NounWhen versatility is fashion's best justification, the idea of a beautiful lace blouse or dress that can step up to a special occasion and then look just as good under a man-tailored jacket or a fine-gauge long-line cardigan the next day is persuasive. S. Mower, Vogue, September 2008On several occasions, people have observed dark, kilometer-wide bands on the ocean surface as tsunamis approached or passed by … S. Perkins, Science News, 21 Feb. 2004Not so long ago, Rolling Stone's David Fricke asked the late Kurt Cobain whom he admired among "established" rock bands. Cobain unhesitatingly named R.E.M., using the occasion to send the band members a virtual mash note for remaining true to their muse and to themselves and for refusing to be swayed by the shifting winds of fashion and commerciality. Robert Palmer, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 1994To publish a definitive collection of short stories in one's late 60s seems to me, as an American writer, a traditional and a dignified occasion, eclipsed in no way by the fact that a great many of the stories in my current collection were written in my underwear. John Cheever, in Ann Charters, The Story and Its Writer, 1987 birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions They marked the occasion with their families. She wrote a song especially for the occasion. Roses are the perfect flower for any occasion. On the occasion of their 25th wedding anniversary, they took a vacation to Paris. We had occasion to watch her perform last summer. The boys never had occasion to meet each other. She never found an occasion to suggest her ideas. He took the occasion to make an announcement. VerbIt was that desire that occasioned a trip to Berlin this spring: a desire to wander through the city's arty demimonde and to eat beside its residents … Sam Sifton, New York Times, 22 June 2008"I made bow ties," Sally says very assuredly, after the long silence occasioned by my unwanted kiss, during which we both realized we are not about to head upstairs for any fun. Richard Ford, Independence Day, 1996 the announcement concerning the change in scheduling occasioned much confusion See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Rising to the distinctive occasion that meant the winner Sunday would be the world No. 1, Alcaraz fired 55 winners, won 34 points at the net, and had emphatic responses to Ruud’s tricky topspin shots. Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2022 Several Peoria Unified School District communities joined Desert Harbor in marking the occasion. Renata Cló, The Arizona Republic, 11 Sep. 2022 During special occasion meals, sometimes the sides get neglected. Anna Luisa Rodriguez, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2022 On Saturday, Queen Elizabeth II’s body will be moved to Holyrood, her residence in Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, as the solemn occasion will give way to the rites of ascension for King Charles III. Matthew Mulligan, NBC News, 10 Sep. 2022 While denim overalls have had a recent resurgence around Hollywood, Garner's boilersuit is a tad dressier and can be styled so many different ways depending on the occasion or season. Alex Warner, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2022 The occasion was feted with a 60-person dinner—with many more joining for the dance party that followed—at The Nines, where The Attico's calling card plumage, paillettes, and animal prints were on full display. Zoe Ruffner, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2022 On the night Real Salt Lake unveiled a new name for its home stadium, the familiar face — and outstretched arms — of goalkeeper David Ochoa forced RSL to celebrate the occasion with a scoreless draw. Aaron Falk, The Salt Lake Tribune, 10 Sep. 2022 For the flashy occasion, both wore head-turning sparkling gowns. Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 10 Sep. 2022
Verb
The book is unlikely to occasion surprise for readers of Murray’s other books, including The Madness ... Peter Wood, National Review, 12 May 2022 Whatever Greene or Gosar is saying or doing at the moment doesn't occasion much chatter in their districts. Chris Cillizza, CNN, 31 Mar. 2022 Feldman’s thought-provoking case for a stark rupture in Union war aims will surely occasion lively debate.Washington Post, 12 Nov. 2021 Elliot shared my feeling that human composting’s greater promise is its potential to occasion a paradigm shift in our relationship to all life. Lisa Wells, Harper's Magazine, 28 Sep. 2021 The existence of Ross’s book and others like it — and the brutal events that occasion them — suggest the attainment of that goal is still more than 20 years away.BostonGlobe.com, 1 July 2021 The next step is a Senate floor vote, which may occasion Democrats’ first official challenge to the Senate filibuster. Patrick Gleason, Forbes, 13 May 2021 The ex-royal couple have enough wit to understand that their own hardships don’t occasion many tears outside their lachrymose celebrity friends. Gerard Baker, WSJ, 8 Mar. 2021 Most Democratic candidates have negotiated the problem reasonably well, although extreme anti-Israel outliers from safe districts, such as Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, can occasion some awkwardness for their congressional colleagues. Barton Swaim, WSJ, 16 Dec. 2020 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English occasioun "opportunity, inducement, grounds or justification, occurrence," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French occasion, borrowed from Medieval Latin occāsiōn-, occāsiō "opportunity, circumstance, cause, pretext," going back to Latin, "convenient circumstances, opportunity," from oc-cad-, base of occidere "to be struck down, die, sink below the horizon" + -tiōn- -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at occident
Note: Though Latin occāsiō is formally a derivative of occidere, it does not reflect the meaning of that verb; for the sense cf. other derivatives of cadere "to fall," as accidere "to happen" (see accident) and cāsus "occurrence, chance" (see case entry 1). The verbal noun corresponding semantically to occidere is occāsus "sinking (of the sun), downfall, decline."
Verb
Middle English occasionen, borrowed from Medieval Latin occāsiōnāre, derivative of occāsiōn-, occāsiōoccasion entry 1