(n.) 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.
Thesaurus Entries
account, advantage, aim, ambition, animus, aspiration, basis, behalf, benefit, calling, cause, consideration, counsel, desideration, desideratum, design, desire, determination, effect, fixed purpose, function, gain, goal, good, ground, guiding light, guiding star, idea, ideal, inspiration, intendment, intent, intention, lodestar, mainspring, matter, meaning, mind, motive, nisus, objectives, plan, point, principle, profit, project, proposal, prospectus, purpose, purposes, reason, reasons, resolution, resolve, score, source, spring, striving, study, ulterior motive, view, vocation, welfare, well-being, will
