Definition: cause

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7 

cause
     n 1: events that provide the generative force that is the origin
          of something; "they are trying to determine the cause of
          the crash"
     2: a justification for something existing or happening; "he had
        no cause to complain"; "they had good reason to rejoice"
        [syn: reason, grounds]
     3: 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" [syn: campaign,
         crusade, drive, movement, effort]
     4: any entity that causes events to happen [syn: causal agent,
         causal agency]
     5: (law) a comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of
        law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy; "the
        family brought suit against the landlord" [syn: lawsuit,
         suit, case, causa]
     v 1: give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always
          intentionally; "cause a commotion"; "make a stir";
          "cause an accident" [syn: do, make]
     2: cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner: "The ads
        induced me to buy a VCR"; "My children finally got me to
        buy a computer"; "My wife made me buy a new sofa" [syn: induce,
         stimulate, have, get, make]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) 

Shine \Shine\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Shone (? or ?; 277)
   (archaic Shined); p. pr. & vb. n. Shining.] [OE. shinen,
   schinen, AS. sc[=i]nan; akin to D. schijnen, OFries.
   sk[=i]na, OS. & OHG. sc[=i]nan, G. scheinen, Icel. sk[=i]na,
   Sw. skina, Dan. skinne, Goth. skeinan, and perh. to Gr. ???
   shadow. [root]157. Cf. Sheer pure, and Shimmer.]
   1. To emit rays of light; to give light; to beam with steady
      radiance; to exhibit brightness or splendor; as, the sun
      shines by day; the moon shines by night.

            Hyperion's quickening fire doth shine. --Shak.

            God, who commanded the light to shine out of
            darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the
            light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
            face of Jesus Cghrist.                --2 Cor. iv.
                                                  6.

            Let thine eyes shine forth in their full luster.
                                                  --Denham.

   2. To be bright by reflection of light; to gleam; to be
      glossy; as, to shine like polished silver.

   3. To be effulgent in splendor or beauty. ``So proud she
      shined in her princely state.'' --Spenser.

            Once brightest shined this child of heat and air.
                                                  --Pope.

   4. To be eminent, conspicuous, or distinguished; to exhibit
      brilliant intellectual powers; as, to shine in courts; to
      shine in conversation.

            Few are qualified to shine in company; but it in
            most men's power to be agreeable.     --Swift.

   To make, or cause, the face to shine upon, to be
      propitious to; to be gracious to. --Num. vi. 25.
Cause \Cause\ (k[add]z), n. [F. cause, fr. L. causa. Cf.
   Cause, v., Kickshaw.]
   1. That which produces or effects a result; that from which
      anything proceeds, and without which it would not exist.

            Cause is substance exerting its power into act, to
            make one thing begin to be.           --Locke.

   2. That which is the occasion of an action or state; ground;
      reason; motive; as, cause for rejoicing.

   3. Sake; interest; advantage. [Obs.]

            I did it not for his cause.           --2 Cor. vii.
                                                  12.

   4. (Law) A suit or action in court; any legal process by
      which a party endeavors to obtain his claim, or what he
      regards as his right; case; ground of action.

   5. Any subject of discussion or debate; matter; question;
      affair in general.

            What counsel give you in this weighty cause! --Shak.

   6. The side of a question, which is espoused, advocated, and
      upheld by a person or party; a principle which is
      advocated; that which a person or party seeks to attain.

            God befriend us, as our cause is just. --Shak.

            The part they take against me is from zeal to the
            cause.                                --Burke.

   Efficient cause, the agent or force that produces a change
      or result.

   Final cause, the end, design, or object, for which anything
      is done.

   Formal cause, the elements of a conception which make the
      conception or the thing conceived to be what it is; or the
      idea viewed as a formative principle and co["o]perating
      with the matter.

   Material cause, that of which anything is made.

   Proximate cause. See under Proximate.

   To make common cause with, to join with in purposes and
      aims. --Macaulay.

   Syn: Origin; source; mainspring; motive; reason; incitement;
        inducement; purpose; object; suit; action.
Cause \Cause\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Caused; p. pr. & v. n.
   Causing.] [F. causer, fr. cause, fr. L. causa. See Cause,
   n., and cf. Acouse.]
   To effect as an agent; to produce; to be the occasion of; to
   bring about; to bring into existence; to make; -- usually
   followed by an infinitive, sometimes by that with a finite
   verb.

         I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days.
                                                  --Gen. vii. 4.

         Cause that it be read also in the church of the
         Laodiceans.                              --Col. iv. 16.

   Syn: To create; produce; beget; effect; occasion; originate;
        induce; bring about.
Cause \Cause\, v. i.
   To assign or show cause; to give a reason; to make excuse.
   [Obs.] --Spenser.
Cause \Cause\, conj.
   Abbreviation of Because. --B. Jonson.