Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
cause (noun)1.
a) a reason for an action or condition - motive
b) something that brings about an effect or a result
c) a person or thing that is the occasion of an action or state , especially an agent that brings something about
d) sufficient reason - discharged for cause
2.
a) a ground of legal action
b) - case
3.
a matter or question to be decided
4.
a) a principle or movement militantly defended or supported
b) a charitable undertaking - for a good 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
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
cause (noun)1.
someone or something responsible for a result
SYNONIMS:
antecedent, causality, causation, occasion, reasonRELATED WORDS:
consideration, determinant, factor; alpha and omega, be-all and end-all; impetus, incentive, inspiration, instigation, stimulus; mother, origin, root, source, springNEAR ANTONYMS:
ramification; denouement ( dénouement), repercussion; conclusion, end; by-product, side effect ( side reaction)2.
a series of activities undertaken to achieve a goal
SYNONIMS:
bandwagon, blitz, cause, crusade, drive, juggernaut, movement, pushRELATED WORDS:
assault, attack, maneuver, march, offensive; action, bid, enterprise, initiative, mission, project, undertakingto be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind)
SYNONIMS:
beget, breed, bring, bring about, bring on, catalyze, cause, create, do, draw on, effectuate, engender, generate, induce, invoke, make, occasion, produce, prompt, result (in), spawn, translate (into), work, yieldRELATED WORDS:
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 outNEAR 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 [], kill, snuff (out), still; abolish, demolish, destroy, extinguish, liquidate, quench