Dictionary
be•cause
Pronunciation: (bi-kôz', -koz', -kuz'), [key]—
conj.
1. for the reason that; due to the fact that:
The boy was absent because he was ill.
2. because of, by reason of; due to:
Schools were closed because of heavy snowfall. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.