[Obs.]
Yet it were great reason, that those that have children should have greatest care of future times.
Bacon. Syn. — Motive; argument; ground; consideration; principle; sake; account; object; purpose; design. See Motive,
Sense.
Reason
(Rea"son) v. i. [imp. & p. p. Reasoned (-z'nd); p. pr. & vb. n. Reasoning.] [Cf. F. raisonner.
See Reason, n.]
1. To exercise the rational faculty; to deduce inferences from premises; to perform the process of deduction
or of induction; to ratiocinate; to reach conclusions by a systematic comparison of facts.
2. Hence: To carry on a process of deduction or of induction, in order to convince or to confute; to formulate
and set forth propositions and the inferences from them; to argue.
Stand still, that I may reason with you, before the Lord, of all the righteous acts of the Lord.
1 Sam. xii.
7. 3. To converse; to compare opinions. Shak.
Reason
(Rea"son), v. t.
1. To arrange and present the reasons for or against; to examine or discuss by arguments; to debate or
discuss; as, I reasoned the matter with my friend.
When they are clearly discovered, well digested, and well reasoned in every part, there is beauty in
such a theory.
T. Burnet. 2. To support with reasons, as a request. [R.] Shak.
3. To persuade by reasoning or argument; as, to reason one into a belief; to reason one out of his plan.
Men that will not be reasoned into their senses.
L'Estrange. 4. To overcome or conquer by adducing reasons; — with down; as, to reason down a passion.
5. To find by logical processes; to explain or justify by reason or argument; — usually with out; as, to
reason out the causes of the librations of the moon.
