1. (v.) That which produces or effects a result; that from which anything proceeds, and without which it would not exist.

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

3. (v.) Sake; interest; advantage.

4. (n.) 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. (n.) Any subject of discussion or debate; matter; question; affair in general.

6. (n.) 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.

7. (n.) 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.

8. (v. i.) To assign or show cause; to give a reason; to make excuse.

9. (conj.) Abbreviation of Because.

accomplish achieve act action activity agency agent ambition antecedent aspiration author basis be productive bear beget belief bind breed bring about bring forth bring into being bring on bring to effect bring to fruition bring to pass call call forth call up calling campaign case cause in court cause to commitment compel conceive concern consideration constrain create creator crusade determinant do draw on drive effect effectuate elicit enforce engender engineer establish evoke execute faith father force found foundation generate generator genesis gestate get up give birth to give occasion to give origin to give rise to goad goal good reason great cause ground grounds guiding light guiding star hatch have ideal impel impulse inaugurate incentive induce inducement industrialize inspiration inspire institute intention interest issue judicial process justification lawsuit lead to legal action legal case legal proceedings legal process legal remedy lifework litigation lodestar mainspring make mass movement mass-produce material basis matter motivate motive movement muster up necessity obligation occasion origin originate originator overproduce perform precipitate prime mover principle proceedings produce producer promote prompt prosecution provoke realize reason reason for being restrain right root sake score secure set afloat set on foot set up sire source spring substance suit suit at law summon up tie ulterior motive undertaking use force upon vocation volume-produce warrant work work up