Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BE-CAUSE', [becauz', a compound word. Sax. be; Eng. by, and cause. See By and Cause.]

By cause, or by the cause; on this account; for the cause which is explained in the next proposition; for the reason next explained. Thus, I fled, because I was afraid, is to be thus resolved; I fled, by the cause, for the cause, which is mentioned in the next affirmation, viz. I was afraid. Hence, cause being a noun, because may be regularly followed by of. The spirit is life, because of righteousness. – Rom. viii. Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. – Eph. v.