cause

1 of 2

noun

ˈkȯz 

1

a

: a reason for an action or condition : motive

b

: something that brings about an effect or a result

trying to find the cause of the accident

c

: a person or thing that is the occasion of an action or state

a cause for celebration

especially : an agent that brings something about

She is the cause of your troubles.

d

: sufficient reason

discharged for cause

2

a

: a ground of legal action

b

: case

They are paid by the cause for their expert opinions.

3

: a matter or question to be decided

The city council is involved with school department causes.

4

a

: a principle or movement militantly defended or supported

the insurgents' cause

b

: a charitable undertaking

for a good cause

causeless

ˈkȯz-ləs 

adjective

cause

2 of 2

verb

caused; causing

transitive verb

1

: to serve as a cause or occasion of

cause an accident

2

: to compel by command, authority, or force

caused him to resign

causer noun

Synonyms

Noun

• antecedent
• causality
• causation
• occasion
• reason

Verb

• beget
• breed
• bring
• bring about
• bring on
• catalyze
• create
• do
• draw on
• effect
• effectuate
• engender
• generate
• induce
• invoke
• make
• occasion
• produce
• prompt
• result (in)
• spawn
• translate (into)
• work
• yield

Examples of cause in a Sentence

Noun

His symptoms had no apparent physical causes.

She is the cause of all their problems.

The medicine was prescribed without good cause.

Their marriage was a cause for celebration.

I can support a cause that means something to me.

I'm willing to donate money as long as it's for a good cause.

Verb

He swerved and caused an accident.

The flood caused great hardship.

The illness is caused by a virus.

The flood caused the town great hardship.

You caused us a lot of extra work.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Cleveland Guardians did not announce the cause of death. —Zack Meisel, The Athletic, 11 Dec. 2024

The doctor didn’t find the cause of the brain bleed, but confirmed to his sister that the comedian had one. —Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 10 Dec. 2024

Verb

Seasonal visitors like rodents, spiders, and wildlife can cause significant damage and health risks without intervention. —Kody Boye, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024

Geminid meteors are caused by dust and debris left in the inner solar system, not by a comet — as is usually the case for meteor showers — but by an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon, which hurtles through the solar system every 18 months. —Jamie Carter, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin causa "judicial proceedings, interests of one side in a judicial case, plea, pretext, ground of action, motive, reason," of uncertain origin

Verb

Middle English causen, borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French causer, borrowed from Medieval Latin causāre, causārī "to plead, accuse, blame, serve as the cause of, occasion," going back to Latin causārī "to plead an action in law, plead as an excuse," derivative of causa "judicial proceedings, plea, cause entry 1"

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cause

• cause and effect
• cause celebre
• cause célèbre
• cause/create/leave a vacuum
• cause for concern
• cause of action
• first cause
• give/cause offense
• lost cause
• make common cause
• no cause for alarm
• probable cause

Kids Definition

cause

1 of 2 noun

ˈkȯz 

1

: something or someone that brings about a result or condition

2

: a good or adequate reason

a cause for celebration

3

a

: a ground of legal action

b

: something supported or deserving support

a worthy cause

causeless

ˈkȯz-ləs 

adjective

cause

2 of 2 verb

caused; causing

: to be the cause of

Legal Definition

cause

1 of 2 noun

1

: something that brings about an effect or result

the negligent act which was the cause of the plaintiff's injury

Note: The cause of an injury must be proven in both tort and criminal cases.

— actual cause

: cause in fact in this entry

— but-for cause

: cause in fact in this entry

— cause in fact

: a cause without which the result would not have occurred

called also actual cause, but-for cause

— concurrent cause

: a cause that joins simultaneously with another cause to produce a result

called also concurring cause

compare intervening cause and superseding cause in this entry

— direct cause

: proximate cause in this entry

— efficient intervening cause

: superseding cause in this entry

— intervening cause

: an independent cause that follows another cause in time in producing the result but does not interrupt the chain of causation if foreseeable

called also supervening cause

compare concurrent cause and superseding cause in this entry

: superseding cause in this entry

— legal cause

: proximate cause in this entry

— procuring cause

: one (as a broker) that sets in motion a continuous series of events culminating especially in the sale or leasing of real estate

entitled to a commission as the procuring cause of the sale even though the listing had expired

— producing cause

: an efficient, exciting, or contributing cause (as an act, practice, or event) that produces an injury which would not have occurred without it

claimed that the workplace accident was a producing cause of his disability

—used especially in workers' compensation and consumer protection cases

Note: A producing cause lacks the element of foreseeability associated with a proximate cause, being more exclusively concerned with causation in fact.

— proximate cause

: a cause that sets in motion a sequence of events uninterrupted by any superseding causes and that results in a usually foreseeable effect (as an injury) which would not otherwise have occurred

called also direct cause, legal cause

see also Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad Co. compare remote cause in this entry

— remote cause

: a cause that is followed by a superseding cause interrupting the chain of causation

also : a cause that in ordinary experience does not lead to a particular effect compare proximate cause in this entry

— superseding cause

: an unforeseeable intervening cause that interrupts the chain of causation and becomes the proximate cause of the effect

called also efficient intervening cause, intervening cause

compare concurrent cause and intervening cause in this entry

— supervening cause

: intervening cause in this entry

2

: a reason or justification for an action or state (as belief): as

a

: good cause in this entry

an appeal dismissed for cause

b

: just cause in this entry

behavior that constitutes cause to terminate an employee

Note: The circumstances under which cause, good cause, just cause, probable cause, reasonable cause, or sufficient cause exists are determined on a case by case basis. These terms are often used interchangeably, and the distinctions between them are sometimes unclear.

— good cause

: a substantial reason put forth in good faith that is not unreasonable, arbitrary, or irrational and that is sufficient to create an excuse for an act under the law

unable to show good cause for failure to pay child support

neglect of duty is good cause for removal of a trustee

— just cause

: cause that a person of ordinary intelligence would consider a fair and reasonable justification for an act —used especially in cases involving termination of employment and denial of unemployment benefits

: good cause in this entry

— probable cause \ ˈprä-​bə-​bəl-​ \

: a reasonable ground in fact and circumstance for a belief in the existence of certain circumstances (as that an offense has been or is being committed, that a person is guilty of an offense, that a particular search will uncover contraband, that an item to be seized is in a particular place, or that a specific fact or cause of action exists)

when supported by probable cause, warrantless search of vehicle may extend to every part of vehicle where objects of search might be concealed

—State v. Nixon, 593 N.E.2d 1210 (1992)

called also reasonable cause, sufficient cause

compare reasonable suspicion

Note: The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution stipulates that “no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause.” Probable cause is also required for a warrantless arrest. Probable cause is an objective standard rather than a function of subjective opinion or suspicion not grounded in fact or circumstance. However, the facts or circumstances need not be of the nature of certainty necessary to establish proof in court.

: justification for an administrative search based on a showing that it is to be conducted in accordance with standardized nonarbitrary regulatory procedures designed to further public interest in regulatory enforcement that outweighs the intrusiveness of the search

— reasonable cause

: probable cause in this entry

also : a fact or circumstance that justifies a reasonable suspicion compare reasonable suspicion

: a reason that would motivate a person of ordinary intelligence under the circumstances

reasonable cause to believe abuse had occurred

: something (as an event or the exercise of ordinary care or prudence) that excuses or justifies failure to file a tax return on time

— sufficient cause

: cause that is deemed enough to provide an excuse under the law: as

a : good cause in this entry —often used in the phrase good and sufficient cause

b : probable cause in this entry

3

a

: a ground of a legal action

tortious conduct is not a cause of divorce embraced within the statutory cause of cruel and inhuman treatment

—Case & Comment

b

: case

questions of law…determinative of the cause then pending

—R. T. Gerwatowski

4

in the civil law of Louisiana : the reason for making a contract compare frustration sense 2

Note: Under the Louisiana Civil Code, if a contract's cause is illicit or immoral, the contract is absolutely null. If the cause fails after the contract is made (as when a leased building cannot be occupied because of a fire), the contract may either be not enforced or only partially enforced.

cause

2 of 2 transitive verb

caused; causing

1

: to serve as the cause of

the scales struck the plaintiff causing injuries for which she sues

—Palsgraf v. Long Island R.R. Co., 162 N.E. 99 (1928)

2

: to effect by command, authority, or force

the administrator shall cause an investigation to be made