causes

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of cause.

   Investigators identified two possible causes of the fire.

   The committee weighed several worthy causes before allocating its budget.

   Note

   The plural belongs to the countable meanings of cause. One is the sources that produce a result, usually followed by of (the causes of the fire). The other is the principles people rally to (worthy causes). The 'sufficient reason' meaning is mostly uncountable, so there is no cause for alarm rarely turns plural. The same spelling also serves as the verb form, and only context tells them apart.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of cause.

   Friction causes the metal parts to heat up over time.

   A sudden drop in pressure causes the safety valve to open.

   Note

   The -s form works in three patterns. It can take a single object (the storm causes delays). It can take two objects, naming who is affected before what happens to them (the injury causes him pain). When the result is an action, the object is followed by a to-infinitive, as in causes the valve to open. A bare verb in that slot belongs to make, not cause.

   The old injury still causes him pain in cold weather.

   Every software update causes us new problems.

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