Dictionary / reason
reason
- noun
- verb
- from Anglo-Norman
That which causes something: an efficient cause, a proximate cause.
1 All current definitions
Every sense of “reason” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.
noun · etymology 1
- A cause:countableuncountableThat which causes something: an efficient cause, a proximate cause.
The reason this tree fell is that it had rotted.
- A cause:countableuncountableA motive for an action or a determination.
He made reason with his boss about taking a day off.
- A cause:countableuncountableAn excuse: a thought or a consideration offered in support of a determination or an opinion; that which is offered or accepted as an explanation.
I have forgotten the reason he gave for not travelling by air. I felt sure that it was not the correct reason, and that he suffered from a heart trouble which he kept to himself.1966, Graham Greene, The Comedians, Penguin Classics, →ISBN, page 14:
- A cause:countableuncountableA premise placed after its conclusion.
- uncountableRational thinking (or the capacity for it); the cognitive faculties, collectively, of conception, judgment, deduction and intuition.
Mankind should develop reason above all other virtues.
Older & obsolete senses (2)
- countableobsoleteuncountableSomething reasonable, in accordance with thought; justice.
- countableobsoleteuncountableRatio; proportion.
verb · etymology 1
- intransitiveTo deduce or come to a conclusion by being rational.
"I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which shows, my dear Watson, how dangerous it always is to reason from insufficient data. […]"1892, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Speckled Band:
- intransitiveTo perform a process of deduction or of induction, in order to convince or to confute; to argue.
Still my spirit was not broken. I indulged the anticipation of escape, and that speedily. It was impossible, I reasoned, that men could be so unjust as to detain me as a slave, when the truth of my case was known.1853, Solomon Northup, chapter III, in [David Wilson], editor, Twelve Years a Slave. […], London: Sampson Low, Son & Co.; Auburn, N.Y.: Derby and Miller, →OCLC, page 47:
- ambitransitiveTo arrange and present the reasons for or against; to examine or discuss by arguments; to debate or discuss.
I reasoned the matter with my friend.
- raretransitiveTo support with reasons, as a request.
- transitiveTo persuade by reasoning or argument.
to reason one into a belief; to reason one out of his plan
- transitivewith downTo overcome or conquer by adducing reasons.
to reason down a passion
- transitiveusuallyTo find by logical process; to explain or justify by reason or argument.
to reason out the causes of the librations of the moon
Older & obsolete senses (1)
- intransitiveobsoleteTo converse; to compare opinions.
Cross-check: WordNet senses (9)
- nouna rational motive for a belief or action — also: ground
- nounan explanation of the cause of some phenomenon
- nounthe capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination — also: understanding, intellect
- nounthe state of having good sense and sound judgment — also: rationality, reasonableness
- nouna justification for something existing or happening — also: cause, grounds
- nouna fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion
- verbdecide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion — also: reason out, conclude
- verbpresent reasons and arguments — also: argue
- verbthink logically
Synonyms: that which causes, rationale, motive, excuse
2 History of the word
The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.
Etymology 1 (noun, verb)
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)reason
- Middle Englishresoun
- Anglo-Normanraisun (Old French raison)
- Latinratiō
- Latinratus
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂reh₁- “to think”
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 Old English racu (“logic, reason”) and 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.
Etymology 2 (noun)
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)reason
- Middle Englishreason
- Old Englishræsn “beam, rafter, ceiling, wall panel”
- Proto-West Germanic*raʀn “house”
- Proto-Germanic*razną “house, dwelling”
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁erh₁- “to rest”
From Middle English reason, reson, resen, rasen, from Old English ræsn (“beam, rafter, ceiling, wall panel”), probably from Proto-West Germanic *raʀn (“house”), from Proto-Germanic *razną (“house, dwelling”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁erh₁- (“to rest”).
Derivatives — words built from “reason”
Phrases & compounds
Related terms
Want to go deeper? See also “reason” on Etymonline ↗
3 Original language
Where “reason” came from before it was English.
Etymology 1 (noun, verb)
Etymology 2 (noun)
The source marks part of this history as uncertain (it uses words like “perhaps” or “possibly”). Read the full etymology above before treating any single origin as certain.
4 Original meaning
What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.
Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913
A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.
reason n. [OE. resoun, F. raison, fr. L. ratio (akin to Goth. ra number, account, gara to count, G. rede speech, reden to speak), fr. reri, ratus, to reckon, believe, think. Cf. Arraign, Rate, Ratio, Ration.]
- A thought or a consideration offered in support of a determination or an opinion; a just ground for a conclusion or an action; that which is offered or accepted as an explanation; the efficient cause of an occurrence or a phenomenon; a motive for an action or a determination; proof, more or less decisive, for an opinion or a conclusion; principle; efficient cause; final cause; ground of argument.
- The faculty or capacity of the human mind by which it is distinguished from the intelligence of the inferior animals; the higher as distinguished from the lower cognitive faculties, sense, imagination, and memory, and in contrast to the feelings and desires. Reason comprises conception, judgment, reasoning, and the intuitional faculty. Specifically, it is the intuitional faculty, or the faculty of first truths, as distinguished from the understanding, which is called the discursive or ratiocinative faculty.
- Due exercise of the reasoning faculty; accordance with, or that which is accordant with and ratified by, the mind rightly exercised; right intellectual judgment; clear and fair deductions from true principles; that which is dictated or supported by the common sense of mankind; right conduct; right; propriety; justice.
- Ratio; proportion.
reason v. i. [Cf. F. raisonner. See Reason, n.]
- To exercise the rational faculty; to deduce inferences from premises; to perform the process of deduction or of induction; to ratiocinate; to reach conclusions by a systematic comparison of facts.
- Hence: To carry on a process of deduction or of induction, in order to convince or to confute; to formulate and set forth propositions and the inferences from them; to argue.
- To converse; to compare opinions.
reason v. t.
- To arrange and present the reasons for or against; to examine or discuss by arguments; to debate or discuss; as, I reasoned the matter with my friend.
- To support with reasons, as a request.
- To persuade by reasoning or argument; as, to reason one into a belief; to reason one out of his plan.
- To overcome or conquer by adducing reasons; -- with down; as, to reason down a passion.
5 Use it with confidence
Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.
nounMeaning: That which causes something: an efficient cause, a proximate cause.
The reason this tree fell is that it had rotted.
There is a reason why so many should be symmetrical: The selective advantage in a symmetrical complex is enjoyed by all the subunits[…]1996, Daniel Clement Dennett, Darwin’s Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life, page 198:
nounMeaning: A motive for an action or a determination.
He made reason with his boss about taking a day off.
The reason I robbed the bank was that I needed the money.
nounMeaning: 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.
I have forgotten the reason he gave for not travelling by air. I felt sure that it was not the correct reason, and that he suffered from a heart trouble which he kept to himself.1966, Graham Greene, The Comedians, Penguin Classics, →ISBN, page 14:
nounMeaning: Rational thinking (or the capacity for it); the cognitive faculties, collectively, of conception, judgment, deduction and intuition.
Mankind should develop reason above all other virtues.
The tremendous tragedy in which he had been involved - it was evident he was a fugitive from Weybridge - had driven him to the very verge of his reason.1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 113:
verbMeaning: To deduce or come to a conclusion by being rational.
"I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which shows, my dear Watson, how dangerous it always is to reason from insufficient data. […]"1892, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Speckled Band:
verbMeaning: To perform a process of deduction or of induction, in order to convince or to confute; to argue.
Still my spirit was not broken. I indulged the anticipation of escape, and that speedily. It was impossible, I reasoned, that men could be so unjust as to detain me as a slave, when the truth of my case was known.1853, Solomon Northup, chapter III, in [David Wilson], editor, Twelve Years a Slave. […], London: Sampson Low, Son & Co.; Auburn, N.Y.: Derby and Miller, →OCLC, page 47:
“All right, Dad – I did follow you. But only because I was worried about you.” “Worried about me? I was worried about you! Hanging on to the roof of a speeding car! Are you nuts?” “It wasn’t moving when I climbed on to it,” reasoned the boy.2017, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Bad Dad, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN:
nounMeaning: a rational motive for a belief or action
the reason that war was declared
nounMeaning: 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
nounMeaning: 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
nounMeaning: the state of having good sense and sound judgment
he had to rely less on reason than on rousing their emotions
Three steps to owning it
- Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
- Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
- Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?
6 The mastery game
Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.
Say it, then spell it
reason
/ˈɹiːzən/ · rea·son
Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.
Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________
reason
/ˈɹiːzən/ · rea·son · noun, verb
Step 1 — Say it and write it
Say “reason” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.
Step 2 — Know every meaning
Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.
Step 3 — Which meaning is it?
“The reason this tree fell is that it had rotted.”
Circle the meaning used.
“He made reason with his boss about taking a day off.”
Circle the meaning used.
“Mankind should develop reason above all other virtues.”
Circle the meaning used.
Step 4 — History and origin
Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):
Write three words built from “reason” and what each means:
Step 5 — Original meaning
The earliest traceable form is Proto-Indo-European *h₂reh₁-. What did it mean?
How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?
Step 6 — Use it yourself
☐ I can explain its meanings ☐ I know its history ☐ I know its original language ☐ I know its original meaning ☐ I can use it confidently
Answer key — reason
Which meaning, sentence 1: B. That which causes something: an efficient cause, a proximate cause.
Which meaning, sentence 2: C. A motive for an action or a determination.
Which meaning, sentence 3: A. Rational thinking (or the capacity for it); the cognitive faculties, collectively, of conception, judgment, deduction and intuition.
Origin: B. Anglo-Norman (Anglo-Norman raisun)
Journey: English reason ← Middle English resoun ← Anglo-Norman raisun ← Latin ratiō ← Latin ratus ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂reh₁-
Some derivatives: antireason, counterreason, misreason, nonreason, reasonist, reasonless, reasonous, subreason
Original meaning: Proto-Indo-European *h₂reh₁- — “to think”
Etymology: 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 Old English racu (“logic, reason”) and 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.
Sources: Wiktionary “reason” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/reason#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/reason