Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SAKE, n. [Sax. sac, saca, sace, sacu, contention, discord, a suit or action at law, cause in court, hence the privilege which a lord had of taking cognizance of suits in his own manor; sacan, to contend, to strive; Goth. sakan, to rebuke, chide, upbraid; D. zaak, cause, case, thing, business, affair; G. sache, matter, thing; eines sache führen, to plead one's cause; ursache, cause, reason, motive; Sw. sak and orsak, id.; Dan. sag, cause, thing, affair, matter, case, suit, action; Ch. עםק, to contend, to strive, to seek; Heb. עשק, to press or oppress; Ch. to accuse, to criminate. Class Sg, No. 46, 92. The primary sense is to strain, urge, press, or drive forward, and this is from the same root as seek, essay, and L. sequor, whence we have pursue and prosecute. We have analogous words in cause, thing, and the L. res. Its Saxon sense is no longer in use, that is, cause, action, suit, a seeking or demand in court; but we use it in a sense nearly similar, though differently applied.]

1. Final cause; end; purpose; or rather the purpose of obtaining. I open a window for the sake of air, that is, to obtain it, for the purpose of obtaining air. I read for the sake of instruction, that as, to obtain it. Sake then signifies, primarily, effort to obtain, and secondarily, purpose of obtaining. The hero fights for the sake of glory; men labor for the sake of subsistence or wealth.
2. Account; regard to any person or thing. I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake. – Gen. viii. Save me for thy mercies' sake. – Ps. vi.