Sake (sāk),
n. [OE. sake cause, also, lawsuit, fault, AS. sacu strife, a cause or suit
at law; akin
to D. zaak cause, thing, affair, G. sache thing, cause in law, OHG. sahha, Icel.
sök, Sw. sak, Dan. sag, Goth. sakjō strife,
AS. sacan to contend, strive, Goth. sakam, Icel. saka to contend, strive, blame, OHG.
sahhan, MHG. sachen, to contend, strive, defend one's
right, accuse, charge in a lawsuit, and also to E. seek. Cf. Seek.]
Final cause; end; purpose of obtaining; cause; motive; reason; interest; concern; account; regard or respect; -- used chiefly in such phrases as, for the sake
of, for his sake, for man's sake, for mercy's sake, and the like; as,
to commit crime for the
sake of gain; to go abroad for the sake of one's health.
Moved with wrath and shame and
ladies' sake.
Spenser.
I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake.
Gen.
viii. 21. Will he draw out,
For anger's sake, finite to infinite?
Milton. Knowledge is for the sake of man, and not man for the
sake of knowledge.
Sir
W. Hamilton. &fist; The -s of
the possessive case preceding sake is sometimes omitted for euphony; as, for goodness sake. "For conscience sake." 1
Cor. x. 28. The plural sakes is often used with a possessive plural. "For both our
sakes." Shak.
Hear it pronounced