| Main Entry: | cause |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | agent, originator |
Synonyms: |
account, agency, aim, antecedent, author, basis, beginning, causation, consideration, creator, determinant, doer, element, end, explanation, foundation, genesis, ground, grounds, incitement, inducement, instigation, leaven, mainspring, maker, matter, motivation, motive, object, occasion, origin, prime mover, principle, producer, purpose, root, source, spring, stimulation |
Antonyms: |
consequence, development, effect, end, fruit, issue, outcome, outgrowth, product, result |
| Main Entry: | conclusive |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | definite, final |
Synonyms: |
absolute, all out, clear, clinching, cogent, compelling, convincing, deciding, decisive, demonstrative, determinant, determinative, flat out, incontrovertible, indisputable, irrefragable, irrefrangible, irrefutable, irrevocable, litmus test, precise, resolving, revealing, settling, straight out, telling, ultimate, unambiguous, unanswerable, unarguable, unconditional, undeniable, unmistakable, unquestionable, what you see is what you get |
Antonyms: |
inconclusive, indefinite |
| Main Entry: | grounds |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | basis, premise |
Synonyms: |
account, antecedent, argument, base, bedrock, call, cause, chapter and verse, demonstration, determinant, dope*, evidence, excuse, factor, footing, foundation, goods*, groundwork, inducement, info, information*, infrastructure, justification, motive, numbers, occasion, pretext, proof, rationale, reason, root*, seat, straight stuff, substratum, test, testimony, trial, underpinning, wherefore, why, whyfor |
| Main Entry: | incentive |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | lure, inducement |
Synonyms: |
allurement, bait, carrot, catalyst, come-on, consideration, determinant, drive, encouragement, enticement, excuse, exhortation, goad, ground, impetus, impulse, incitement, influence, insistence, inspiration, instigation, motivation, motive, persuasion, provocation, purpose, rationale, reason, reason why, spring, spur, stimulant, stimulation, stimulus, temptation, urge, whip |
| Notes: | the temporal orientation of incentive is toward the future; that of inducement is toward the past |
Antonyms: |
block, hindrance, turn-off |
| Main Entry: | motive |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | reason, purpose |
Synonyms: |
aim, antecedent, basis, cause, consideration, design, determinant, drive, emotion, end, feeling, grounds, idea, impulse, incentive, incitement, inducement, influence, inspiration, intent, intention, mainspring, motivation, object, occasion, passion, rationale, root, spring, spur, stimulus, thinking |
Antonyms: |
deterrent, discouragement, hindrance |
| Main Entry: | occasion |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | reason, cause |
Synonyms: |
antecedent, basis, call, circumstance, determinant, excuse, foundation, ground, grounds, incident, inducement, influence, justification, motivation, motive, necessity, obligation, prompting, provocation, purpose, right, warrant |
| Main Entry: | origin |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | cause, basis |
Synonyms: |
agent, ancestor, ancestry, antecedent, author, base, causality, causation, connection, creator, derivation, determinant, egg, element, embryo, fountain, generator, germ, horse's mouth, impulse, inception, inducement, influence, inspiration, mainspring, motive, nucleus, occasion, parent, parentage, principle, producer, progenitor, provenance, provenience, root, roots, seed, source, spring, stock, well, wellspring |
Antonyms: |
consequence, destiny, effect, goal, outcome, outgrowth, result |
| Main Entry: | reason |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | intention, aim |
Synonyms: |
antecedent, argument, basis, cause, consideration, design, determinant, end, goal, grounds, idea, impetus, incentive, inducement, motivation, motive, object, occasion, proof, purpose, rationale, root, spring, target, ulterior motive, warrant, wherefore, why, why and wherefore, whyfor |
| Main Entry: | source |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | beginning; point of supply |
Synonyms: |
antecedent, author, authority, authorship, begetter, birthplace, cause, commencement, connection, dawn, dawning, derivation, determinant, expert, father, fount, fountain, fountainhead, horse's mouth, inception, informant, maternity, mother, onset, opening, origin, origination, originator, parent, paternity, provenance, provenience, rise, rising, root, specialist, spring, start, starting point, wellspring |
Antonyms: |
effect, end, result |
| Main Entry: | determinative |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | conclusive |
Synonyms: |
certain, crucial, decided, decisive, definitive, determinant, determined, determining, final, settled |