The faculty or power to acquire intellectual knowledge and its influence on conduct, Understanding, Mind, Intelligence . . . . To Support, Conclude, Pursuade, Convince, Infer [by reason] . . . .
Reasonable/In Accord, Agreeable, Proper, Fair, Judicious, Wise, Equitable. . . .
R E F E R E N C E S
Reason n. 1. a basis or cicumstance explaining some belief, action, fact, or event. 2. a statement presented in justification or explanation. 3. the mental powers concerned with forming conclusions, judgments, or inferences. 4. sound judgment; good sense. 5. soundness of mind; sanity. 6. Logic. a premise of an argument. 7. Philos. a. the faculty or power of acquiring intellectual knowledge, either by direct understanding of first principles or by argument. b. the power of intelligent and dispassionate thought, or of conduct influenced by such thought. 8. by reason of, because of. 9. in or within reason, in accord with reason; proper. 10. stand to reason, to be clear, obvious or logical: It stands to reason that we shall succeed. 11. with reason, with justification; properly. -v.i. 12. to think or ague in a logical manner. 13. to form conclusions, judgments, or inferences from facts or premises. -v.t. 14. to think through logicaly, as a problem. 15. to conclude or infer [usually fol. by that]. 16. to convince, persuade, etc., by reasoning. 17. to support with reasons. [ME resoun, reisun < OF reisun, reson < L reati÷n- (s. of rati÷) RATIO]
-Syn. 1. purpose, end, aim, object, objective. Reason, Cause, Motive are terms for a circumstance [or circumstances] that brings about or explains certain results. A Reason is an explanation of a situation or circumstance that made certain results seem possible or appropriate: The reason for the robbery was the victim's display of his money. The Cause is the way in which the circumstances produce the effect, that is, make a specific action seem necessary or desirable: The cause was the robber's extreme need of money. A Motive is the hope, desire, or other force that starts the action [or an action] in an attempt to produce specific results: The motive was to get money to buy food for his family. 2. excuse, rationale, rationalization. 3. understanding, intellect, mind, intelligence.
-Usage. Careful writers and speakers avoid the redundant expression "the reason is because" Instead, use "The reason is that"; He said that the reason he isn't coming is that [not because] his mother won't let him.
Reasoning 1. the act or process of a person who reasons. 2. The process of forming conclusions, judgments, or inferences from facts or premises. 3. the reasons, arguments, proofs, etc., resulting from this process. . . .
Reasonable adj. 1. agreeable to or in accord with reason or sound judgment; logical. 2. not exceeding the limit prescribed by reason; not excessive reasonable terms. 3. moderate in price; not expensive. 4. endowed with reason. 5. capable of rational behavior, decision, etc. [ME resonable < MF raisonnable < L ratiónábil(is)] -Syn. 1. Sensible, intelligent, judicious, wise, equitable. Reasonable, Rational refer to the faculty of reasoning. Reasonable has taken on more and more the pragmatic idea of simple common sense: A reasonable supposition is one that appeals to our common sense. Rational is the more technical or more abstact term, concerned always with pure reason. It is applied to statements that reflect or satisfy highly logical thinking: Her conclusions are always of a rational, never an emotional, nature. 2. equitable, fair, just.
Reasoned adj. 1 . based on reason. 2. containing reasons: a long reasoned reply.
[Urdang, Laurence, ed. Random House Dictionary of The English Language. New York: Random House, 1968.]
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