OCCASION

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does occasion mean? 

• OCCASION (noun)
  The noun OCCASION has 5 senses:

1. an event that occurs at a critical time

2. a vaguely specified social event

3. reason

4. the time of a particular event

5. an opportunity to do something

  Familiarity information: OCCASION used as a noun is common.

• OCCASION (verb)
  The verb OCCASION has 1 sense:

1. give occasion to

  Familiarity information: OCCASION used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OCCASION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An event that occurs at a critical time

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

juncture; occasion

Context example:

it was needed only on special occasions

Hypernyms ("occasion" is a kind of...):

happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "occasion"):

climax; flood tide (the highest point of anything conceived of as growing or developing or unfolding)

conjuncture (a critical combination of events or circumstances)

crisis (a crucial stage or turning point in the course of something)

landmark; turning point; watershed (an event marking a unique or important historical change of course or one on which important developments depend)

milestone (a significant event in your life (or in a project))

head; pass; straits (a difficult juncture)

reality check (an occasion on which one is reminded of the nature of things in the real world)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A vaguely specified social event

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

affair; function; occasion; social function; social occasion

Context example:

a seemingly endless round of social functions

Hypernyms ("occasion" is a kind of...):

social event (an event characteristic of persons forming groups)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "occasion"):

party (an occasion on which people can assemble for social interaction and entertainment)

celebration; jubilation (a joyful occasion for special festivities to mark some happy event)

ceremonial; ceremonial occasion; ceremony; observance (a formal event performed on a special occasion)

fundraiser (a social function that is held for the purpose of raising money)

photo op; photo opportunity (an occasion that lends itself to (or is deliberately arranged for) taking photographs that provide favorable publicity for those who are photographed)

sleepover (an occasion of spending a night away from home or having a guest spend the night in your home (especially as a party for children))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Reason

Classified under:

Nouns denoting goals

Context example:

there was no occasion for complaint

Hypernyms ("occasion" is a kind of...):

ground; reason (a rational motive for a belief or action)

Derivation:

occasion (give occasion to)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The time of a particular event

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Context example:

on the occasion of his 60th birthday

Hypernyms ("occasion" is a kind of...):

time (a suitable moment)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "occasion"):

meal (any of the occasions for eating food that occur by custom or habit at more or less fixed times)

Derivation:

occasion (give occasion to)

Sense 5

Meaning:

An opportunity to do something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Context example:

there was never an occasion for her to demonstrate her skill

Hypernyms ("occasion" is a kind of...):

chance; opportunity (a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "occasion"):

cut-rate sale; sale; sales event (an occasion (usually brief) for buying at specially reduced prices)

Derivation:

occasion (give occasion to)

• OCCASION (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they occasion    ... he / she / it occasions   
Past simple: occasioned   
Past participle: occasioned   
-ing form: occasioning   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Give occasion to

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "occasion" is one way to...):

cause; do; make (give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "occasion"):

inspire (supply the inspiration for)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

occasion (reason)

occasion (an opportunity to do something)

occasion (the time of a particular event)

 Context examples 

You must excuse my sister on this occasion, and accept of our two dear girls and myself without her.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

At all times; on every occasion.

(Always, NCI Thesaurus)

A series of acts performed for a special occasion or to mark a rite of passage.

(Ceremony, NCI Dictionary)

Growth arrest is occasioned by co-expression of p21 and p27 and inhibition of MYC.

(CTCF Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

I was told so on several occasions.

(Health threats caused by mobile phone radiation, EUROPARL TV)

Opportunity will come to you, so look your best all month—for both social and professional occasions.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

He desired to know, “what I would have done upon such an occasion in my own country.”

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

My own joy on the occasion is very sincere.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Hypertension characterized diastolic blood pressure greater than 90 mmHg on two occasions.

(Diastolic Hypertension, NCI Thesaurus)

There was no occasion to press the matter farther.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)