What does reason mean

Crossword clues for reason

reason

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

reason

I.noun

COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES

a likely cause/reason

▪ the likely cause of the accident

a sound reason

▪ Both these buyers have sound reasons for their choice.

an obvious reason

▪ The plan, for obvious reasons, was being kept secret.

be grounds/cause/reason for optimism

▪ The lower crime figures are certainly grounds for optimism.

be/go beyond the bounds of credibility/reason/decency etc

▪ The humor in the movie sometimes goes beyond the bounds of good taste.

chief reason

▪ The chief reason for this is that people are living longer.

cogent argument/reason/case etc

▪ a cogent argument for banning the drug

commercial considerations/reasons/purposes

▪ Commercial considerations must come second to conservation of the environment.

common sense prevails/reason prevails (=a sensible decision is made)

▪ He considered lying, but then common sense prevailed.

every reason

▪ We have every reason to believe that the operation will be a success.

for no apparent reason

▪ He left suddenly, for no apparent reason.

for personal reasons

▪ The company’s chief executive has resigned for personal reasons.

for purely political reasons

▪ a decision made for purely political reasons

for safety reasons (also for safety’s sake) (= in order to make something safe)

▪ For safety reasons visitors won’t be able to go down the tunnels.

for security reasons

▪ He can’t be identified for security reasons.

for sentimental reasons

▪ He wasn’t the sort of person who kept things for sentimental reasons.

For some inexplicable reason,

▪ For some inexplicable reason, he felt depressed.

For some strange reason

▪ For some strange reason, I slept like a baby despite the noise.

For some unaccountable reason

▪ For some unaccountable reason, he arrived a day early.

For some unknown reason

▪ For some unknown reason, Mark quit his job and moved to Greece.

for various reasons

▪ He decided to leave school for various reasons.

For...obscure reason

▪ For some obscure reason, the group is very popular.

have (good) reason to complain

▪ We felt we had good reason to complain about the food at the hotel.

have little/no reason to complain

▪ The school is good and parents have little reason to complain.

humanitarian grounds/reasons/purposes

▪ He was released from prison on humanitarian grounds.

line of argument/reasoning/inquiry etc

▪ It seemed useless to pursue this line of questioning.

▪ Opposition parties soon realized they would have to try a different line of attack.

listen to reason (=accept sensible advice)

▪ She refused to listen to reason.

no particular reason

▪ For no particular reason, he quit the job.

ostensible reason/purpose/aim

▪ The ostensible reason for his resignation was ill health.

powerful reasons/arguments (=reasons that make you think that something must be true)

put forward a reason/explanation

▪ A variety of reasons have been put forward to explain these changes.

real reason

▪ What was the real reason you quit your job?

reason why

▪ There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be friends.

reason

▪ I had a perfectly valid reason for being there.

see reason/sense (=realize that you are wrong or doing something stupid)

▪ I just can’t get her to see reason!

tactical reasons

▪ Two players were substituted for tactical reasons.

the fundamental reason

▪ The fundamental reason for the project’s failure was the lack of funds.

the sole reason

▪ His sole reason for calling was to shower abuse upon me.

the underlying cause/reason

▪ Stress is the underlying cause of many illnesses.

There’s no reason to suppose (=it is unlikely that)

▪ There’s no reason to suppose he’s lying.

this/that very reason

▪ I want everyone to be able to cook my recipes, so for that very reason I chose inexperienced cooks to test them.

time/reason/trouble etc enoughold-fashioned

▪ Come on – there’ll be time enough to chat later.

within reason (=within reasonable limits)

▪ You can go anywhere you want within reason.

COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS

■ ADJECTIVE

good

▪ All in all, I think I have good reason to hate her.

▪ But it was also because caregivers were reluctant, sometimes for good reason, to bear bad news.

▪ There is, therefore, good reason to believe the Shingle Street story is true.

▪ Johnson is perhaps the most businesslike member of the U. S. Olympic team, with good reason.

▪ But I don't like it here, and I've good reason for going.

▪ They come here for good reason.

▪ Nixon believed to his dying day, and with good reason, that Kennedy had stolen the contest, especially in Illinois.

▪ When my kids withdraw from my questions, they usually have a good reason for doing so.

legal

▪ The girl, who can not be named for legal reasons, had been left alone when a friend went home.

▪ This is for legal reasons, to prevent a suit.

▪ The child, who can not be named for legal reasons, was staying with her grandparents in south Devon.

▪ Loretta guessed there were legal reasons for the terse nature of the item.

▪ The girl, who can not be named for legal reasons, was then led out the back door of the court.

▪ The names can not be published for legal reasons.

▪ The woman, who can not be named for legal reasons, wants the circumstances of her children's care proceedings examined.

main

▪ The technique is used for three main reasons.

▪ Keeping churches open is the main reason nonpriests are overseeing an increasing number of parishes.

▪ The final section is the expedition, the main reason why people do the award scheme.

▪ Four out of five girls aged 12 to 14 said peer pressure was the main reason to begin smoking.

▪ The main reason is the shortage of real attractions.

▪ The main reason why pensioners are in this plight is the Tory Government's decision in 1980.

▪ One of the main reasons on the pitch was our inability to convert opportunities.

▪ The main reason lay in the rising level of interest repayments home owners had to make.

major

▪ The hope of finding wild trees with natural resistance was a major reason for collecting wild cocoa in the Upper Amazon.

▪ The major reason for this was that there were far fewer people to put in them.

▪ The major reason is that ideas in politics are not just academic.

▪ There is one major reason for this: The governors are far more popular than congressional Republicans.

▪ He had no doubt that a major reason was drink or, sometimes, gambling.

▪ One major reason stems from the relative urgency of working capital decisions.

▪ This is another major reason for the inadequate views of doubt among Christians.

▪ A second major reason for the importance of working capital management is the size of the working capital accounts.

obvious

▪ For obvious reasons, her reaction to Moira's death was the one that interested me most.

▪ But it is not a dream that is likely to come true, though perhaps not for the obvious reason.

▪ For obvious reasons, the tenants absolve the local authority of responsibility.

▪ Football fans were smiling for obvious reasons.

▪ For obvious reasons, the person with minimal education who wrote to a radio station was an exception.

▪ A tradition of exclusion, no less despicable for being time-honored, is one obvious reason.

▪ ANTI-SOCIAL Friends were having repeated trouble with their telephone, for which there seemed to be no obvious reason.

▪ For obvious reasons Jim could not conduct a public courtship, and so he learned to make a secret of his movements.

only

▪ The only reason Janine had cheered up was because she was taking her child from her.

▪ The only possible reason for your unwarranted interference is boredom!

▪ It's the only reason you've been allowed to stay on.

▪ That's the only reason I slunk out of that place!

▪ The only reason you want custody of Kirsty is so you can get your hands on her inheritance.

▪ The only reason must be the absence of a family.

▪ The only reason I ever kept on that bloody flat was for Dandy to have somewhere to come back to.

▪ The frequency-dependence in the advantage of unrestrained fighting is probably not the only reason why natural fighting is restrained.

personal

▪ However, she will also have to deal with pressures from her own colleagues who are seeking special consideration for personal reasons.

▪ In all such cases express personal and professional reasons for its study.

▪ We have separated for personal reasons.

▪ Williams flew from Austin back to California on Friday for personal reasons.

▪ He succeeds Ray Nakano, 49, who left the company several months ago for personal reasons, a company spokesman said.

▪ Ten participants completed the course successfully, one leaving for personal reasons.

▪ As the Gay situation unraveled, reserve guard Charlie Taylor was granted an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons.

simple

▪ Stockbrokers, politicians and company chairmen hanker after retail investors for the same, simple reason: they think they are chumps.

▪ For one very simple reason, my friend.

▪ And it comes first for one simple reason: civilization rolls on wheels, and lathes make wheels.

▪ It failed for the simple reason that no coherent principles or policies came forward to replace the old ones.

▪ He has often done anything and everything that was necessary to win games for a simple reason -- he could.

▪ It was not something which occurred all that often for the simple reason that he did not have the wherewithal.

▪ It is going to take off for the simple reason that everybody, with the fundamentalists in the lead, wants change.

■ VERB

give

▪ In it she asked him to come home, but she did not give a reason.

▪ She gave me no reason to hope, and the integrity that fueled her principles only made my position worse.

▪ So, giving reasons for our thoughts and actions does not perhaps have the solidity and universality that we might believe.

▪ It did not give a clear reason.

▪ Of course no one gave that as a reason - except for Abie Klugman, and poor Abie didn't really count.

▪ She says she might oppose the final annexation plan if given enough reason.

▪ It gives me a reason for staying.

▪ The Supreme Court gave no reason for declining to hear the case.

PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

circular argument/logic/reasoning

▪ Clearly the more elaborate the dress, the more dress-fasteners required, although there is here the danger of a circular argument.

▪ Failure to recognize this leads to circular arguments.

▪ Pupils can often fall back on a circular argument such as: Why is the relationship linear?

▪ The Court refused to allow itself to be caught in a circular argument as to which State needed to waive immunity first.

▪ The irony in all this is the circular logic of what appears to be the new strategic competition.

▪ This appears to be a circular argument, typical of closed-belief systems.

▪ We start by talking about a problem of circular reasoning to motivate the diagram.

compelling reason/argument/case etc

▪ Barring a compelling reason, governments should not discriminate between classes of citizens.

▪ But there are a number of compelling reasons to stand in line.

▪ But, in any event, there is no compelling reason to justify section 9.

▪ He was energetic, headstrong, and unorthodox-and he had compelling reasons for reducing the ruinously expensive Soviet nuclear arsenal.

▪ However, it is necessary to say a word or two here to refute this seemingly compelling argument.

▪ In the high-visibility, emotionally compelling cases such as maternity stays, an uproar resulted.

▪ The record is good but there is no compelling reason to buy.

▪ Unless there are other compelling reasons, therefore, never borrow money yourself to obtain funds needed by your corporation.

it stands to reason (that)

▪ But the important decisions ... well, it stands to reason that these would be the sole responsibility of the man.

▪ Well, it stands to reason, doesn't it?

▪ Well, it sounds a very obvious thing for us to say - but it stands to reason.

no earthly reason/use etc

▪ As far as I could tell, there was no earthly reason for Fanshawe to have chosen me for this job.

▪ It serves no earthly use to recapitulate the damage that they do, and which we know they do.

▪ Surely there's no earthly reason why you should not come with me to mass?

▪ There is no earthly reason why I shouldn't be able to move like these young athletes.

▪ There seemed to be no earthly reason for the Bureau to resist such status-but it did.

no rhyme or reason

▪ It claims that there is no rhyme or reason to stock-market investment.

▪ There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the colors.

the voice of reason/experience etc

▪ However, while the voice of reason is presently peripheral, its steady hum may well be heard.

▪ It was the voice of reason.

▪ Sadly the voices of reason are overwhelmed or ignored, even though in the long-term they are safer guardians of our values.

▪ Satan does not realise that real freedom is found in obeying the voice of reason.

▪ Whereas Ian would be resourceful and brave, Barbara would be the voice of reason, relating their experiences in human terms.

▪ You could not hear the voice of reason, only the terrible curiosity, insisting that it be satisfied.

valid reason/argument/criticism etc

▪ A 1977 Supreme Court ruling permits police stopping a car for valid reasons to order drivers to exit.

▪ A second and equally valid argument is that the publishing world is an invaluable source of knowledge.

▪ Accepting criticism Accepting valid criticism is also part of this group of assertive actions.

▪ But a complete justification of authority has to do more than to provide valid reasons for its acceptance.

▪ But neither do we have to be defensive if they occasionally have a valid criticism.

▪ But there are also valid reasons for optimism.

▪ No serious thinker can make a valid argument that to discriminate based on species is acceptable.

▪ Povert drudgery and loneliness are valid reasons for sadness; beyond and beneath, far outreaching them all, is unrequited love.

with the best of intentions/for the best of reasons

EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

▪ "Why are you helping her?" "She asked me to. That's the only reason."

▪ Can anyone explain the reason for the delay?

▪ Dad went off to find out the reason for the delay.

▪ For reasons best known to themselves, my parents were vehemently opposed to the idea.

▪ For security reasons, there were video cameras at the school entrance.

▪ I can think of lots of reasons to get married.

▪ In times of war, reason can give way to racism.

▪ No, he isn't here - he had to go back to Poland for some reason.

▪ One of the main reasons that she looks so good is that she has her own personal stylist.

▪ Political negotiation always involves a balance between reason and force.

▪ The reason why the economy is growing more slowly is a lack of workers.

▪ The reason why we need these laws is to protect children from violent adults.

▪ The main reason she quit is that she was not being paid enough.

▪ The real reason we weren't getting along wasn't so simple.

▪ The school is proud of its record, and with good reason.

▪ There's no reason to doubt what she says.

▪ There's no reason why Jon can't come with us.

▪ There were two reasons behind the company's failure.

▪ We have every reason to believe he is guilty.

▪ What was your reason for leaving your last job?

EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS

▪ As a result of these findings Glaxo stopped clinical trials comparing ranitidine with omeprazole for ethical reasons.

▪ He couldn't provide the money, but for some reason they accepted his guarantee.

▪ One reason that computer books have improved and increased is that ownership and awareness of computers has grown.

▪ The changes are about how to discipline and the reasons for requiring obedience to certain rules.

▪ There's always a reason to have a good laugh.

▪ There is no reason at all, however, why such states should endure for ever.

▪ This may be one reason for the diversity in the experiences of drinkers.

▪ This unlikely concoction was one of the more important pharmacological advances in the history of medicine, albeit for the wrong reasons.

II.verb

COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS

■ ADVERB

why

▪ He goes on to outline the areas of concern and reasons why they had not been dealt with.

▪ There is no important theory-based reason why these countries rather than others were selected.

▪ There are, of course, good reasons why the control of human behavior is resisted.

▪ This points to still another reason why minimizing is an ineffective means of dealing with ongoing costs.

▪ Ordinarily, these facts would be recited by Gore as reasons why he should succeed to the top job.

▪ There are three basic reasons why leaders are important.

▪ Any reason why it had to be filled?

▪ Despite these powerful arguments against mutual funds, there are still reasons why it makes sense for ordinary investors to own them.