noun
A cause:
The reason this tree fell is that it had rotted.
There is a reason why so many should be symmetrical: The selective advantage in a symmetrical complex is enjoyed by all the subunits[…]
A cause:
He made reason with his boss about taking a day off.
The reason I robbed the bank was that I needed the money.
A cause:
I have forgotten the reason he gave for not travelling by air. I felt sure that it was not the correct reason, and that he suffered from a heart trouble which he kept to himself.
A cause:
Rational thinking (or the capacity for it); the cognitive faculties, collectively, of conception, judgment, deduction and intuition.
Mankind should develop reason above all other virtues.
The tremendous tragedy in which he had been involved - it was evident he was a fugitive from Weybridge - had driven him to the very verge of his reason.
verb
To deduce or come to a conclusion by being rational.
"I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which shows, my dear Watson, how dangerous it always is to reason from insufficient data. […]"
To perform a process of deduction or of induction, in order to convince or to confute; to argue.
Still my spirit was not broken. I indulged the anticipation of escape, and that speedily. It was impossible, I reasoned, that men could be so unjust as to detain me as a slave, when the truth of my case was known.
“All right, Dad – I did follow you. But only because I was worried about you.” “Worried about me? I was worried about you! Hanging on to the roof of a speeding car! Are you nuts?” “It wasn’t moving when I climbed on to it,” reasoned the boy.
To converse; to compare opinions.
To arrange and present the reasons for or against; to examine or discuss by arguments; to debate or discuss.
I reasoned the matter with my friend.
The talk was mainly between Aleck and Murdie, the others crowding eagerly about and putting in a word as they could. Murdie was reasoning good-humoredly, Aleck replying fiercely.
To support with reasons, as a request.
noun
A wall plate.