reason

raison, motif, cause

Ce qui explique pourquoi quelque chose arrive ou pourquoi quelqu’un agit.

En anglais simple : Something that explains why an event happens or why someone does something.

• What is the reason?
• She gave no reason for leaving.
• There are several reasons why the flight was delayed.

Comment l'utiliser : a reason for something/doing something (What was your reason for leaving?); a reason to do something (We have a good reason to celebrate.); the reason why + clause (That is the reason why I called.)

Synonymes : cause, explanation, motive

Expressions courantes : a good reason, reason for something, reason to leave, reason to act

raison

Capacité à réfléchir clairement, à comprendre les faits et à porter des jugements sensés.

En anglais simple : The ability to think clearly, understand facts, and make sensible judgments.

• Use reason to decide.
• Fear can overcome reason.
• She appealed to his reason instead of his emotions.

Synonymes : rationality, logic

Contraires : irrationality

Expressions courantes : use reason, listen to reason, human reason, the power of reason

raisonner

Réfléchir de façon logique à des faits ou à des idées pour arriver à une conclusion.

En anglais simple : To think carefully about facts or ideas in order to reach a conclusion.

• Try to reason calmly.
• She reasoned that the shop would still be open.
• We reasoned from the evidence to find the most likely explanation.

Comment l'utiliser : reason that + clause (I reasoned that he must have missed the bus.); reason from something (We can reason from the facts we already know.)

Synonymes : think, deduce, infer

Expressions courantes : reason logically, reason that something, reason from evidence

convaincre, persuader

Amener quelqu’un à changer d’avis grâce à des explications ou des arguments sensés.

En anglais simple : To persuade someone by giving sensible explanations or arguments.

• Try to reason with him.
• She reasoned me into taking a break.
• We could not reason him out of leaving.

Comment l'utiliser : reason with someone (I tried to reason with the angry driver.); reason someone into doing something (She reasoned him into accepting the offer.); reason someone out of doing something (We reasoned her out of selling the house.)

Synonymes : persuade, convince

Expressions courantes : reason with someone, reason someone into something, reason someone out

dissiper par le raisonnement, réfuter

Écarter un sentiment, une croyance ou une objection par des arguments logiques.

En anglais simple : To defeat a feeling, belief, or objection by using logical arguments.

• She tried to reason down her anger.
• He reasoned away every objection we raised.
• They could not reason away their doubts.

Comment l'utiliser : reason down/away something (He tried to reason away his fears.)

Synonymes : argue away, dispel

Expressions courantes : reason down something, reason away something