Noun

(en noun)

A cause:

# That which causes something: an efficient cause, a proximate cause.

#* 1996 , (w), : Evolution and the Meanings of Life , page 198:

There is a reason why so many should be symmetrical: The selective advantage in a symmetrical complex is enjoyed by all the subunits

# A motive for an action or a determination.

#* 1806 , Anonymous, Select Notes to Book XXI, in, (Alexander Pope), translator, The (Odyssey) of (Homer) , volume 6 (London, F.J. du Roveray), page 37:

This is the reason why he proposes to offer a libation, to atone for the abuse of the day by their diversions.

#* 1881 , (Henry James), (The Portrait of a Lady) , chapter 10:

Ralph Touchett, for reasons best known to himself, had seen fit to say that Gilbert Osmond was not a good fellow

# An excuse: a thought or a consideration offered in support of a determination or an opinion; that which is offered or accepted as an explanation.

#* 1966 , (Graham Greene), ((Penguin Classics) edition, ISBN 0140184945), page 14:

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.

(label) Rational]] thinking (or the capacity for it; the cognitive [[faculty, faculties, collectively, of conception, judgment, deduction and intuition.

* 1970 , (Hannah Arendt), On Violence (ISBN 0156695006), page 62:

And the specific distinction between man and beast is now, strictly speaking, no longer reason (the lumen naturale of the human animal) but science

*{{quote-magazine, date=2014-06-21, volume=411, issue=8892, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= Magician’s brain , passage=The [Isaac] Newton that emerges from the [unpublished] manuscripts is far from the popular image of a rational practitioner of cold and pure reason . The architect of modern science was himself not very modern. He was obsessed with alchemy.}}

(label) Something reasonable, in accordance with thought; justice.

* (rfdate) (Edmund Spenser):

I was promised, on a time, To have reason for my rhyme.

Ratio; proportion.

(Barrow)

Noun

Any great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or hate.

We share a passion for books.

* {{quote-news

, year=2011 , date=January 16 , author=Saj Chowdhury , title=Sunderland 1 - 1 Newcastle , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=That was partly because of a swirling wind that made precision passing difficult and also a derby atmosphere where the emphasis seemed to be on passion rather than football.}}

Fervor, determination.

An object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.

It started as a hobby, but now my motorbike collection has become my passion .

sexual intercourse, especially when very emotional

We shared a night of passion .

The suffering of Jesus leading up to and during his crucifixion.

A play, musical composition or display meant to commemorate the suffering of Jesus.

(obsolete) Suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress.

a cardiac passion

* Wyclif Bible (Rom. viii. 18)

the passions of this time

(obsolete) The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition; opposed to action .

* John Locke

A body at rest affords us no idea of any active power to move, and, when set is motion, it is rather a passion than an action in it.

(obsolete) Capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.

* Francis Bacon

mouldable and not mouldable, scissible and not scissible, and many other passions of matter

(obsolete) An innate quality, property, or attribute of a thing.

to obtain the knowledge of some passion of the circle. (rfex)

(obsolete) Disorder of the mind; madness.

(Shakespeare)