occasion

 
Pronunciation: /əˈkeɪʒ(ə)n/

noun

  • 1a particular event, or the time at which it takes place: on one occasion I stayed up until two in the morning
  • a special or noteworthy event, ceremony, or celebration: she was presented with a gold watch to mark the occasion [mass noun]: Sunday lunch has a suitable sense of occasion about it
  • a suitable or opportune time for doing something: by-elections are traditionally an occasion for registering protest votes
  • 2 [mass noun] formal reason; cause: [with infinitive]: it’s the first time that I’ve had occasion to complain

verb

[with object] formal
  • cause (something): something vital must have occasioned this visit [with two objects]: his death occasioned her much grief

Phrases

on occasion (or occasions)

occasionally; from time to time: on occasion, the state was asked to intervene

rise to the occasion

perform better than usual in response to a special situation or event: when it comes to the finals, they can rise to the occasion

take occasion

archaic make use of an opportunity to do something: I shall here take occasion to propose a second observation

Origin:

late Middle English: from Latin occasio(n-) 'juncture, reason', from occidere 'go down, set', from ob- 'towards' + cadere 'to fall'

Spelling help

Spell occasion with a double c and a single s.

a ceremony celebrating a special occasion.