a person or thing that acts, happens, or exists in such a way that some specific thing happens as a result; the producer of an effect: You have been the cause of much anxiety. What was the cause of the accident?
the reason or motive for some human action: The good news was a cause for rejoicing.
good or sufficient reason: to complain without cause; to be dismissed for cause.
Law.
a ground of legal action; the matter over which a person goes to law.
a case for judicial decision.
any subject of discussion or debate.
a principle, ideal, goal, or movement to which a person or group is dedicated: the Socialist cause; the human rights cause.
the welfare of a person or group, seen as a subject of concern: support for the cause of the American Indian.
Philosophy.
the end or purpose for which a thing is done or produced.
Aristotelianism.any of the four things necessary for the movement or the coming into being of a thing, namely a material (material cause ), something to act upon it (efficient cause ), a form taken by the movement or development (formal cause ), and a goal or purpose (final cause ).
verb (used with object),caused,caus·ing.
to be the cause of; bring about.
Idioms for cause
make common cause, to unite in a joint effort; work together for the same end: They made common cause with neighboring countries and succeeded in reducing tariffs.
Origin of cause
1175–1225; Middle English <Latin causa reason, sake, case
SYNONYMS FOR cause
9 effect, make, create, produce.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR cause ON THESAURUS.COM
synonym study for cause
1. Cause,occasion refer to the starting of effects into motion. A cause is an agency, perhaps acting through a long time, or a long-standing situation, that produces an effect: The cause of the quarrel between the two men was jealousy. An occasion is an event that provides an opportunity for the effect to become evident, or perhaps promotes its becoming evident: The occasion was the fact that one man's wages were increased.3. See reason.
a person, thing, event, state, or action that produces an effect
grounds for action; motive; justificationshe had good cause to shout like that
the ideals, etc, of a group or movementthe Communist cause
the welfare or interests of a person or group in a disputethey fought for the miners' cause
a matter of widespread concern or importancethe cause of public health
a ground for legal action; matter giving rise to a lawsuit
the lawsuit itself
(in the philosophy of Aristotle) any of four requirements for a thing's coming to be, namely material (material cause), its nature (formal cause), an agent (efficient cause), and a purpose (final cause)
make common cause withto join with (a person, group, etc) for a common objective
verb
(tr)to be the cause of; bring about; precipitate; be the reason for