reason

Definitions

1. 1noun

   A thought or a consideration offered in support of a determination or an opinion; a just ground for a conclusion or an action; that which is offered or accepted as an explanation; the efficient cause of an occurrence or a phenomenon; a motive for an action or a determination; proof, more or less decisive, for an opinion or a conclusion; principle; efficient cause; final cause; ground of argument.

2. 2noun

   The faculty or capacity of the human mind by which it is distinguished from the intelligence of the inferior animals; the higher as distinguished from the lower cognitive faculties, sense, imagination, and memory, and in contrast to the feelings and desires. Reason comprises conception, judgment, reasoning, and the intuitional faculty. Specifically, it is the intuitional faculty, or the faculty of first truths, as distinguished from the understanding, which is called the discursive or ratiocinative faculty.

3. 3noun

   Due exercise of the reasoning faculty; accordance with, or that which is accordant with and ratified by, the mind rightly exercised; right intellectual judgment; clear and fair deductions from true principles; that which is dictated or supported by the common sense of mankind; right conduct; right; propriety; justice.

4. 4noun

   Ratio; proportion.

5. 5noun

   To exercise the rational faculty; to deduce inferences from premises; to perform the process of deduction or of induction; to ratiocinate; to reach conclusions by a systematic comparison of facts.

6. 6noun

   Hence: To carry on a process of deduction or of induction, in order to convince or to confute; to formulate and set forth propositions and the inferences from them; to argue.

7. 7noun

   To converse; to compare opinions.

8. 8transitive verb

   To arrange and present the reasons for or against; to examine or discuss by arguments; to debate or discuss; as, I reasoned the matter with my friend.

9. 9transitive verb

   To support with reasons, as a request.

10. 10transitive verb

    To persuade by reasoning or argument; as, to reason one into a belief; to reason one out of his plan.

11. 11transitive verb

    To overcome or conquer by adducing reasons; -- with down; as, to reason down a passion.

12. 12transitive verb

    To find by logical processes; to explain or justify by reason or argument; -- usually with out; as, to reason out the causes of the librations of the moon.

13. 13noun

    the capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination

    "we are told that man is endowed with reason and capable of distinguishing good from evil"

    Synonyms

    intellectunderstanding
14. 14noun

    a fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion

    "there is reason to believe he is lying"

15. 15noun

    an explanation of the cause of some phenomenon

    "the reason a steady state was never reached was that the back pressure built up too slowly"

16. 16noun

    a justification for something existing or happening

    "he had no cause to complain"

    "they had good reason to rejoice"

    Synonyms

    causegrounds
17. 17noun

    a rational motive for a belief or action

    "the reason that war was declared"

    "the grounds for their declaration"

    Synonyms

    ground
18. 18noun

    the state of having good sense and sound judgment

    "his rationality may have been impaired"

    "he had to rely less on reason than on rousing their emotions"

    Synonyms

    rationalityreasonableness
19. 19verb

    think logically

    "The children must learn to reason"

20. 20verb

    decide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion

    "We reasoned that it was cheaper to rent than to buy a house"

    Synonyms

    conclude
21. 21verb

    present reasons and arguments

    Synonyms

    argue