a particular time, esp. as marked by certain circumstances or occurrences

They met on three occasions.

a special or important time, event, ceremony, celebration, etc.

His birthday will be quite an occasion.

a convenient or favorable time, opportunity, or juncture

This slack period would be a good occasion to take inventory.

the immediate or incidental cause or reason for some action or result

What is the occasion for this uproar?

(in the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead) the coincidence of the eternal objects forming a specific point-event.

occasions, Obsolete .

needs or necessities.

necessary business matters

to go about one's lawful occasions.

to give occasion or cause for; bring about. ?

on occasion

now and then; from time to time; occasionally

She visits New York on occasion.

noun

break * , convenience , demand , excuse , incident , instant , moment , need , occurrence , opening , opportunity , possibility , season , shot * , show , time , use , antecedent , basis , call , circumstance , determinant , foundation , ground , grounds , inducement , influence , justification , motivation , motive , necessity , obligation , prompting , provocation , purpose , right , warrant , affair , celebration , episode , experience , go * , goings-on , happening , milepost , milestone , scene , thing * , while , event , thing , development , news , break , chance , reason , wherefore , why , festivity , fete , function , gala , soiree

verb

breed , cause , create , do , effect , elicit , engender , evoke , generate , give rise to , hatch , induce , influence , inspire , lead to , move , muster , originate , persuade , produce , prompt , provoke , work up , bring , bring about , bring on , effectuate , ingenerate , make , result in , secure , set off , stir , touch off , trigger , call for , justify , warrant , celebration , ceremony , chance , condition , event , excuse , function , gathering , grounds , happening , hint , incident , instance , instant , milestone , moment , opportunity , reason , time