because
Listen:Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
because/bɪˈkɒz/
▶conjunction for the reason that; since.
– phrases
because of by reason of.
because of by reason of.
– origin ME: from the phr. by cause, influenced by OFr. par cause de ‘by reason of’.
usage:
When because follows a negative construction the meaning can be ambiguous. In the sentence he did not go because he was ill, for example, it is not clear whether it means either ‘the reason he did not go was that he was ill’ or ‘being ill wasn't the reason for him going; there was another reason’. Use a comma when the first interpretation is intended (he did not go, because he was ill), or avoid using because after a negative altogether.
On the construction the reason … is because, see usage at reason.
When because follows a negative construction the meaning can be ambiguous. In the sentence he did not go because he was ill, for example, it is not clear whether it means either ‘the reason he did not go was that he was ill’ or ‘being ill wasn't the reason for him going; there was another reason’. Use a comma when the first interpretation is intended (he did not go, because he was ill), or avoid using because after a negative altogether.
On the construction the reason … is because, see usage at reason.
'because' also found in these Oxford entries:
Aaron's beard
- abandon
- aberration
- abort
- account
- actinolite
- afrormosia
- aggrieved
- allyl
- alternative
- amadou
- amethyst
- ammonia
- amphibole
- amphipod
- an
- anapaest
- anemone
- angelica
- antique
- apatosaurus
- armillaria
- as
- aspidistra
- auburn
- authoritative
- autoclave
- aventurine
- azalea
- backstreet
- bacterium
- baluster
- bateau-mouche
- bearish
- beg
- biceps
- bikini
- biscuit
- bittern
- black and tan
- blasé
- blende
- blenny
- blind
- bloatware
- blue
- bluey
- bobby pin
- Bohemian
