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occasion
[ uh-key-zhuhn ]
noun
- a particular time, especially as marked by certain circumstances or occurrences:
They met on three occasions.
- a special or important time, event, ceremony, celebration, etc.:
His birthday will be quite an occasion.
- a convenient or favorable time, opportunity, or juncture:
This slack period would be a good occasion to take inventory.
- the immediate or incidental cause or reason for some action or result:
What is the occasion for this uproar?
Synonyms: influence, inducement, motive
- (in the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead) the coincidence of the eternal objects forming a specific point-event.
- occasions, Obsolete.
- needs or necessities.
- necessary business matters:
to go about one's lawful occasions.
occasion
/ əˈkeɪʒən /
noun
- sometimes foll by of the time of a particular happening or event
- sometimes foll by for a reason or cause (to do or be something); grounds
there was no occasion to complain
- an opportunity (to do something); chance
- a special event, time, or celebration
the party was quite an occasion
- on occasionevery so often
- rise to the occasionto have the courage, wit, etc, to meet the special demands of a situation
- take occasionto avail oneself of an opportunity (to do something)
verb
- tr to bring about, esp incidentally or by chance
Other Words From
- preoc·casioned adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of occasion1
Word History and Origins
Origin of occasion1
Idioms and Phrases
- on occasion, now and then; from time to time; occasionally:
She visits New York on occasion.
More idioms and phrases containing occasion
see on occasion ; rise to the occasion .Synonym Study
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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