cause: [13] Cause comes via Old French cause from Latin causa, which as well as ‘reason’ meant ‘law-suit’; this was carried over into English legal language (it survives in terms such as cause-list ‘list of cases to be tried’) and its use in expressions like ‘plead someone’s cause’ led in the late 16th century to a more general application ‘goal or principle pursued or supported’. French chose ‘thing’ also comes from Latin causa, in the weakened sense ‘matter, subject’. => excuse
cause (n.)
c. 1200, "reason for action, grounds for action; motive," from Old French cause "cause, reason; lawsuit, case in law" (12c.), and directly from Latin causa "a cause; a reason; interest; judicial process, lawsuit," which is of unknown origin. In English, sense of "matter of concern; side taken in controversy" is from c. 1300; that of "the source of an effect" is early 14c.; meaning "reason for something taking place" is late 14c. Cause célèbre "celebrated legal case" is 1763, from French. Cause why? "for what reason?" is in Chaucer.
cause (v.)
late 14c., "produce an effect," also "impel, compel," from Old French causer "to cause" (13c.) and directly from Medieval Latin causare, from Latin causa "a cause; a reason; interest; judicial process, lawsuit," which is of unknown origin. Related: Caused; causing. Classical Latin causari meant "to plead, to debate a question."
雙語例句
1. His misunderstanding of language was the primary cause of his other problems.
他對語言的誤解是引起其他問題的主要原因。
來自柯林斯例句
2. Accidents are still the number one cause of premature death for Americans.
交通事故仍然是造成美國人過早死亡的頭號因素。
來自柯林斯例句
3. Investment could dry up and that could cause the economy to falter.
投資可能會中斷，而這會引起經(jīng)濟(jì)衰退。
來自柯林斯例句
4. This was a genuine mistake, but it did cause me some worry.
這是好心辦錯事，可是確實讓我擔(dān)心了一陣子。
來自柯林斯例句
5. Premature birth is the main cause of perinatal mortality.