'cause

See also: cause and causé

English

Alternative forms

• cause
• cos, 'cos
• cus, 'cus (UK)
• coz, 'coz
• cuz, 'cuz (US)

Etymology

From Middle English cause; apheretic form of because; first used in the 15th century.

Pronunciation

• (General Australian, UK) IPA^(key): /kɔz/

  • Audio (General Australian):

    (file)

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kɒz/; (unstressed) IPA^(key): /kəz/
• (US) enPR: kŭz, IPA^(key): /kʌz/

  • Audio (Midland US):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔz, -ɒz, -ʌz

Conjunction

'cause

1. (colloquial) Apheretic form of because.
   • 1622 (first performance), Thomas Middleton, William Rowley, The Changeling: […], London: […] [Thomas Newcombe] for Humphrey Moseley, […], published 1653, →OCLC, Act V, signature H2, verso:

     I'me forc'd to love thee now,
     'Cause thou provid'st so carefully for my honor

   • 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:

     “ […] if you call my duds a ‘livery’ again there’ll be trouble. It’s bad enough to go around togged out like a life saver on a drill day, but I can stand that ’cause I’m paid for it. […] ”

   • 2018, “Quintessential Deckerstar”, in Lucifer:

     D.B. Woodside as Amenadiel: "Something Charlotte said made me think. Maybe celestial beings and humans, Luci maybe they aren't that different."
     Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar: "What, are we talking in bed? 'Cause we know all know my skills are preternatural. But I suppose you on the other hand..."

Derived terms

• talk to the hand 'cause the face ain't listening

Anagrams

• -sauce, Eacus, sauce

Scots

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kɑːz], [kɪz]

Conjunction

'cause

1. apheretic form of acause (“because”)
   • 1929, James Alexander, Mains and Hilly: A Series of Dialogues in the Aberdeenshire Dialect : with Glimpses of Northern Rural Life and Character in the Last Seventy Years, page 5:

     Ye can manage a bit beef, 'cause there's nae beens in it, bit the hen's legs or weengs are nae so easy wun roon' aboot oonless ye be a gweed han' at carvin […]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

References

• Eagle, Andy, ed. (2016) The Online Scots Dictionary, Scots Online.