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(常指壞事的)原因，誘因
The cause of an event, usually a bad event, is the thing that makes it happen.
例句
Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of death and disease...
在可以預防的引發死亡和疾病的因素當中，吸煙排在第一位。
The causes are a complex blend of local and national tensions.
原因很復雜，既有地方性沖突也有全國范圍的緊張局勢。
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引起;導致
To cause something, usually something bad, means to make it happen.
例句
Attempts to limit family size among some minorities are likely to cause problems...
試圖在某些少數民族地區限制生育可能會引起問題。
This was a genuine mistake, but it did cause me some worry.
這是好心辦錯事，可是確實讓我擔心了一陣子。
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理由;緣由
If you have cause for a particular feeling or action, you have good reasons for feeling it or doing it.
例句
Only a few people can find any cause for celebration...
只有少數幾個人能找到慶祝的理由。
Both had much cause to be grateful for the secretiveness of government in Britain.
雙方都有充分的理由對英國政府的行事隱秘深表感激。
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事業;追求;目標;理想
A cause is an aim or principle which a group of people supports or is fighting for.
例句
Refusing to have one leader has not helped the cause.
拒絕推舉一名領導者對此項事業毫無幫助。
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因果;因果關系
You use cause and effect to talk about the way in which one thing is caused by another.
例句
...fundamental laws of biological cause and effect.
生物學上因果關系的根本法則
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(為了特定目的)與…聯手，與…配合
If one group of people makes common cause with another, they act together in order to achieve a particular aim even though their aims and beliefs are normally very different.
例句
They make common cause for a few purposes, but for the most part, they pursue their own interests.
他們因為幾個目的而聯手，可是多數情況下，他們追逐著各自的利益。
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為了公益事業;為了行善
If you say that something is in a good cause or for a good cause, you mean that it is worth doing or giving to because it will help other people, for example by raising money for charity.
例句
The Raleigh International Bike Ride is open to anyone who wants to raise money for a good cause.
想要為公益事業籌集資金的人都可以參加雷利國際自行車比賽。