events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
"they are trying to determine the cause of the crash"
a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end
"he supported populist campaigns"
"they worked in the cause of world peace"
"the team was ready for a drive toward the pennant"
"the movement to end slavery"
"contributed to the war effort"
any entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or results
"The sudden storm was the cause of the power outage across the entire neighborhood."
The source of, or reason for, an event or action; that which produces or effects a result.
"The heavy rain was the cause of the traffic jam on the highway."
In plain English: A cause is the reason something happens.
"The loud noise was the cause of his anger."
Usage: Use "cause" to refer to the specific reason or origin behind an event, such as identifying the cause of an accident. It functions as a noun to describe what produced a particular result rather than the act of producing it.
To set off an event or action.
"The sudden drop in pressure caused a storm to roll in unexpectedly."
In plain English: To cause something means to make it happen or be the reason it occurs.
"The sudden rain caused the game to be cancelled."
Usage: Use "cause" to indicate that you directly make something happen or trigger a specific result. For example, heavy rain caused the road to flood, showing a clear link between the action and the outcome.
The word "cause" entered English from the Old French cause, which originally meant both a reason and a thing. It traces back to the Latin causa and eventually replaced the native Old English word intinga.