ALL meanings of material cause
ma·te·ri·al cause
M m - noun material cause a person or thing that acts, happens, or exists in such a way that some specific thing happens as a result; the producer of an effect: You have been the cause of much anxiety. What was the cause of the accident? 1
- noun material cause the reason or motive for some human action: The good news was a cause for rejoicing. 1
- noun material cause good or sufficient reason: to complain without cause; to be dismissed for cause. 1
- noun material cause Law. a ground of legal action; the matter over which a person goes to law. a case for judicial decision. 1
- noun material cause any subject of discussion or debate. 1
- noun material cause a principle, ideal, goal, or movement to which a person or group is dedicated: the Socialist cause; the human rights cause. 1
- noun material cause the welfare of a person or group, seen as a subject of concern: support for the cause of the American Indian. 1
- noun material cause Philosophy. the end or purpose for which a thing is done or produced. Aristotelianism. any of the four things necessary for the movement or the coming into being of a thing, namely a material (material cause) something to act upon it (efficient cause) a form taken by the movement or development (formal cause) and a goal or purpose (final cause) 1
- verb with object material cause to be the cause of; bring about. 1
- idioms material cause make common cause, to unite in a joint effort; work together for the same end: They made common cause with neighboring countries and succeeded in reducing tariffs. 1
- noun material cause (philosophy, natural science) The stuff or matter of which something is made. 0