English Meaning & Definitions
To create disagreement, tension, or conflict between people or within a system.
- “His constant tardiness began to cause friction among the other team members.”
- “The new policy regarding remote work is likely to cause friction between management and the staff.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “cause friction”.
The term combines the verb 'cause' (from Old French 'causer', via Latin 'causa', meaning a reason or motive) with 'friction' (from Latin 'frictio', meaning a rubbing). Metaphorically, it draws from the physical principle where two surfaces rubbing together create resistance or heat, applied to social or interpersonal dynamics where conflicting personalities or ideas create tension.
Imagine two people rubbing sandpaper together; the noise and heat they create is the 'friction' they are causing in the room.
Frequently Asked Questions About “cause friction”
1. What is the meaning of “cause friction” in English?
In English, cause friction (idiom) is defined as: “To create disagreement, tension, or conflict between people or within a system.”.
2. How do you use “cause friction” in a sentence?
“His constant tardiness began to cause friction among the other team members.”
3. What are English synonyms of “cause friction”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “cause friction”?
The term combines the verb 'cause' (from Old French 'causer', via Latin 'causa', meaning a reason or motive) with 'friction' (from Latin 'frictio', meaning a rubbing). Metaphorically, it draws from the physical principle where two surfaces rubbing together create resistance or heat, applied to social or interpersonal dynamics where conflicting personalities or ideas create tension.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.