αἰτία αἰτέω a charge, accusation, Lat. crimen, and then the guilt or fault implied in such accusation, Pind., Hdt.:—Phrases: αἰτίαν ἔχειν to be accused, τινός of a thing, Pind., etc.;—reversely, αἰτία ἔχει με Pind.; ἐν αἰτίαι εἶναι or γίγνεσθαι Xen., etc.; αἰτίαν ὑπέχειν to lie under a charge, Plat.; αἰτίαν φέρεσθαι Thuc.; αἰτίαις ἐνέχεσθαι Plat.:—opp. to these are ἐν αἰτίαι ἔχειν or διʼ αἰτίας to hold one guilty, accuse, Hdt., Thuc., etc.; ἐν αἰτίαι βάλλειν Soph.; αἰτίαν νέμειν τινί Soph., etc. in good sense, εἰ εὖ πράξαιμεν, αἰτία θεοῦ the credit is his, Aesch.; οἳ ἔχουσι ταύτην τὴν αἰτίαν who have this as their characteristic, Plat. expostulation, μὴ ἐπʼ ἔχθραι τὸ πλέον ἢ αἰτίαι Thuc. a cause, Lat. causa, Plat., etc.; dat. αἰτίαι, like Lat. causa, for the sake of, κοινοῦ ἀγαθοῦ Thuc. an occasion, opportunity, αἰτίαν παρέχειν Luc. the head under which a thing comes, Dem.