King James Bible Dictionary

See Actions at Law
Actions at Law

CAUSE, noun s as z.

1. A suit or action in court; any legal process which a party institutes to obtain his demand, or by which he seeks his right or his supposed right. This is a legal, scriptural and popular use of the word, coinciding nearly with case from cado, and action from ago, to urge or drive.

The cause of both parties shall come before the judges. Exodus 22:5.

2. That which produces an effect; that which impels into existence, or by its agency or operation produces what did not before exist; that by virtue of which any thing is done; that from which any thing proceeds, and without which it would not exist.

CAUSE is a substance exerting its power into act, to make a thing begin to be.

3. The reason or motive that urges, moves, or impels the mind to act or decide.

For this cause have I raised up Pharaoh. Exodus 9:16.

And David said, is there not a cause? 1 Samuel 17:29.

4. Sake; account.

I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong. 2 Corinthians 6:1. [See Sake.]

5. That which a party or nation pursues; or rather pursuit, prosecution of an object. We say, Bible Societies are engaged in a noble cause [See the first definition.] Hence the word cause is used to denote that which a person or thing favors; that to which the efforts of an intelligent being are directed; as, to promote religion is to advance the cause of God. So we say, the cause of truth or of justice. In all its applications, cause retains something of its original meaning, struggle, impelling force, contest, effort to obtain or to effect something.

6. Without cause without good reason; without a reason or motive to justify the act.

They hate me without cause Psalms 35:19. Psalms 69:4.

CAUSE, verb transitive

1. To produce; to bring into existence.

They caused great joy to all the brethren. Acts 15:3.

2. To effect by agency, power or influence.

I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days. Genesis 7:4.

I will cause him to fall by the sword. 2 Kings 19:7.

CAUSE, verb intransitive To assign insufficient cause

CAUSED, participle passive Produced; effected; brought about.

CAUSELESS, adjective

1. Having no cause, or producing agent.

2. Without just ground, reason or motive; as causeless hatred; causeless fear. Proverbs 26:2.

CAUSELESSLY, adverb Without cause or reason.

CAUSELESSNESS, noun The state of being causeless.

CAUSER, noun He that causes; the agent by which an effect is produced.

A raised way, an ascent by steps, or a raised slope between Zion and the temple (1 Chronicles 26:16, 18). In 2 Chronicles 9:11 the same word is translated "terrace."

CAUSEY, noun A way raised above the natural level of the ground, by stones, earth, timber, fascines, etc., serving as a dry passage over wet or marshy ground, or as a mole to confine water to a pond or restrain it from overflowing lower ground. Most generally it is a way raised in a common road.