Definitions for: Cause


[n] any entity that causes events to happen
[n] 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"
[n] (law) 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"
[n] a justification for something existing or happening; "he had no cause to complain"; "they had good reason to rejoice"
[n] events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something; "they are trying to determine the cause of the crash"
[v] 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"
[v] give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally; "cause a commotion"; "make a stir"; "cause an accident"



Webster (1913) Definition: Cause (k[add]z), n. [F. cause, fr. L. causa. Cf.
Cause, v., Kickshaw.]
1. That which produces or effects a result; that from which
anything proceeds, and without which it would not exist.

Cause is substance exerting its power into act, to
make one thing begin to be. --Locke.

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

3. Sake; interest; advantage. [Obs.]

I did it not for his cause. --2 Cor. vii.
12.

4. (Law) 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. Any subject of discussion or debate; matter; question;
affair in general.

What counsel give you in this weighty cause! --Shak.

6. 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.

God befriend us, as our cause is just. --Shak.

The part they take against me is from zeal to the
cause. --Burke.

Efficient cause, the agent or force that produces a change
or result.

Final cause, the end, design, or object, for which anything
is done.

Formal cause, the elements of a conception which make the
conception or the thing conceived to be what it is; or the
idea viewed as a formative principle and co["o]perating
with the matter.

Material cause, that of which anything is made.

Proximate cause. See under Proximate.

To make common cause with, to join with in purposes and
aims. --Macaulay.

Syn: Origin; source; mainspring; motive; reason; incitement;
inducement; purpose; object; suit; action.


Cause, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Caused; p. pr. & v. n.
Causing.] [F. causer, fr. cause, fr. L. causa. See Cause,
n., and cf. Acouse.]
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.

I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days.
--Gen. vii. 4.

Cause that it be read also in the church of the
Laodiceans. --Col. iv. 16.

Syn: To create; produce; beget; effect; occasion; originate;
induce; bring about.


Cause, v. i.
To assign or show cause; to give a reason; to make excuse.
[Obs.] --Spenser.


Cause, conj.
Abbreviation of Because. --B. Jonson.

Synonyms: campaign, case, causa, causal agency, causal agent, crusade, do, drive, effort, get, grounds, have, induce, lawsuit, make, make, movement, reason, stimulate, suit

See Also: actuate, ad blitz, ad campaign, advertising campaign, aetiology, agent, antecedent, anti-war movement, bastardy proceeding, breed, bring, bring about, call forth, campaigning, candidacy, candidature, catalyst, cause of death, civil suit, class action, class-action suit, compel, consumerism, create, criminal suit, danger, decide, Destiny, determine, deus ex machina, ecumenical movement, effect, effectuate, electioneering, encourage, engender, engine, entity, etiology, evoke, facilitate, factor, Fate, feminism, feminist movement, first cause, force, force, fund-raising campaign, fund-raising drive, fund-raising effort, gay lib, gay liberation movement, human, impel, inception, incite, individual, influence, initiate, inspire, instigate, justification, kick up, killer, lead, legal proceeding, let, life principle, lost cause, manipulator, mold, mortal, motivate, move, mutagenesis, nature, obligate, oblige, occasion, occult, operator, origin, origination, paternity suit, person, persuade, physical thing, pioneer, political campaign, power, prime mover, primum mobile, proceeding, proceedings, producer, prompt, prompt, propel, provoke, reform, regulate, set up, shape, solicit, somebody, someone, soul, spawn, suborn, supernatural, sway, venture, vital principle, war, women's lib, women's liberation movement, youth crusade, youth movement

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