occasion

[ uh-key-zhuhn ]

noun

1. a particular time, especially as marked by certain circumstances or occurrences:

   They met on three occasions.

2. a special or important time, event, ceremony, celebration, etc.:

   His birthday will be quite an occasion.

3. a convenient or favorable time, opportunity, or juncture:

   This slack period would be a good occasion to take inventory.

   Synonyms: opening, chance

4. the immediate or incidental cause or reason for some action or result:

   What is the occasion for this uproar?

   Synonyms: influence, inducement, motive

5. (in the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead) the coincidence of the eternal objects forming a specific point-event.
6. occasions, Obsolete.
   1. needs or necessities.
   2. necessary business matters:

      to go about one's lawful occasions.

verb (used with object)

1. to give occasion or cause for; bring about.

   Synonyms: create, produce, originate, motivate

occasion

/ əˈkeɪʒən /

noun

1. sometimes foll by of the time of a particular happening or event
2. sometimes foll by for a reason or cause (to do or be something); grounds

   there was no occasion to complain

3. an opportunity (to do something); chance
4. a special event, time, or celebration

   the party was quite an occasion

5. on occasion
   every so often
6. rise to the occasion
   to have the courage, wit, etc, to meet the special demands of a situation
7. take occasion
   to avail oneself of an opportunity (to do something)

verb

1. tr to bring about, esp incidentally or by chance

Other Words From

• preoc·casioned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of occasion¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English occasioun, from Old French occasion, from Latin occāsiōn-, stem of occāsiō, literally, “a falling out,” from occās(us) “fallen down” (past participle of occidere “to fall down, set,” from oc- oc- + -cidere, combining form of cadere “to fall”) + -iō -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of occasion¹

C14: from Latin occāsiō a falling down, from occidere, from ob- down + cadere to fall

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. 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

See cause.

Example Sentences

Anthony Davis is the league’s second-leading scorer, and as he’s stepped to the foul line, the crowd has serenaded him on multiple occasions.

From Los Angeles Times

On one occasion he was shot in the hand, on another he suffered eye injuries after being doused in pepper spray.

From BBC

Until then, the Indian cricket team – known as "All India" – had only toured three times for official Test matches to England between 1932 and 1946, losing the series on every occasion.

From BBC

Concluding the inquest, coroner Oliver Longstaff said the evidence was clear that Miss Senior had “undertaken some research on how to end one’s life” and had attempted to do so on two previous occasions.

From BBC

In practice, the occasion got to Nadal within minutes of walking out to a thunderous ovation.

From BBC

Related Words

• affair
• celebration
• circumstance
• episode
• experience
• incident
• milestone
• moment
• scene
• thing
• time