cause

(kôz)

a. The producer of an effect, result, or consequence.

b. The one, such as a person, event, or condition, that is responsible for an action or result.

2. A basis for an action or response; a reason: The doctor's report gave no cause for alarm.

3. A goal or principle served with dedication and zeal: "the cause of freedom versus tyranny" (Hannah Arendt).

4. The interests of a person or group engaged in a struggle: "The cause of America is in great measure the cause of all mankind" (Thomas Paine).

5. Law

a. A lawsuit or criminal prosecution.

b. The ground or basis for a lawsuit.

6. A subject under debate or discussion.

tr.v. caused, caus·ing, caus·es

1. To be the cause of or reason for; result in.

2. To bring about or compel by authority or force: The moderator invoked a rule causing the debate to be ended.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin causa, reason, cause, grounds for a lawsuit, lawsuit, of unknown origin.]

caus′a·ble adj.

cause′less adj.

caus′er n.

Synonyms: cause, reason, occasion, antecedent
These nouns denote what brings about or is associated with an effect or result. A cause is an agent or condition that permits the occurrence of an effect or leads to a result: "He is not only dull in himself, but the cause of dullness in others" (Samuel Foote).
Reason refers to what explains the occurrence or nature of an effect: There was no obvious reason for the accident.
Occasion is something that brings on or precipitates an action, condition, or event: "Injustice provides the occasion for change" (Alan Dershowitz).
Antecedent refers to what has gone before and implies a relationship—but not necessarily a causal one—with what ensues: Some of the antecedents of World War II lie in economic conditions in Europe following World War I.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

causing - the act of causing something to happen

causation

human action, human activity, act, deed - something that people do or cause to happen

sending - the act of causing something to go (especially messages)

trigger, initiation, induction - an act that sets in motion some course of events

coercion, compulsion - using force to cause something to occur; "though pressed into rugby under compulsion I began to enjoy the game"; "they didn't have to use coercion"

influence - causing something without any direct or apparent effort

inducing, inducement - act of bringing about a desired result; "inducement of sleep"

Translations

cagionante

What is causing this hold-up? → Kvůli čemu je ta zácpa? → Hvad skyldes denne forsinkelse? → Mistä tämä ruuhka johtuu? → Pourquoi sommes-nous arrêtés ? → Zbog čega je zastoj? → Cosa sta causando questo ingorgo? → 왜 이렇게 막히나요? → Skąd ten korek? → Trafik neden tıkandı? → 是什么原因造成的堵车？

Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

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