ˈri:zn n. & v. --n. 1 a
motive,
cause, or justification (has
good reasons
for doing this;
there is no reason to be angry). 2 a
fact adduced or
serving as this (I can
give you my reasons). 3
the intellectual faculty by
which conclusions are
drawn from premisses. 4
sanity (has
lost his reason). 5
Logic a
premiss of a
syllogism,
esp. a
minor premiss
when given after the
conclusion. 6 a faculty transcending the
understanding and providing a priori principles;
intuition. 7
sense;
sensible conduct;
what is
right or
practical or
practicable;
moderation. --v. 1 intr.
form or
try to
reach conclusions by
connected thought. 2 intr. (foll. by with)
use an
argument (with a person) by
way of
persuasion. 3 tr. (foll. by
that + clause)
conclude or
assert in argument. 4 tr. (foll. by
why,
whether, what + clause)
discuss;
ask oneself. 5 tr. (foll. by
into,
out of)
persuade or
move by argument (I reasoned
them out of
their fears). 6 tr. (foll. by out)
think or
work out (consequences etc.). 7 tr. (often as reasoned adj.) express in
logical or
argumentative form. 8 tr.
embody reason in (an
amendment etc.). øby reason of
owing to. in (or within) reason
within the bounds of sense or moderation. it stands to reason (often foll. by that + clause) it is
evident or logical.
listen to reason be persuaded to
act sensibly. see reason
acknowledge the force of an argument.
with reason justifiably. øøreasoner n. reasoning n. reasonless adj. [ME f. OF reisun, res(o)un, raisoner, ult. f. L
ratio -onis f. reri ratconsider]
