Material cause

Material cause
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. [1913 Webster]

Cause is substance exerting its power into act, to make one thing begin to be. --Locke. [1913 Webster]

2. That which is the occasion of an action or state; ground; reason; motive; as, cause for rejoicing. [1913 Webster]

3. Sake; interest; advantage. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

I did it not for his cause. --2 Cor. vii. 12. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

5. Any subject of discussion or debate; matter; question; affair in general. [1913 Webster]

What counsel give you in this weighty cause! --Shak. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

God befriend us, as our cause is just. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

The part they take against me is from zeal to the cause. --Burke. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Material cause — Material Ma*te ri*al, a. [L. materialis, fr. materia stuff, matter: cf. F. mat[ e]riel. See {Matter}, and cf. {Mat[ E]riel}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Consisting of matter; not spiritual; corporeal; physical; as, material substance or bodies. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • material cause — Aristotelianism. See under cause (def. 8b). [1350 1400; ME] * * * …   Universalium

  • material cause — See causes …   Philosophy dictionary

  • material cause — noun Aristotelianism : something out of which something is made or comes into being …   Useful english dictionary

  • Cause — • Cause, as the correlative of effect, is understood as being that which in any way gives existence to, or contributes towards the existence of, any thing; which produces a result; to which the origin of any thing is to be ascribed Catholic… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • cause — cause, causal explanation In non specialist contexts, to ask for the cause of some particular happening is to ask what made it happen, or brought it about. To give a causal explanation is to answer such questions, usually by specifying some prior …   Dictionary of sociology

  • Material — Ma*te ri*al, a. [L. materialis, fr. materia stuff, matter: cf. F. mat[ e]riel. See {Matter}, and cf. {Mat[ E]riel}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Consisting of matter; not spiritual; corporeal; physical; as, material substance or bodies. [1913 Webster] The… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Material evidence — Material Ma*te ri*al, a. [L. materialis, fr. materia stuff, matter: cf. F. mat[ e]riel. See {Matter}, and cf. {Mat[ E]riel}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Consisting of matter; not spiritual; corporeal; physical; as, material substance or bodies. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 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. [1913 Webster] Cause is substance exerting its power into… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cause — causable, adj. causability, n. causeless, adj. causelessly, adv. causelessness, n. causer, n. /kawz/, n., v., caused, causing. n. 1. a person or thing that acts, happens, or exists in such a way that some specific thing happens as a result; the… …   Universalium

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