, but the subsequent theft of the vehicle from the child would absolve the parent of liability for any damages or injuries caused by the thief’s use of the vehicle.
supervening cause
See intervening cause.

cause Usage Examples

Object

  • damage: The spell cancels wholly, causing no damage, with either an ice storm or an ice elemental.
  • problem: The fuel oil on the surface of the water was causing terrible problems for men waiting to be rescued.
  • harm: The cause of that lay in his causing harm to the Prophet.
  • injury: Furthermore, debilitating injuries caused by falling luggage would be reduced.
  • confusion: We have used the terminology of the time except where it could cause confusion.
  • death: Smoking causes 120,000 deaths a year - 13 every hour or more than 300 a day.

Converse of object

tackle: So New Labor is failing to tackle two causes of crime, drink and drugs.

Subject

  • negligence: A contract term or notice will be void if it seeks to exclude or restrict liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence.
  • bacterium: The common cold Is a cold caused by a bacterium or a virus?

Adjective modifier

  • underlying: What is more, the underlying cause is well understood.
  • worthy: He is no stranger to doing his bit for a worthy cause.
  • common: The most common cause of infection is via pig movement.
  • worthwhile: We ask that children donate the money that would have been spent on a snack to support this worthwhile cause.

Modifies a noun

celebre: In Tyneside, the case is a cause célèbre.

Noun used with modifier

root: This is still the root cause of all the unhappiness in the world today.

Preposition: of

death: Take coronary heart disease, the second biggest cause of premature death in the UK.

Preposition: for

  • concern: Provision for pupils under five is a cause for concern.
  • celebration: Making it into the 21st Century after living 17 years with HIV is a cause for celebration.

Preposition: by

  • negligence: A contract term or notice will be void if it seeks to exclude or restrict liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence.
  • bacterium: The common cold Is a cold caused by a bacterium or a virus?

Browse dictionary entries near cause

  1. ‹ causative
  2. ‹ causation
  3. ‹ causality
  4. ‹ causalgia
  5. ‹ causal
  6. ‹ causable
  7. ‹ causa
  8. ‹ caus
  9. ‹ caulk
  10. ‹ caulis
  1. cause célèbre ›
  2. cause of action ›
  3. causerie ›
  4. causeway ›
  5. causey ›
  6. caustic ›
  7. caustic potash ›
  8. caustic soda ›
  9. cauterant ›
  10. cauterize ›