cause
cause
Pronunciation
/kɔːz/
/kɔːz/ - This word has only one syllable.
/k/ - voiceless velar stop
/ɔː/ - open-mid back rounded vowel (as in "thought")
/z/ - voiced alveolar fricative
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: cause
Plural: causes
Verb:
Base form: cause
Third-person singular present: causes
Present participle: causing
Past simple: caused
Past participle: caused
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
The reason or motive behind an action, event, or phenomenon.
Definition: The underlying factor, impetus, or rationale that brings about a particular outcome or state.
Synonyms: reason, motive, origin, source, root, basis, grounds, determinant
Antonyms: effect, result, consequence, outcome
A principle, aim, or movement that one supports or champions, often passionately.
Definition: A belief, ideal, or objective that an individual or group dedicates themselves to, often for the greater good or social change.
Synonyms: belief, ideal, principle, objective, aim, movement, crusade, mission
Antonyms: indifference, apathy, opposition, detriment
Verb
To make something happen or exist; to be the reason for something.
Definition: To bring about, instigate, or produce a particular effect or state; to act as the direct or indirect antecedent to an event.
Synonyms: create, produce, generate, effect, lead to, bring about, induce, provoke, trigger
Antonyms: prevent, stop, deter, halt, inhibit, avoid
Examples of Use
Books:
"Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket." (Eric Hoffer, The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, 1951)
"The first great cause of human misunderstanding is not being able to listen to each other." (Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, 1989)
Newspapers:
"Climate change is a primary cause of rising global temperatures, scientists confirm." ( The Guardian)
"The investigation sought to determine the cause of the sudden power outage affecting thousands of homes." (The New York Times)
Online Publications:
"Lack of consistent sleep can cause a myriad of health problems, including weakened immunity and mood swings." (WebMD)
"Activists continue to champion the cause of affordable housing in major urban centers." (ProPublica)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: In the movie Erin Brockovich, Julia Roberts' character champions the cause of residents poisoned by contaminated water. (Universal Pictures, 2000)
Television Series: A common trope in crime dramas involves detectives trying to determine the cause of death. For example, in an episode of "NCIS," the team investigates the cause of a Navy officer's mysterious demise. (CBS, various episodes)
Music: The song "We Are The World" by USA for Africa was created to raise money for the cause of famine relief in Africa. (Columbia Records, 1985)
Video Games: In many role-playing games, players are tasked with fighting for a specific cause, such as saving a kingdom from an evil sorcerer. (e.g., The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Bethesda Softworks, 2011)
General Public Discourse:
"His negligence was the direct cause of the accident." (Heard in a casual conversation)
"Many people donate to charities that support a cause they deeply believe in, like animal welfare or medical research." (Common phrase in discussions about philanthropy)
"What caused you to change your mind about the project?" (Asked in a professional meeting)
"The community rallied around the cause of building a new playground for the children." (Discussed at a neighborhood meeting)
10 Quotes Using Cause
"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of breaking cycles of hatred, it multiplies them. For hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. And love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. So, when we are discussing this question, let us remember that the cause of all these evils is not the people who commit them, but the system which produces them." (Martin Luther King Jr., Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?, 1967)
"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." (Often attributed to Martin Luther King Jr., who frequently quoted Theodore Parker, an abolitionist minister. The full quote by Parker is: "I do not pretend to understand the moral government of the world. The thunder-storms of life are awful to me; but I see that they are terrible in their effects, and yet they are the cause of much that is good. I see that there is a purpose, a divine purpose, and that it is working out, slowly but surely, for the good of all." Theodore Parker, Ten Sermons of Religion, 1853)
"No great cause is ever lost." (John F. Kennedy, speech at American University, 1963)
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." (Mahatma Gandhi, the quote continues, "...but the best way to lose yourself is to throw yourself into a cause greater than yourself.")
"A just cause is stronger than an army." (Napoleon Bonaparte, attributed)
"We are not primarily here to get; we are primarily here to give. Our whole life is a search for the opportunity to serve, to contribute, to become the cause of something good, to make a difference." (Tony Robbins, attributed)
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority: still more when you superadd the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority. There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it. And of the two, the man who is bad for a cause is better than the man who is good for nothing." (Lord Acton, letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton, 1887)
"Give me a place to stand and I will move the Earth." (Archimedes, the original quote implies that given a fulcrum and lever, he could move the world, thus implying that with the right leverage, one can cause great change.)
"The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves." (William Hazlitt, Political Essays, 1819. While not directly using the word "cause," it speaks to the underlying motivations that cause political actions.)
"The greatest cause of failure is the lack of persistence." (Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich, 1937)
Etymology
The word "cause" has a fascinating journey through languages!
It all started in Latin with the word "causa." This word had a legal flavor to it, referring to things like a "judicial case" or the "interests of one side in a lawsuit." It also meant "plea," "pretext," "ground for action," or even just a general "reason" or "motive."
From Latin, "causa" made its way into Old French as "cause" (around the 12th century). In Old French, it kept those legal meanings but also broadened to mean a "reason" or "motive" for something.
Then, in the Middle English period (roughly 1150-1500), English speakers borrowed the word directly from Old French. The earliest known use of "cause" as a noun in English dates back to around 1225, appearing in a text called "Ancrene Riwle."
At this time, its primary meaning was "reason or motive for a decision, grounds for action; motive." So, right from its first appearance in English, "cause" was about why something happened or what led to a decision.
Later in the Middle English period (around the mid-14th century), "cause" also started being used as a verb, meaning "to produce an effect" or "to make something happen."
So, in short: "cause" comes from Latin through French, and when it first arrived in English, it was used to talk about the reason or motive behind something, particularly in a legal sense, before expanding to its broader meanings we use today.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Cause
Cause for concern: A reason to worry or be anxious.
Cause a stir: To create excitement, interest, or a commotion.
Lost cause: Something that has no hope of success; a hopeless endeavor.
For good cause: For a legitimate or justifiable reason.
The root cause: The fundamental or ultimate reason for a problem or event.
Common cause: A shared aim or goal that unites a group of people.
To make common cause with: To join forces or cooperate with someone for a shared purpose.
To cause trouble/mischief: To create problems or be disruptive.
To plead one's cause: To argue in support of oneself or one's position.
To take up a cause: To adopt or champion a particular issue or belief.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of cause from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
