occasion en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /əˈkeɪ̯ʒən/
- [əˈkʰeɪ̯ʒən] ~ [əˈkʰeɪ̯ʒn̩]
- (General-American) audio
Etymology
From Middle English occasioun, from Middle French occasion, from Old French occasiun, from Latin occāsiōnem, noun of action from perfect passive participle occāsus, from verb occidō, from prefix ob- (“down", "away”) + verb cadō (“fall”).
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) A favorable opportunity; a convenient or timely chance.
I'll take the occasion which he gives to bring / Him to his death.
1690, Edmund Waller, The Maids Tragedy Alter'd:That our Work, therefore, might be in no Danger of being likened to the Labours of theſe Hiſtorians, we have taken every Occaſion of interſpersing through the whole ſundry Similes, Deſcriptions, and other kind of poetical Embelliſhments.
1749, Henry Fielding, “Containing five Pages of Paper”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume II, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book IV, pages 2–3:At this point, she seized the occasion to make her own observation.
Foꝛ ſynne toke occaſiõ by the meanes of the cõmaundement and ſo diſceaved me / and by the ſilfe cõmaundemẽt ſlewe me.
1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Romans vij:[11], folio ccvj, verso:
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(countable, uncountable) The time when something happens.
On this occasion, I'm going to decline your offer, but next time I might agree.
And Vickers launched forth in a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with supreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes. He said that if you wanted to do anything for them, you must rule them, not pamper them.
1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXV, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 203:
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(countable, uncountable) An occurrence or state of affairs which causes some event or reaction; a motive or reason.
I had no occasion to feel offended, however.
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(countable, uncountable) Something which causes something else; a cause.
[I]t were too vile to ſay, and ſcarce to be beleeued, what we endured: but the occaſion was our owne, for want of prouidence, induſtrie and gouernment, […]
1624, Iohn [i.e., John] Smith, “What happened in the first gouernment after the alteration in the time of Captaine George Piercie their Gouernour”, in The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: […], London: […] I[ohn] D[awson] and I[ohn] H[aviland] for Michael Sparkes, →OCLC, 4th booke, page 106:
- (countable, obsolete, uncountable) An occurrence or incident.
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(countable, uncountable) A particular happening; an instance or time when something occurred.
I only think of you on two occasions / That's day and night / I'd go for broke if I could be with you / Only you can make it right
1987, The Deele, “Two Occasions”, in Eyes of a Stranger (album):a momentous occasion in the history of South Africa
In the last two decades, North Korea has on various occasions conducted highly provocative missile and nuclear tests and promised to turn Seoul into a sea of fire.
2013 April 9, Andrei Lankov, “Stay Cool. Call North Korea’s Bluff.”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 Apr 2013:I could think of two separate occasions when she had deliberately lied to me.
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(countable, uncountable) A need; requirement, necessity.
I had occasion,[…], to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return,[…], I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting,[…], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town. I was completely mystified at such an unusual proceeding.
1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter II, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, pages 12–13:[…] after we have ſerved our ſelves, and our own occaſions.
1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, “Consideration of the general instruments and means serving to a holy Life: by way of Introduction”, in The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC, page 2:When my occaſions took me into France, […]
1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC, page 214:I have no occasion for firearms.
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(countable, uncountable) A special event or function.
Having people round for dinner was always quite an occasion at our house.
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(countable, uncountable) A reason or excuse; a motive; a persuasion.
VVhoſe manner was all paſſengers to ſtay, / And entertaine with her occaſions ſly, […]
1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 13, page 142:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| occasions | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
unoccasioned · interoccasion · occasional · occasionless · social occasion · improve the occasion · take occasion · rise to the occasion · on occasion · occasionwear
Synonyms
moment · time · point in time · occasion · instance · sith · incident · happening · juncture · befalling · event · proceeding · goings-on · episode · minute · point in time · occurrence · hap · instant · affair · instant · event · occasion · happening
Translations (142)
fi syy (particular happening) · tl okasyon (special event or function) · txb lyakur (time when something happens) · fi tarkoitus (reason or excuse; a motive; a persuasion) · bn মওকা (favorable opportunity) · ro hazard (particular happening) · nl behoefte (need) · cy achlysur (time when something happens) · pdt Rekjs (time when something happens) · fi tarkoitusperä (reason or excuse; a motive; a persuasion) · nl gebeurtenis (particular happening) · nl voorval (particular happening) · uk при́від (particular happening) · eu abagune (favorable opportunity) · ar فُرْصَة (favorable opportunity) · fa مناسبت (favorable opportunity) · ja 場合 (favorable opportunity) · ru по́вод (particular happening) · ca ocasió (favorable opportunity) · cs příležitost (time when something happens) · cmn 時機 /时机 (time when something happens) · sk príležitosť (favorable opportunity) · da begivenhed (particular happening) · mi takunetanga (time when something happens) · cs potřeba (need) · nl gelegenheid (favorable opportunity) · sv behov (need) · da behov (need) · de Mal (time when something happens) · hu alkalom (favorable opportunity) · txb preke (time when something happens) · cy achlysur (favorable opportunity) · sk príležitosť (particular happening) · cy achlysur (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · sk dôvod (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · fi aihe (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · th เหตุ (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · sl priložnost (favorable opportunity) · pt ocasião (particular happening) · sv tillfälle (particular happening) · fi tilaisuus (special event or function) · got 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌷𐍃 (time when something happens) · ru собы́тие (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · ko 기회 (favorable opportunity) · bg необходи́мост (need) · sv händelse (particular happening) · nl aanleiding (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · th ครั้ง (time when something happens) · eu aukera (favorable opportunity) · eo fojo (time when something happens) · ru слу́чай (favorable opportunity) · th โอกาส (favorable opportunity) · sga accuis (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · pl powód (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · uk ви́падок (favorable opportunity) · ota سفر (time when something happens) · ar مُنَاسَبَة (favorable opportunity) · ru необходи́мость (need) · bg съби́тие (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · de Anlass (particular happening) · ko 경우 (favorable opportunity) · ru слу́чай (particular happening) · eo okazo (favorable opportunity) · tl okasyon (reason or excuse; a motive; a persuasion) · sk príležitosť (special event or function) · fi tilaisuus (time when something happens) · fi mahdollisuus (favorable opportunity) · fi syy (something which causes something else) · eo okazo (particular happening) · pdt Rekjs (favorable opportunity) · it ricorrenza (particular happening) · pl okazja (favorable opportunity) · sh слу̏ча̄ј (favorable opportunity) · got 𐌻𐌴𐍅 (favorable opportunity) · pl okazja (special event or function) · ja 機会 (favorable opportunity) · bg удо́бен слу́чай (favorable opportunity) · ru возмо́жность (particular happening) · wa tchance (favorable opportunity) · da lejlighed (favorable opportunity) · be вы́падак (favorable opportunity) · gl ocasión (favorable opportunity) · nl noodzaak (need) · ar مُنَاسَبَة (particular happening) · ang feald (favorable opportunity) · cs příležitost (favorable opportunity) · sv tillfälle (favorable opportunity) · gl oportunidade (favorable opportunity) · pl wypadek (favorable opportunity) · gl ocasión (time when something happens) · cy achlysur (particular happening) · sk príležitosť (time when something happens) · cmn 場合 /场合 (favorable opportunity) · wa ocåzion (favorable opportunity) · fr occasion (favorable opportunity) · fi tapahtuma (special event or function) · sk udalosť (special event or function) · fi tapaus (particular happening) · ru слу́чай (time when something happens) · bg слу́чка (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · sk situácia (particular happening) · es ocasión (favorable opportunity) · ro întâmplare (particular happening) · mk случај (favorable opportunity) · cmn 機會 /机会 (favorable opportunity) · af okkasie (time when something happens) · pt ocasião (favorable opportunity) · ru раз (particular happening) · de Gelegenheit (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · ro situație favorabilă (favorable opportunity) · nl gebeurtenis (special event or function) · da anledning (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · fi tapaus (special event or function) · ru по́вод (time when something happens) · wa etrevén (particular happening) · sk prípad (particular happening) · bg слу́чка (particular happening) · fi tapaus (particular happening) · it motivo (reason or excuse; a motive; a persuasion) · de Gelegenheit (favorable opportunity) · da grund (need) · sh slȕčāj (favorable opportunity) · bg възмо́жност (favorable opportunity) · sv skäl (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · ru по́вод (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · it occasione (favorable opportunity) · tl okasyon (particular happening) · th คราว (time when something happens) · da anledning (particular happening) · grc καιρός (favorable opportunity) · fi kerta (particular happening) · it avvenimento (special event or function) · si අවස්ථාව (favorable opportunity) · mhr гана (time when something happens) · sk moment (particular happening) · ro ocazie (favorable opportunity) · ru собы́тие (particular happening) · km ឱកាស (favorable opportunity) · fi tarve (need) · fi syy (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · sv tillfällighet (occurrence which brings with it some unlooked-for event; motive, reason) · fi tilaisuus (favorable opportunity)