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Noun: reason  ree-zun
  1. Reason or cause
    "the reason that war was declared";
    - ground, occasion
     
  2. 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"
     
  3. The capacity for rational thought, inference or discrimination
    "we are told that man is endowed with reason and capable of distinguishing good from evil";
    - understanding, intellect
     
  4. The state of having good sense and sound judgment
    "he had to rely less on reason than on rousing their emotions";
    - rationality, reasonableness
     
  5. A justification for something existing or happening
    "they had good reason to rejoice";
    - cause, grounds
     
  6. A fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion
    "there is reason to believe he is lying"
Verb: reason  ree-zun
  1. Think logically
    "The children must learn to reason"
     
  2. Decide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion
    "We reasoned that it was cheaper to rent than to buy a house"; "They reasoned out a solution to the problem";
    - reason out, conclude
     
  3. Present reasons and arguments
    "The lawyer reasoned convincingly for her client's innocence";
    - argue

Derived forms: reasoned, reasons, reasoning

Type of: account, cerebrate, cogitate, explanation, fact, faculty, justification, lay out, mental faculty, module, present, rational motive, represent, saneness, sanity, think

Encyclopedia: Reason, Joseph