reason

CEFRA1

/ˈɹiːzən/

noun · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A cause or explanation for something.

  2. 02

    verb

    To think carefully and use facts to form a judgment.

Examples

  • For some reason I feel more alive at night.

  • He said no but he didn't give a reason.

At a glance

Sits at A1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • [ˈɹʷɪi̯zən] ~ [ˈɹʷɪi̯zn̩]

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A cause:, A motive for an action or a determination.

  2. A cause:, 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.

  3. A cause:

More examples

In context

  • You are too old not to see the reason.

  • He made reason with his boss about taking a day off.

  • The reason I robbed the bank was that I needed the money.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The scientist gave a clear blank for the unusual results in the experiment.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

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.