I. oc ‧ ca ‧ sion 1 S1 W2 /əˈkeɪʒ ə n/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ occasion ; adverb : ↑ occasionally ; adjective : ↑ occasional ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: French ; Origin: Latin occasio , from occidere 'to fall down' ]
1 . TIME
a) [countable] a time when something happens
on ... occasions
I’ve seen Jana with them on several occasions.
On this occasion we were sitting in a park in Madrid.
She had met Zahid on two separate occasions.
b) [singular] a suitable or favourable time
occasion for
This was the occasion for expressions of friendship by the two presidents.
► Do not use occasion to mean ‘a time when it is possible for you to do what you want to do’. Use opportunity or chance : Do not waste this opportunity (NOT this occasion).
2 . SPECIAL EVENT [countable] an important social event or ceremony:
I’m saving this bottle of champagne for a special occasion.
3 . CAUSE/REASON [uncountable] formal a cause or reason:
His remark was the occasion of a bitter quarrel.
I had occasion to call on him last year.
4 . if (the) occasion arises formal if a particular action ever becomes necessary:
If ever the occasion arises when I want advice, you’re the first person I’ll come to.
5 . on occasion sometimes but not often:
On occasion, prisoners were allowed visits from their families.
6 . on the occasion of something formal at the time of an important event:
on the occasion of his second wedding
⇨ rise to the occasion at ↑ rise 1 (9)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ adjectives
▪ several occasions
He has helped me on several occasions.
▪ many occasions
I have seen him drunk on many occasions.
▪ numerous occasions
She has been late on numerous occasions.
▪ two/three etc occasions
He was given a red card on two occasions this season.
▪ a rare occasion (=used when something does not happen often)
Only on rare occasions did she ever receive a letter.
▪ a particular occasion
On that particular occasion, he greeted me by kissing my hand.
▪ a previous occasion
He insisted then, as on every previous occasion, that he was innocent.
▪ a separate occasion
I had heard this story on at least four separate occasions.
▪ a different occasion
The same person can react differently on different occasions.
▪ such occasions (=an occasion like the one mentioned or described)
He had a box of toys by his desk for such occasions.
■ phrases
▪ a number of occasions
The crowd interrupted her speech on a number of occasions.
▪ more than one occasion (=more than once)
She stayed out all night on more than one occasion.
▪ at least one occasion (=once, and probably more than once)
On at least one occasion he was arrested for robbery.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ adjectives
▪ a special occasion
She used her best china on special occasions.
▪ a big/great/splendid occasion
The big occasion for country people was the Agricultural Fair.
▪ a formal occasion
He wore the suit on formal occasions.
▪ a social occasion
I prefer not to discuss business at social occasions.
▪ a ceremonial occasion (=a very formal official occasion)
The gowns are worn only on ceremonial occasions.
▪ a happy/joyful occasion
The wedding had been a joyful occasion.
▪ a sad/solemn occasion
He did not want his funeral to be a sad and solemn occasion, but a celebration of his life.
▪ a festive occasion (=when you celebrate something)
The Great Hall had been prepared for the festive occasion.
▪ a historic occasion (=important as part of history)
This is truly a historic occasion.
■ verbs
▪ celebrate an occasion
To celebrate the occasion, a small party was held at his home.
▪ mark an occasion (=do something special to celebrate an event)
The bells were rung to mark the occasion.
▪ suit the occasion
The table was decorated to suit the occasion.
■ phrases
▪ a sense of occasion (=a feeling that an event is very special or important)
The music gave the event a real sense of occasion.
▪ enter into the spirit of the occasion (=join in a social occasion in an eager way)
People entered into the spirit of the occasion by enjoying a picnic before the outdoor concert.
II. occasion 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive] formal
to cause something:
She had a long career break occasioned by her husband’s job being moved to Paris.
occasion somebody something
Your behaviour has occasioned us a great deal of anxiety.