English Reference

Word

reasons

Phoneticsrea·sons

US/ˈɹizənz/

UK/ɹˈiːzənz/

Definitions

01explanations

A2

n. the facts or causes that explain why something happened or why you did something.

n. the causes, justifications, or motives for an action, belief, or event.

“There are many reasons why people decide to move to a new city.”

“The committee outlined several compelling reasons for the budget increase, citing rising energy costs and the need for infrastructure repairs.”

Usage

Commonly followed by the preposition 'for' or a 'why' clause.

Pitfall

The reason of his absence was illness.

The reason for his absence was illness.

Use the preposition 'for' after 'reason' when explaining the cause of something.

02legal judgment

C1 · Law

n. a written document where a judge explains the logic behind their decision.

n. the formal written explanation of a court's judgment or ruling.

“The judge will release her reasons for the verdict next Tuesday.”

“The appellate court examined the trial judge's reasons to determine if there had been a misapplication of the law during the initial proceedings.”

Formal · Technical

Usage

Often used in the plural form in legal contexts.

03to think logically

B2

v. to think about something in a logical way to find an answer or solution.

v. to use the power of the mind to think and form judgments logically.

“He reasons that if the light is off, nobody must be home.”

“The philosopher reasons that ethical behavior is a natural consequence of rational self-interest.”

Academic

Usage

Often followed by a 'that' clause.

Domain

Law

This entry

Level
A2 · Elementary
Frequency
Very common
Updated

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