causor (causs-), ātus, 1, v. n. and trans. [causa]. In the ante-class. per., to plead, dispute concerning a subject, to discuss it for and against, to debate a question, Pac., Att., and Afran. ap. Non. p. 89, 11 sq.

— Since the Aug. per. (in Ciceronian Lat. the word is not used), to give as a reason (a real, and more freq. a feigned one) for something, to make a pretext of, to pretend, to plead. With acc.: multa, Lucr. 1, 398: aves aut omina dira, Tib. 1, 3, 17 sq.: omina Visaque, Ov. M. 9, 768: nec freta pressurus tumidos causabitur Euros, id. Am. 1, 9, 13: stultus uterque locum immeritum causatur inique: in culpā est animus. Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 12: ipse valetudinem excusans, patre animi quoque ejus haud mirabilem interturbationem causante, Liv. 23, 8, 7; 3, 64, 2; 36, 10, 13: negotia, Tac. A. 1, 47 fin.: valetudinem, id. H. 3, 59 fin.: adversam patris voluntatem, id. A. 13, 44: diei tempus, Curt. 4, 16, 18 al.

— Absol.: causando nostros in longum ducis amores, Verg. E. 9, 56.

— With acc. and inf., Liv. 5, 15, 6; 28, 35, 2; Tib. 1, 3, 17; Suet. Ner. 49; Curt. 6, 5, 31; Gell. 18, 4, 9.

— With quod: causatus in utroque, quod hic non esset secutus, etc., Suet. Calig. 23; Dig. 16, 3, 3.

—（ε) With inf.: causari accipere rationes, to avoid by a pretence, Dig. 40, 7, 34, § 1.