cause (redirected from rebels without a cause)

*hard feelings

Fig. feelings of resentment or anger. (*Typically: cause ~ have ~ give someone ∼.) The argument caused a lot of hard feelings, but finally we got over it.

See also: feeling, hard

*lean times (ahead)

Fig. a future period of lowered income or revenue; a future period when there will be shortages of goods and suffering. (*Typically: be ~; cause ~; have ~; mean ~.) The economy is going sour which means lean times ahead.

See also: lean, times

all the more reason for (doing something) and all the more reason to (do something)

with even better reason or cause for doing something. (Can be included in a number of grammatical constructions.) Bill: I don't do well in calculus because I don't like the stuff. Father: All the more reason for working harder at it. Bob: I'm tired of painting this fence. It's so old it's rotting! Sally: All the more reason to paint it.

See also: more, reason

cause (quite) a stir and cause a commotion

to cause people to become agitated; to cause trouble in a group of people; to shock or alarm people. When Bob appeared without jacket and tie, it caused a stir at the state dinner. The dog ran through the church and caused quite a commotion.

See also: stir

cause (some) eyebrows to raise and cause some raised eyebrows

Fig. to shock people; to surprise and dismay people. (The same as raise some eyebrows.) John caused eyebrows to raise when he married a woman half his age. If you want to cause some eyebrows to raise, just start singing as you walk down the street.

See also: and, eyebrow, raise, raised, some

cause (some) tongues to wag

Fig. to cause people to gossip; to give people something to gossip about. The way John was looking at Mary will surely cause some tongues to wag. The way Mary was so scantily dressed will also cause tongues to wag.

See also: tongue, wag

drain something off something and drain something off to cause or permit something

to flow from the surface or contents of something. Drain some of the broth off the chicken. Drain off the fat at the bottom of the pan.

See also: drain

give cause for something

to serve as a just cause for something; to warrant something. Your comments give cause for further investigation. I didn't give cause for you to worry so much.

See also: give

have cause to do something

to have a justifiable reason to do something. Do you have cause to think that Mary took your money? He had no cause to yell at me like that.

See also: have

lost cause

a futile attempt; a hopeless matter. Our campaign to have the new party on the ballot was a lost cause. Todd gave it up as a lost cause.

See also: lost

Men are blind in their own cause.

Prov. If you believe in something very fervently, you will not recognize the flaws in what you believe or the dangers associated with it. Jill: Lyle is so intent on converting people to his religion, that he doesn't see that his constant preaching is alienating his friends. Jane: Men are blind in their own cause.

See also: blind, men

rub something into something and rub something in

to cause something to penetrate a surface by rubbing it against the surface. Rub this lotion into your muscles. It will stop the aching. Try rubbing in this lotion.

See also: rub

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a cause célêbre

a famous event or legal case which people discuss a lot because it is so interesting or shocking The relationship between Edward Prince of Wales and Wallis Simpson became an international cause célêbre in the 1930s.

a lost cause

something or someone that has no chance of success I tried to stop the kids dropping their clothes on the floor, but finally decided it was a lost cause.

See also: lost

cause/create a stir

to cause a lot of interest and excitement Emma caused quite a stir in her little black dress last night.

See also: stir

hard feelings

anger towards a person that you have argued with (usually negative) It's very rare that couples break up and there are no hard feelings on either side. So we're friends again, are we? No hard feelings?

See also: feeling, hard

make common cause with somebody   (formal)

if one group of people makes common cause with another group, they work together in order to achieve something that both groups want Environment protesters have made common cause with local people to stop the motorway from being built.

See also: common, make

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cause a stir also create a stir

to cause unusual interest or excitement Rufus was arguing with his older daughter about her boyfriend, and it caused a stir in the family.

Usage notes: often used with quite for emphasis: Her latest novel has created quite a stir.

See also: stir

make common cause (slightly formal)

to work together to achieve something A number of groups have made common cause with local people to stop the highway from being built. The two countries have begun to make common cause against shared enemies.

Related vocabulary: have something in common (with somebody/something)

See also: common, make