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⇱ occasion - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

occasion

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/əˈkeɪʒən/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/əˈkeɪʒən/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(ə kā′zhən)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
oc•ca•sion /əˈkeɪʒən/USA pronunciation   n. 
  1. a particular time, esp. when certain events or circumstances take place:[countable]On several occasions he was seen leaving the spy's apartment.
  2. a special or important time, event, ceremony, etc.:[countable]The party was quite an occasion.
  3. a convenient or favorable time;
    opportunity: [countable]a good occasion to take inventory of our stock.[uncountable]We never had occasion to take that highway.
  4. the immediate cause;
    reason:[countable]What is the occasion for this uproar?

v. [~ + object]
  1. to give cause for;
    bring about:Those actions occasioned hostility and eventually war.
Idioms
  1. Idioms on occasion,  [uncountable] once in a while;
    occasionally:to drink on occasion.     


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
oc•ca•sion  (ə kā′zhən),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. a particular time, esp. 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.
  4. the immediate or incidental cause or reason for some action or result:What is the occasion for this uproar?
  5. Philosophy(in the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead) the coincidence of the eternal objects forming a specific point-event.
  6. occasions, [Obs.]
    • needs or necessities.
    • necessary business matters:to go about one's lawful occasions.
  7. Idioms on occasion, now and then;
    from time to time;
    occasionally:She visits New York on occasion.

v.t. 
  1. to give occasion or cause for;
    bring about.
  • Latin occāsiōn- (stem of occāsiō), equivalent. to oc- oc- + cās(us) (past participle of cadere to fall, befall) + -iōn- -ion
  • Old French occasion
  • Middle English occasioun 1350–1400
    3. chance, opening. 4. motive, inducement, influence. See cause. 8. motivate, originate, produce, create.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
occasion /əˈkeɪʒən/ n
  1. (sometimes followed by of) the time of a particular happening or event
  2. (sometimes followed by for) a reason or cause (to do or be something); grounds
  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)
 vb
  1. (transitive) to bring about, esp incidentally or by chance
Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin occāsiō a falling down, from occidere, from ob- down + cadere to fall
'occasion' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: this is (not) an occasion to celebrate, this is (not) an occasion for celebration, celebrate the occasion, more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "occasion" in the title:

...he will be giving at today's occasion.
3 separate occasion in a 12 month period
According to the investigators, on one occasion XYZ made a payment...
all got tip for the occasion in their royal livery [all got up]
all iced for the occasion
Along with the occasion is a show [along with?]
an occasion for good always.
an occasion is still far away
an occasion that most Chinese find 'it' hard to ignore. [Necessary?]
An occasion when the duck really did
An occasion when <the duck> really did seem to be out of the question.
An occasion you've waited a long time for
an occasion/a chance to make friends
and <once> we had entered their voice still reached <on occasion>.
and which was doubtless the occasion of its using
Are there no occasion
As a matter of occasion
as could alone give occasion
as I’d no occasion to ease my conscience
at / on the occasion of the tenth anniversary
be supposed to occasion?
be up for the occasion
Britain is marking the occasion by putting her on the ￡10 note and <a><the> special ￡2 coin.
casual occasion
Cause/occasion an accident
Could for a specific occasion?
determine the occasion
dosing occasion
each suited to a particular occasion
Emotion of the occasion
more...

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