reason

A cause:

Noun

  1. A cause:
    • The reason this tree fell is that it had rotted.
    • There is a reason why so many should be symmetrical: The selective advantage in a symmetrical complex is enjoyed by all the subunits[…] - 1996, Daniel Clement Dennett, Darwin’s Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings...

    Synonyms: occasion

    1. That which causes something: an efficient cause, a proximate cause.

    2. A motive for an action or a determination.

      • He made reason with his boss about taking a day off.
      • The reason I robbed the bank was that I needed the money.
      • If you don't give me a reason to go with you, I won't.

      Synonyms: occasion

    3. An excuse: a thought or a consideration offered in support of a determination or an opinion; that which is offered or accepted as an explanation.

      • I have forgotten the reason he gave for not travelling by air. I felt sure that it was not the correct reason, and that he suffered from a heart trouble which he kept to himself. - 1966, Graham Greene, The Comedians,...

      Synonyms: occasion

    4. (logic) A premise placed after its conclusion.

      Synonyms: occasion

  2. Rational thinking (or the capacity for it); the cognitive faculties, collectively, of conception, judgment, deduction and intuition.
    • Mankind should develop reason above all other virtues.
    • The tremendous tragedy in which he had been involved - it was evident he was a fugitive from Weybridge - had driven him to the very verge of his reason. - 1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William...
    • And the specific distinction between man and beast is now, strictly speaking, no longer reason (the lumen naturale of the human animal) but science[…] - 1970, Hannah Arendt, On Violence, →ISBN, page 62:
  3. Something reasonable, in accordance with thought; justice.
    • 16th century Edmund Spenser, Lines on his Promised Pension I was promised, on a time, To have reason for my rhyme.
  4. Ratio; proportion.
    • [I]f two Quantities repreſented by the Numbers 20 and 4 be compared, by dividing the Antecedent 20 by the Conſequent 4, the Quotient is 5; but inverting the Terms, by dividing 4 by 20 the Quotient is...

Origin

From Middle English resoun, reson, from Anglo-Norman raisun (Old French raison), from Latin ratiō, from ratus, past participle of reor (“reckon”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂reh₁- (“to think”), reanalysed root of *h₂er- (“to put together”). Displaced native Middle English reden (found in compounds), from Old English rǣden (“condition, stipulation, calculation, direction”), from the same Proto-Indo-European source (compare West Frisian reden (“reason”), Dutch reden (“reason”)). Doublet of ration and ratio.

Forms

reasons

Synonyms

that which causes rationale motive excuse

Related

reasonability reasonable reasonableness reasonably unreasonability unreasonable unreasonableness unreasonably

Derived

13th reason age of reason antireason beyond a reason of a doubt beyond reason of a doubt by reason of compassionate reason counterreason everything happens for a reason for no good reason for one reason or another for some reason for XYZ reasons have reason in reason instrumental reason law of sufficient reason misreason nonreason one will know the reason why practical reason principle of insufficient reason principle of sufficient reason reasonist

Noun Entry 2

  1. A wall plate.

Origin

From Middle English reason, reson, resen, rasen, from Old English ræsn (“beam, rafter, ceiling, wall panel”), probably from Proto-West Germanic *raʀn (“house”), from Proto-Germanic *razną (“house, dwelling”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁erh₁- (“to rest”).

Forms

reasons rasen raisen raysin raison

Derived

reason piece

Verb

  1. To deduce or come to a conclusion by being rational.
    • "I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which shows, my dear Watson, how dangerous it always is to reason from insufficient data. […]" - 1892, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Speckled Band:
  2. To perform a process of deduction or of induction, in order to convince or to confute; to argue.
    • Still my spirit was not broken. I indulged the anticipation of escape, and that speedily. It was impossible, I reasoned, that men could be so unjust as to detain me as a slave, when the truth of my case was known. -...
    • “All right, Dad – I did follow you. But only because I was worried about you.” “Worried about me? I was worried about you! Hanging on to the roof of a speeding car! Are you nuts?” “It wasn’t moving when I climbed on to...
  3. To converse; to compare opinions.
  4. To arrange and present the reasons for or against; to examine or discuss by arguments; to debate or discuss.
    • I reasoned the matter with my friend.
    • The talk was mainly between Aleck and Murdie, the others crowding eagerly about and putting in a word as they could. Murdie was reasoning good-humoredly, Aleck replying fiercely. - 1901, Ralph Connor, chapter 9, in The...
  5. To support with reasons, as a request.
  6. To persuade by reasoning or argument.
    • to reason one into a belief; to reason one out of his plan
    • That she was not immediately ready, Emma did suspect to arise from the state of her nerves; she had not yet possessed the instrument long enough to touch it without emotion; she must reason herself into the power of...
  7. To overcome or conquer by adducing reasons.
    • to reason down a passion
  8. To find by logical process; to explain or justify by reason or argument.
    • to reason out the causes of the librations of the moon

Forms

reasons reasoning reasoned

Derived

counterreason misreason nonreasoning outreason reason down reasoner reasoningly reason out reason with unreasoning