一、名词

含义：原因;起因;理由;动机;缘故;(支持或为之奋斗的)事业，目标，思想;诉讼案

cause表示原因是一般指比较直接的原因，比较根本性原因，常常有cause and effect连用，表“原因和结果”；如：

According to the recent research, heavy coffee drinking and heart attack is not necessarily cause and effect.(02上海高考46题)

根据最近的研究，大量饮用咖啡和心脏病发作不一定是因果关系。

We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.

我们应该分析这场事变的因果。

Every thing that happens has a cause and effect.

事情发生了，就会有它的前因后果。

Does the study mean that cats will soon grasp the ins and outs of cause and effect?

这项研究是否意味着猫很快就会理解因果关系的详情?四级真题- 2018年 12月

Rather than merely asking about something they wanted to try, they tended to include both cause and effect in their question.

他们不是只问一些自己想尝试的事情,而是倾向于在问题中包括因与果。

六级真题- 2015年 12月

reason表示做某事的理由,可数名词；但是cause也可以表示“理由”，此时是不可数名词，当它们表示“理由”时，常常与for连用，如：

There is no cause/ reason for anxiety.

不必焦虑。

I believe we have /there is just cause(= a fair reason) for taking this action.

我相信采取这个行动是有很好的理由的。

Her triumph was a cause for celebration.

她的胜利是庆祝的理由。

Only a few people can find any cause for celebration

只有少数几个人能找到庆祝的理由。

The most important reason for coming to university is to work for a degree

上大学最重要的原因就是要拿个学位。

To an extent, that is the reason for the meeting.

在某种程度上，那就是召开这次会议的原因。

Detectives are so far at a loss to explain the reason for his death.

至今侦探仍茫然无法解释他的死因。

I have no particular reason for doubting him.

我没有什么特别的理由怀疑他。

The ostensible reason for his absence was illness.

他假托生病缺勤。

There is a reason for every important thing that happens

每件重要事情的发生都有原因。

This was the real reason for her call

这才是她打电话的真正原因。

As always, Peter had a reason for his action

一如往常，彼得对自己的行为总有说辞。

The major reason for excess weight is excess eating.

体重超标的主要原因是饮食过量。

The reason for my visit had obviously slipped his mind.

他显然已经忘掉了我的来意。

She hoped he hadn't deduced the reason for her visit.

她希望他还没有推断出她此次来访的原因。

It gives him a reason for lounging around doing nothing

这给了他一个无所事事地消磨时间的理由。

You have no cause for complaint.

你没有理由抱怨。

We were told there was no cause for alarm.

有人告诉我们没有任何理由惊慌失措。

要特别注意，cause 表“原因、根源”解，常常与of连用，且是可数名词：

We can’t get rid of war unless we get rid of the cause of the war.

如果我们不能消灭战争的根源，我们就不能摆脱战争。

What would you say was the root cause of the problem?

你认为问题的根源是什么？

The cause of the crash was given as engine failure.

撞车事故的原因被认定是发动机故障。

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

火灾的原因尚不清楚。

An official inquiry has been launched into the cause of the accident.

当局已对事故的原因展开调查。

Police are still trying to establish the cause of the accident.

警方仍在努力确定事故的原因。

Police are trying to establish the cause of death.

警方在设法确定死因。

The cause of the accident was still in dispute.

事故的原因仍在争议之中。

Unemployment is a major cause of poverty.

失业是贫困的主要原因。

She was the unwitting cause of the argument.

她无意中引起了这场争执。

He was the unknowing cause of all the misunderstanding.

他无意中引起了这一切误会。

His misunderstanding of language was the primary cause of his other problems

他对语言的误解是引起其他问题的主要原因。

Accidents are still the number one cause of premature death for Americans

交通事故仍然是造成美国人过早死亡的头号因素。

An unsuitable bed is the most likely cause of back trouble

不合适的床最有可能引起背部疼痛。

Homicide is the leading cause of death among black men

谋杀是黑人死亡的主要原因。

He gave the cause of death as multiple injuries.

他说多处受伤导致了死亡。

The autopsy report gave the cause of death as poisoning.

验尸报告上显示死因为中毒。

Low pay is the main cause of job dissatisfaction among teachers.

低薪是教师对工作不满的主要原因。

二、动词

含义：使发生；造成；引起；导致

The bad weather is causing problems for many farmers.

恶劣的天气给许多农民造成了困难。

It only takes one careless driver to cause an accident.

只要有一个粗心大意的驾驶员便会发生车祸。

The news caused great excitement among her friends.

这消息使她的朋友们兴奋不已。

cause sb/sth to do引起/导致……；使某人做某事；（复合宾语）

The poor harvest caused prices to rise sharply.

收成不好导致物价急剧上涨。

Arthur's drinking caused him to be committed to a psychiatric hospital.

阿瑟由于酗酒被送进一家精神病医院。

Despite myself, Harry's remarks had caused me to stop and reflect.

哈里的话让我不由自主地停下来细想。

The stress from the new job caused him to suffer from gastric ulcers.

新工作的压力使他患上了胃溃疡。

Losses on the stock market caused him to fall on hard times.

股票市场上的损失使他倒霉。

The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.

迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

A combination of internal and external factors caused the company to close down.

内外因结合导致了公司的倒闭。

What caused him to quit his job?

是什么原因使他辞职的?

The sudden appearance of a security guard caused them to drop the money and run.

保安人员突然出现，他们丢下钱就跑了。

The shock caused her to miscarry.

她因惊吓而流产了。

He had too much time on his hands and that caused him to get into trouble

他手头时间太富裕了，反倒为他惹来了麻烦。

His illness caused him to lose his memory.

疾病使他失忆了。

The recession caused sales to drop off

经济不景气使销量下降。

cause +n+ n(接双宾语)

cause 给某人带来痛苦/麻烦/损害

The project is still causing him a lot of problems.

这项工程现在仍然给他带来许多的麻烦。

I'm afraid I'm causing you much trouble.

我怕给你增添很多麻烦。

This could cause serious damage to the country's economy.

这可能对国家的经济造成严重破坏。《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》

Fire has caused severe damage to the contents of the building.

大火导致那栋大楼里的东西严重损毁。《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》