Material cause

Material \Ma*te"ri*al\, a. [L. materialis, fr. materia stuff,
   matter: cf. F. mat['e]riel. See {Matter}, and cf.
   {Mat['e]riel}.]
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   1. Consisting of matter; not spiritual; corporeal; physical;
      as, material substance or bodies.
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            The material elements of the universe. --Whewell.
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   2. Hence: Pertaining to, or affecting, the physical nature of
      man, as distinguished from the {mental} or {moral} nature;
      relating to the bodily wants, interests, and comforts; as,
      material well-being; material comforts.
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   3. Of solid or weighty character; not insubstantial; of
      consequence; not be dispensed with; important;
      significant.
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            Discourse, which was always material, never
            trifling.                             --Evelyn.
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            I shall, in the account of simple ideas, set down
            only such as are most material to our present
            purpose.                              --Locke.
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   4. (Logic.) Pertaining to the matter, as opposed to the form,
      of a thing. See {Matter}.
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   {Material cause}. See under {Cause}.

   {Material evidence} (Law), evidence which conduces to the
      proof or disproof of a relevant hypothesis. --Wharton.
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   Syn: Corporeal; bodily; important; weighty; momentous;
        essential.
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Cause \Cause\ (k[add]z), n. [F. cause, fr. L. causa. Cf.
   {Cause}, v., {Kickshaw}.]
   1. That which produces or effects a result; that from which
      anything proceeds, and without which it would not exist.
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            Cause is substance exerting its power into act, to
            make one thing begin to be.           --Locke.
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   2. That which is the occasion of an action or state; ground;
      reason; motive; as, cause for rejoicing.
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   3. Sake; interest; advantage. [Obs.]
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            I did it not for his cause.           --2 Cor. vii.
                                                  12.
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   4. (Law) A suit or action in court; any legal process by
      which a party endeavors to obtain his claim, or what he
      regards as his right; case; ground of action.
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   5. Any subject of discussion or debate; matter; question;
      affair in general.
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            What counsel give you in this weighty cause! --Shak.
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   6. The side of a question, which is espoused, advocated, and
      upheld by a person or party; a principle which is
      advocated; that which a person or party seeks to attain.
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            God befriend us, as our cause is just. --Shak.
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            The part they take against me is from zeal to the
            cause.                                --Burke.
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   {Efficient cause}, the agent or force that produces a change
      or result.

   {Final cause}, the end, design, or object, for which anything
      is done.

   {Formal cause}, the elements of a conception which make the
      conception or the thing conceived to be what it is; or the
      idea viewed as a formative principle and cooperating with
      the matter.

   {Material cause}, that of which anything is made.

   {Proximate cause}. See under {Proximate}.

   {To make common cause with}, to join with in purposes and
      aims. --Macaulay.

   Syn: Origin; source; mainspring; motive; reason; incitement;
        inducement; purpose; object; suit; action.
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