Obs. exc. dial. [An elliptic use of prec. sb. for because (dial. a-cause).]
† 1. (with of) = BECAUSE of, on account of.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge (1848), 184. Churches … were gyuen To god and saynt Werburge cause of deuocion.
2. = BECAUSE. Since c. 1600 often written ’cause; now only dial., or vulgar; also spelt cos, coz, cuz, case, etc.
1556. Lauder, Tractate, 295. Ȝe suld not chuse thame cause ȝe lufe thame.
1592. Marlowe, Jew Malta, IV. ii. 1535. Do you mean to strangle me? Yes, cause you use to confess.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 169. It was the more terrible, cause hee had seene Mecha and neuer after lied.
1653. in Walton, Angler, xi. 218. I cannot hate thee [Musick], ’cause the Angels love thee.
1682. N. O., Boileau’s Lutrin, II. Argt. ’Cause he had left her in the Lurch.
1711. E. Ward, Vulgus Brit., XI. 121. ’Cause none will credit what they say.
18[?]. Prout, in Burrowes, Rem., 267. All for what ’Kase his courage was good.
1884. Sophie Swett, in Harper’s Mag., Feb., 411/2. Jason pitied her ’cause she was lonesome.
