'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; aphetic form of because; first used in the 15th century.

Pronunciation

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

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔz, -ɒz, -əz, -ʌz

Conjunction

'cause

1. (colloquial, slang) Aphetic form of because.
   • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 7, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:

     “[…] 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..."

Anagrams

• -sauce, Eacus, sauce

Scots

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kɑːz], [kɪz]

Conjunction

'cause

1. Aphetic form of acause (“because”).

References

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