bə̇|kȯz, bē-, -(|)kəz, chiefly in substand speech -ȯs conjunction
Etymology: Middle English, from be, bi by + cause
1. : since : for the reason that : on account of the cause that — used to introduce dependent clauses
we stopped at the filling station because we needed gasoline
2. obsolete : in order that : to the end that
“Why laugh you?” “ Because you should see my teeth” — John Lyly
3.
a. : that : the fact that — used to introduce a noun clause serving as the subject or the complement of a sentence
one of the reasons why it has seemed to me to be desirable to speak on this subject is because it may contribute — E.N.Griswold
because men are still incapable of being angels is no good reason why they should be ants — E.A.Mowrer
— in reputable use though disapproved by some
b. : on account of being
a rather stuffily written book, but the material is interesting because firsthand — A.W.Long