occasion
//əˈkeɪ̯ʒən//
Forms
- Plural
- occasions
- present (v1)
- occasion
- past (v2)
- occasioned
- past participle (v3)
- occasioned
- present participle
- occasioning
- 3rd person singular
- occasions
Definitions
1.A favorable opportunity; a convenient or timely chance.
- I'll take the occasion which he gives to bring / Him to his death.
- At this point, she seized the occasion to make her own observation.
2.The time when something happens.
- On this occasion, I'm going to decline your offer, but next time I might agree.
3.An occurrence or state of affairs which causes some event or reaction; a motive or reason.
- I had no occasion to feel offended, however.
4.Something which causes something else; a cause.
1.To cause; to produce; to induce
- It is seen that the mental changes are occasioned by a change of polarity.
- To the Author's private circle the appearance of this singular Work on Clothes must have occasioned little less surprise than it has to the rest of the world.
- The new tunnel has been associated with, but not actually occasioned by, the electrification of the Manchester-Sheffield-Wath lines of the former L.N.E.R., initiated before the war.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #2530
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Word family
Etymology
From Middle English occasioun
From Middle French occasion
From Old French occasiun
From Latin occāsiōnem, noun of action from perfect passive participle occāsus
From verb occidō
From prefix ob- (“down", "away”) + verb cadō (“fall”).