cause

²cause

verb

causedcaus·ing

Definition of CAUSE

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>

— caus·er noun

Examples of CAUSE

1. He swerved and caused an accident.
2. The flood caused great hardship.
3. The illness is caused by a virus.
4. The flood caused the town great hardship.
5. You caused us a lot of extra work.

First Known Use of CAUSE

14th century

Related to CAUSE

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

Related Words: ingenerate; conduce (to), contribute (to); decide, determine; begin, establish, father, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, set, set up, start; advance, cultivate, develop, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote; enact, render, turn out

Near Antonyms: impede, limit, restrict; clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, dampen, put down, quash, quell, repress, smother, squash, squelch, stifle, subdue, suppress; arrest, check, control, curb, inhibit, rein (in), restrain, retard; can [slang], kill, snuff (out), still; abolish, demolish, destroy, extinguish, liquidate, quench

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