Cause Reason Pretext

αἰτί-α, ἡ, responsibility, mostly in bad sense, guilt, blame, or the imputation thereof, i.e. accusation, first in Refs 8th c.BC+ —Phrases: αἰτίαν ἔχειν bear responsibility for, τινόςRefs 5th c.BC+; but usually to be accused, τινός of a crime, φόνουRefs 5th c.BC+: with infinitive, Refs 5th c.BC+; followed by ὡς.., Refs 5th c.BC+; by ὡς with participle, Refs; ὑπό τινος by some one, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐν αἰτίᾳ εἶναι or γίγνεσθαι, Refs 5th c.BC+; αἰτίαν ὑπέχειν lie under a charge, Refs 5th c.BC+; λαβεῖν ἀπό τινοςRefs 5th c.BC+; ἐν αἰτίῃ ἔχειν hold one guilty, Refs 5th c.BC+; τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπιφέρειν τινί impute the fault to one, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀνατιθέναι, προστιθέναι, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀπολύειν τινὰ τῆς αἰτίης to acquit of guilt, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 in forensic oratory, invective without proof (opposed to ἔλεγχος), Refs 4th c.BC+ __3 in good sense, εἰ.. εὖ πράξαιμεν, αἰτία θεοῦ the credit is his, Refs 4th c.BC+; δι᾽ ὅντινα αἰτίαν ἔχουσιν Ἀθηναῖοι βελτίους γεγονέναι are reputed to have become better, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὧν.. πέρι αἰτίαν ἔχεις διαφέρειν in which you are reputed to excel, Refs 5th c.BC+; οἳ.. ἔχουσι ταύτην τὴν αἰ. who have this reputation, Refs 5th c.BC+ __4 expostulation, μὴ ἐπ᾽ ἔχθρᾳ τὸ πλέον ἢ αἰτίᾳRefs 5th c.BC+ __II cause, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίην ἐπολέμησανRefs 5th c.BC+ {αἰτιάζομαι}, etc.; on the four causes of Refs 5th c.BC+ — _dative_ αἰτίᾳ for the sake of, κοινοῦ τινος ἀγαθοῦRefs 5th c.BC+ in the sense of cause, not in that of accusation. __III occasion, motive, αἰτίαν ῥοαῖσι Μοισᾶν ἐνέβαλε gave them a the me for song, Refs 5th c.BC+ __IV head, category under which a thing comes, Refs 4th c.BC+ __V case in dispute, ἡ αἰ. τοῦ ἀνθρώπου μετὰ τῆς γυναικόςNT

πρόφᾰσ-ις, εως, ἡ, (προφαίνω) motive or cause alleged, whether truly or falsely: then, actual motive or cause, whether alleged or not: __I alleged motive, plea, without implication of truth or falsity, ἐπὶ σμικρῇ π. Refs 6th c.BC+; καὶ ἐπὶ μεγάλῃ καὶ ἐπὶ βραχείᾳ π. whether the plea put forward be a trifle or a weighty matter, Refs 5th c.BC+; τῆς αἰτίας τὴν π. the plea in the case, the basis of the charge, Refs 5th c.BC+; τοιαύτας ἔχοντες π. καὶ αἰτίας pleas and motives, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. ἐπιεικήςRefs 4th c.BC+; προφάσεις ἀληθεῖς λέγοντος pleading what was in fact true, Refs 5th c.BC+ __I.2 falsely alleged motive (or cause), pretext, pretence, excuse, π. ἰδίης ἀβουλίης an excuse for.., Refs 5th c.BC+ in pretence, ostensibly, στενάχοντο γυναῖκες Πάτροκλον π., σφῶν δ᾽ αὐτῶν κήδε᾽ ἑκάστη Refs 8th c.BC+; opposed to τὸ ἀληθές, Refs 5th c.BC+; προφάσει τῶν δημοσίων on the pretence that public debts are owing, Refs 1st c.AD+; προφάσιος [εἵνεκεν], προφάσεως ἕνεκα, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐκ μικρᾶς π. Refs 5th c.BC+infinitive, αὕτη γὰρ ἦν σοι π. ἐκβαλεῖν ἐμέ for casting me out, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. τοῖς δειλοῖς ἔχει μὴ ἰέναι gives them an excuse or plea for not going, Refs 5th c.BC+; εὑρὼν π. Refs 4th c.AD+ __I.2.b phrases, πρόφασιν διδόναι, ἐνδοῦναι, allow, afford an excuse, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. μηδεμίαν θέμενος making no excuse, Refs 6th c.BC+; π. προτεῖναι put forward a pretext, Refs 5th c.BC+; προφάσιας εἷλκον kept making pretences, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. τινὰ πρεσβείας πορισάμενοι Refs 5th c.BC+; ἔχει προφάσεις it is excusable,Refs 5th c.BC+ __I.2.c elliptically, μή μοι πρόφασιν no excuse, no shuffling, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II the actual motive, purpose, or cause, whether alleged or not, οὔτ᾽ εὐνῆς πρόφασιν κεχρημένος οὔτε τευ ἄλλου Refs 8th c.BC+; τὸ ἐκ προφάσεως τῶν.. στρατιωτῶν δηληγατευθὲν μέτρον ἐλαίου for the purpose of.., Refs 4th c.AD+; τὴν ἀληθεστάτην π., ἀφανεστάτην δὲ λόγῳ Refs 5th c.BC+: especially as a medical technical term, external exciting cause, ἐκ πάσης π. ἐκτιτρώσκουσι they miscarry on any provocation, Refs 5th c.BC+: generally, cause, σμικρὰ π. ἔξωθεν Refs 5th c.BC+; βραχεῖα π. Refs 5th c.BC+; φανερὴ π. Refs 5th c.BC+; βραχείας προφάσεως ἔδει μόνον ἐφ᾽ ᾗ.. δεξόμεθα.. it needed but a little to move us to.., Refs 5th c.BC+ __II.2 occasion, θοἰμάτιον δεικνὺς τοδὶ πρόφασιν ἔφασκον, ὦ γύναι, λίαν σπαθᾷς I said à propos,.. I took occasion to say.., Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐπὶ τῇ ἐμῇ π. à propos of me, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐπὶ τῇ π. τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ ἀρχῆς on the occasion of my accession, Refs 3rd c.AD+ __III persuasion, suggestion, uncertain reading in Refs 5th c.BC+ __IV preface, τὰς σημειώσεις ὑπὸ μίαν ἐκθησόμεθα π. Refs 1st c.AD+

† עִלָּה n.f. matter, affair, occasion (Syriac ܥܶܠܬܳܐ, v. BH I. עלל);—abs. ע׳ Dn 6:5(×2), 6 (= ground of accusation).

† נְסִבָּה n.f. turn of affairs;—abs. 2 Ch 10:15 (= סִבָּה q.v., ‖ 1 K 12:15).

† סִבָּה n.f. turn of affairs;—only abs. הָֽיְתָה סִבָּה מֵעִם י׳ 1 K 12:15 it was a turn (an ordering) from י׳ (= נְסִבָּה q.v., in ‖ 2 Ch 10:15).

† תֹּאֲנָה n.f. opportunity, i.e. ground of quarrel; of Samson, sq. מִן Ju 14:4.