a basis or cause, as for some belief, action, fact, event, etc.: the reason for declaring war.
2.
a statement presented in justification or explanation of a belief or action.
3.
the mental powers concerned with forming conclusions, judgments, or inferences.
4.
sound judgment; good sense.
5.
normal or sound powers of mind; sanity.
6.
Logic. a premise of an argument.
7.
Philosophy.
a.
the faculty or power of acquiring intellectual knowledge, either by direct understanding of first principles or by argument.
b.
the power of intelligent and dispassionate thought, or of conduct influenced by such thought.
c.
Kantianism. the faculty by which the ideas of pure reason are created.
–verb (used without object)
8.
to think or argue in a logical manner.
9.
to form conclusions, judgments, or inferences from facts or premises.
10.
to urge reasons which should determine belief or action.
–verb (used with object)
11.
to think through logically, as a problem (often fol. by out).
12.
to conclude or infer.
13.
to convince, persuade, etc., by reasoning.
14.
to support with reasons.
—Idioms
15.
bring (someone) to reason, to induce a change of opinion in (someone) through presentation of arguments; convince: The mother tried to bring her rebellious daughter to reason.
16.
by reason of, on account of; because of: He was consulted about the problem by reason of his long experience.
17.
in or within reason, in accord with reason; justifiable; proper: She tried to keep her demands in reason.
18.
stand to reason, to be clear, obvious, or logical: With such an upbringing it stands to reason that the child will be spoiled.
19.
with reason, with justification; properly: The government is concerned about the latest crisis, and with reason.
[Origin: 1175–1225; ME resoun, reisun (n.) < OF reisun, reson < L ratiōn- (s. of ratiō) ratio]
—Related forms
rea·son·er, noun
—Synonyms 1. purpose, end, aim, object, objective. Reason,cause,motive are terms for a circumstance (or circumstances) which brings about or explains certain results. A reason is an explanation of a situation or circumstance which made certain results seem possible or appropriate: The reason for the robbery was the victim's display of his money. The cause is the way in which the circumstances produce the effect, that is, make a specific action seem necessary or desirable: The cause was the robber's extreme need of money. A motive is the hope, desire, or other force which starts the action (or an action) in an attempt to produce specific results: The motive was to get money to buy food for his family. 2. excuse, rationalization. 3. understanding, intellect, mind, intelligence. 10. persuade.
—Usage note The construction reason is because is criticized in a number of usage guides: The reason for the long delays was because the costs greatly exceeded the original estimates. One objection to this construction is based on its redundancy: the word because (literally, by cause) contains within it the meaning of reason; thus saying the reason is because is like saying “The cause is by cause,” which would never be said. A second objection is based on the claim that because can introduce only adverbial clauses and that reason is requires completion by a noun clause. Critics would substitute that for because in the offending construction: The reason for the long delays in completing the project was that the costs. … Although the objections described here are frequently raised, reason is because is still common in almost all levels of speech and occurs often in edited writing as well. A similar charge of redundancy is made against the reason why, which is also a well-established idiom: The reason why the bill failed to pass was the defection of three key senators.
The basis or motive for an action, decision, or conviction. See Usage Notes at because, why.
A declaration made to explain or justify action, decision, or conviction: inquired about her reason for leaving.
An underlying fact or cause that provides logical sense for a premise or occurrence: There is reason to believe that the accused did not commit this crime.
The capacity for logical, rational, and analytic thought; intelligence.
Good judgment; sound sense.
A normal mental state; sanity: He has lost his reason.
Logic A premise, usually the minor premise, of an argument.
v.
rea·soned, rea·son·ing, rea·sons
v.
intr.
To use the faculty of reason; think logically.
To talk or argue logically and persuasively.
Obsolete To engage in conversation or discussion.
v.
tr.
To determine or conclude by logical thinking: reasoned out a solution to the problem.
To persuade or dissuade (someone) with reasons.
[Middle English, from Old French raison, from Latin ratiō, ratiōn-, from ratus, past participle of rērī, to consider, think; see ar- in Indo-European roots.]
rea'son·er n.
Synonyms: These nouns refer to the intellectual faculty by which humans seek or attain knowledge or truth. Reason is the power to think rationally and logically and to draw inferences: "Mere reason is insufficient to convince us of its [the Christian religion's] veracity" (David Hume).
Intuition is perception or comprehension, as of truths or facts, without the use of the rational process: I trust my intuitions when it comes to assessing someone's character. Understanding is the faculty by which one understands, often together with the resulting comprehension: "The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding" (Louis D. Brandeis).
Judgment is the ability to assess situations or circumstances and draw sound conclusions: "At twenty years of age, the will reigns; at thirty, the wit; and at forty, the judgment" (Benjamin Franklin). See Also Synonyms at cause, mind, think.
c.1225, "statement in an argument," also "intellectual faculty that adopts actions to ends," from Anglo-Fr. resoun, O.Fr. raison, from L. rationem (nom. ratio) "reckoning, understanding, motive, cause," from ratus, pp. of reri "to reckon, think," from PIE base *rei- "to reason, count" (cf. O.E. rædan "to advise; see read). Meaning "sanity" is recorded from, c.1380. The verb (c.1300) is from O.Fr. raisoner, from L.L. rationare "to discourse." Originally "to question (someone)," sense of "employ reasoning (with someone)" is from 1847, and that of "to think in a logical manner" is from 1593. Phrase it stands to reason is from 1632. Age of Reason "the Enlightenment" is first recorded 1794, as the title of Tom Paine's book.
a rational motive for a belief or action; "the reason that war was declared"; "the grounds for their declaration"
2.
an explanation of the cause of some phenomenon; "the reason a steady state was never reached was that the back pressure built up too slowly"
3.
the capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination; "we are told that man is endowed with reason and capable of distinguishing good from evil"
4.
the state of having good sense and sound judgment; "his rationality may have been impaired"; "he had to rely less on reason than on rousing their emotions" [syn: rationality]
5.
a justification for something existing or happening; "he had no cause to complain"; "they had good reason to rejoice" [syn: cause]
6.
a fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion; "there is reason to believe he is lying"
verb
1.
decide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion; "We reasoned that it was cheaper to rent than to buy a house"
something which makes something happen, describes why it happened, should happen or is going to happen etc Example: What is the reason for this noise?; What is your reason for going to London?; The reason (why) I am going is that I want to.
Arabic:
سَبَب
Chinese (Simplified):
理由
Chinese (Traditional):
理由
Czech:
příčina, důvod
Danish:
årsag; grund
Dutch:
reden
Estonian:
põhjus
Finnish:
syy
French:
raison
German:
der Grund
Greek:
λόγος, αιτία
Hungarian:
ok
Icelandic:
ástæða
Indonesian:
penyebab, alasan
Italian:
ragione
Japanese:
理由
Korean:
이유
Latvian:
cēlonis; iemesls
Lithuanian:
priežastis, motyvas
Norwegian:
grunn, årsak
Polish:
powód
Portuguese (Brazil):
razão
Portuguese (Portugal):
razão
Romanian:
motiv, cauză
Russian:
причина
Slovak:
príčina, dôvod
Slovenian:
vzrok; razlog
Spanish:
razón
Swedish:
skäl, anledning, grund, orsak
Turkish:
neden, sebep
reason2[ˈriːzn]noun
the power of the mind to think, form opinions and judgements etc Example: Only man has reason — animals have not.
Arabic:
عَقْل
Chinese (Simplified):
理性
Chinese (Traditional):
理性
Czech:
rozum
Danish:
fornuft; dømmekraft
Dutch:
rede
Estonian:
mõistus
Finnish:
järki, päättelykyky
French:
raison
German:
die Vernunft
Greek:
λογική, λογικό
Hungarian:
értelem
Icelandic:
skynsemi, dómgreind
Indonesian:
akal
Italian:
ragione
Japanese:
理性
Korean:
이성
Latvian:
saprāts
Lithuanian:
protas
Norwegian:
fornuft, forstand, dømmekraft
Polish:
rozum
Portuguese (Brazil):
razão
Portuguese (Portugal):
razão
Romanian:
raţiune
Russian:
разум
Slovak:
rozum
Slovenian:
razum
Spanish:
razón
Swedish:
förstånd, förnuft
Turkish:
akıl, mantık
reason1[ˈriːzn]verb
to (be able to) think, form opinions and judgements etc Example: Man alone has the ability to reason.
Arabic:
يُفَكِّر
Chinese (Simplified):
推理
Chinese (Traditional):
推理
Czech:
myslet
Danish:
ræsonnere
Dutch:
redeneren
Estonian:
mõtlema
Finnish:
käyttää järkeään
French:
raisonner
German:
denken
Greek:
σκέφτομαι λογικά
Hungarian:
gondolkodik
Icelandic:
hugsa rökrétt, álykta
Indonesian:
mempertimbangkan
Italian:
ragionare
Japanese:
考える
Korean:
사고하다, 판단하다
Latvian:
domāt; spriest
Lithuanian:
mąstyti, protauti
Norwegian:
tenke seg til, trekke fornuftsslutninger
Polish:
rozumować
Portuguese (Brazil):
raciocinar
Portuguese (Portugal):
raciocinar
Romanian:
a raţiona
Russian:
размышлять
Slovak:
myslieť
Slovenian:
razmišljati
Spanish:
razonar, discurrir
Swedish:
göra slutledningar, resonera
Turkish:
düşün(ebil)mek
reason2[ˈriːzn]verb
to argue; to work out after some thought Example: She reasoned that if he had caught the 6.30 p.m. train, he would not be home before 8.00.
Ar*raign"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Arraigned; p. pr. & vb. n. Arraigning.] [OE. arainen, arenen, OF. aragnier, aranier, araisnier, F. arraisonner, fr. LL. arrationare to address to call before court; L. ad + ratio reason, reasoning, LL. cause, judgment. See Reason.]1. (Law) To call or set as a prisoner at the bar of a court to answer to the matter charged in an indictment or complaint. --Blackstone. 2. To call to account, or accuse, before the bar of reason, taste, or any other tribunal. They will not arraign you for want of knowledge. --Dryden. It is not arrogance, but timidity, of which the Christian body should now be arraigned by the world. --I. Taylor. Syn: To accuse; impeach; charge; censure; criminate; indict; denounce. See Accuse.
Dar"raign\, Darrain \Dar"rain\,, v. t. [OF. deraisnier to explain, defend, to maintain in legal action by proof and reasonings, LL. derationare; de- + rationare to discourse, contend in law, fr. L. ratio reason, in LL., legal cause. Cf. Arraign, and see Reason.]1. To make ready to fight; to array. [Obs.] Darrain your battle, for they are at hand. --Shak. 2. To fight out; to contest; to decide by combat. [Obs.] "To darrain the battle." --Chaucer .
Hun"dred\, n. [OE. hundred, AS. hundred a territorial division; hund hundred + a word akin to Goth. ga-ra?jan to count, L. ratio reckoning, account; akin to OS. hunderod, hund, D. hondred, G. hundert, OHG. also hunt, Icel. hundra?, Dan. hundrede, Sw. hundra, hundrade, Goth. hund, Lith. szimtas, Russ. sto, W. cant, Ir. cead, L. centum, Gr. ?, Skr. [,c]ata. [root]309. Cf. Cent, Century, Hecatomb, Quintal, and Reason.]1. The product of ten mulitplied by ten, or the number of ten times ten; a collection or sum, consisting of ten times ten units or objects; five score. Also, a symbol representing one hundred units, as 100 or C. With many hundreds treading on his heels. --Shak. Note: The word hundred, as well as thousand, million, etc., often takes a plural form. We may say hundreds, or many hundreds, meaning individual objects or units, but with an ordinal numeral adjective in constructions like five hundreds, or eight hundreds, it is usually intended to consider each hundred as a separate aggregate; as, ten hundreds are one thousand. 2. A division of a country in England, supposed to have originally contained a hundred families, or freemen. Hundred court, a court held for all the inhabitants of a hundred. [Eng.] --Blackstone.
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