I.
noun
1 sb/sth that makes sth happen
ADJECTIVE
▪ real , root , true , underlying
▪
the root ~ of the problem
▪ deeper
▪
A deeper ~ for resentment is the discrepancy in pay.
▪ biggest , chief , clear , fundamental , important , leading , main , major , number-one , primary , prime , principal , significant
▪ common
▪
Smoking is a common ~ of premature death.
▪ likely , possible , probable
▪ known , unknown
▪ direct , indirect
▪ immediate , initial
▪ contributory
▪ hidden
VERB + CAUSE
▪ determine , discover , find , identify , pinpoint , reveal
▪
attempts to identify the immediate ~ of the breakdown
▪ examine , investigate , study
▪ know , understand
▪ address
CAUSE + VERB
▪ be , lie in sth , remain
▪
What are the ~s of the crisis?
▪
The real ~ of the problem lies in the poor construction of the bridge.
PREPOSITION
▪ ~ of
▪
the ~s of blindness
PHRASES
▪ ~ and effect
▪ the ~ of death
▪ due to natural ~s , from natural ~s , of natural ~s
▪
He died of natural ~s.
▪ the exact ~ of sth , the precise ~ of sth
▪
The precise ~ of the accident is not known.
▪ have many ~s , have several ~s , have various ~s
2 reason
ADJECTIVE
▪ good , great , real , reasonable , sufficient
VERB + CAUSE
▪ have
▪
We have good ~ to believe that he was involved in the crime.
▪ find
▪
The experts may find ~ to disagree with the school's decision.
▪ give (sb)
▪
Her health is giving us great ~ for concern.
▪ show
▪
The onus is on government departments to show ~ why information cannot be disclosed.
PREPOSITION
▪ ~ for
▪
There is no ~ for alarm.
PHRASES
▪ ~ for concern , with good ~ , without good ~ , without just ~
3 aim that people believe in
ADJECTIVE
▪ deserving , good , just , noble , righteous ( esp. AmE ), worthwhile , worthy
▪
The money she left went to various worthy ~s.
▪ favourite/favorite , pet ( AmE )
▪ bad , unjust
▪ common
▪
The different groups support a common ~.
▪ hopeless , lost (= one that has failed or that cannot succeed)
▪ charitable , environmental , humanitarian , political , social
▪ communist , conservative , liberal , socialist , etc.
VERB + CAUSE
▪ advance , champion , embrace , fight for , further , help , promote , serve , support
▪
young men willing to fight for the ~
▪
She would do anything that would further the ~.
▪ be committed to , be sympathetic to
▪ join , take up
▪
She has taken up the liberal ~.
▪ plead
▪
He pleaded the ~ of the local fishermen.
PREPOSITION
▪ for the ~ of , in the ~ of
▪
They were not prepared to sacrifice themselves for the ~ of the country.
▪
battles fought in the ~ of decentralization
▪ in a/the ~
▪
prominent figures in the socialist ~
PHRASES
▪ (all) for a good ~ ( esp. AmE ), (all) in a good ~ ( esp. BrE )
▪
The function took a lot of organizing, but was all for/in a good ~.
II.
verb
Cause is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑ earthquake , ↑ explosion , ↑ factor , ↑ flood , ↑ fluctuation , ↑ gene , ↑ illness , ↑ imbalance , ↑ incident , ↑ infection , ↑ injury , ↑ movement , ↑ mutation , ↑ parasite , ↑ shortage , ↑ stress , ↑ virus
Cause is used with these nouns as the object: ↑ abscess , ↑ accident , ↑ acne , ↑ addiction , ↑ agony , ↑ ailment , ↑ alarm , ↑ allergy , ↑ alteration , ↑ amusement , ↑ anarchy , ↑ anger , ↑ anguish , ↑ annoyance , ↑ antagonism , ↑ anxiety , ↑ apprehension , ↑ argument , ↑ attack , ↑ backlash , ↑ bankruptcy , ↑ bitterness , ↑ blast , ↑ bleeding , ↑ blockage , ↑ bloodshed , ↑ boom , ↑ bother , ↑ breach , ↑ breakdown , ↑ breakup , ↑ build-up , ↑ burn , ↑ cancellation , ↑ cancer , ↑ casualty , ↑ cataract , ↑ catastrophe , ↑ change , ↑ chaos , ↑ closure , ↑ colic , ↑ collapse , ↑ collision , ↑ comment , ↑ commotion , ↑ complication , ↑ concern , ↑ conflict , ↑ confusion , ↑ congestion , ↑ consternation , ↑ constipation , ↑ contamination , ↑ controversy , ↑ convulsion , ↑ corrosion , ↑ crash , ↑ crime , ↑ crisis , ↑ damage , ↑ danger , ↑ death , ↑ decay , ↑ decline , ↑ decrease , ↑ defect , ↑ deficiency , ↑ deformity , ↑ dehydration , ↑ delay , ↑ demise , ↑ depletion , ↑ depression , ↑ destruction , ↑ deterioration , ↑ devastation , ↑ diarrhoea , ↑ difficulty , ↑ disability , ↑ disagreement , ↑ disappearance , ↑ disaster , ↑ discomfort , ↑ discontent , ↑ discord , ↑ disease , ↑ disillusionment , ↑ dismay , ↑ disorder , ↑ dispute , ↑ disruption , ↑ dissatisfaction , ↑ dissent , ↑ distortion , ↑ distraction , ↑ distress , ↑ disturbance , ↑ division , ↑ downfall , ↑ drop , ↑ drought , ↑ earthquake , ↑ embarrassment , ↑ epidemic , ↑ erosion , ↑ error , ↑ eruption , ↑ excitement , ↑ explosion , ↑ extinction , ↑ failure , ↑ fall , ↑ famine , ↑ fatigue , ↑ fear , ↑ feeling , ↑ fever , ↑ fight , ↑ fire , ↑ fit , ↑ flood , ↑ fluctuation , ↑ flutter , ↑ frenzy , ↑ friction , ↑ frustration , ↑ furore , ↑ fury , ↑ fuss , ↑ grief , ↑ hallucination , ↑ handicap , ↑ hardship , ↑ harm , ↑ havoc , ↑ hazard , ↑ headache , ↑ hurt , ↑ hysteria , ↑ illness , ↑ imbalance , ↑ impotence , ↑ incident , ↑ inconvenience , ↑ increase , ↑ inefficiency , ↑ inequality , ↑ infection , ↑ infertility , ↑ inflammation , ↑ inflation , ↑ injury , ↑ injustice , ↑ instability , ↑ irritation , ↑ jealousy , ↑ landslide , ↑ leak , ↑ leukaemia , ↑ loss , ↑ mess , ↑ migraine , ↑ miscarriage , ↑ mischief , ↑ misery , ↑ mishap , ↑ misunderstanding , ↑ mortality , ↑ mutation , ↑ nausea , ↑ obstruction , ↑ offence , ↑ outage , ↑ outbreak , ↑ outcry , ↑ outrage , ↑ pain , ↑ panic , ↑ paralysis , ↑ pneumonia , ↑ poisoning , ↑ pollution , ↑ problem , ↑ rash , ↑ reaction , ↑ recession , ↑ reduction , ↑ relapse , ↑ relaxation , ↑ resentment , ↑ revolt , ↑ revulsion , ↑ rift , ↑ riot , ↑ ripple , ↑ row , ↑ scandal , ↑ scare , ↑ scene , ↑ sensation , ↑ shame , ↑ shift , ↑ shortage , ↑ sickness , ↑ side effect , ↑ smash , ↑ sore , ↑ sorrow , ↑ spasm , ↑ speculation , ↑ split , ↑ stagnation , ↑ stink , ↑ stir , ↑ stoppage , ↑ storm , ↑ strain , ↑ stress , ↑ strife , ↑ suffering , ↑ surprise , ↑ suspicion , ↑ swelling , ↑ symptom , ↑ syndrome , ↑ tension , ↑ tornado , ↑ traffic jam , ↑ tragedy , ↑ transformation , ↑ tremor , ↑ trouble , ↑ turmoil , ↑ uncertainty , ↑ unease , ↑ unemployment , ↑ unhappiness , ↑ unrest , ↑ upheaval , ↑ uproar , ↑ upset , ↑ vandalism , ↑ vibration , ↑ waste , ↑ wave , ↑ weakness , ↑ wear , ↑ worry , ↑ wreck