make common cause
"make-common-cause" is a 15-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“make common cause” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 17
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To cooperate, to enter into an alliance for a shared goal.
Corpus desk
Index EN-make-common-cause · make common cause · English
make common cause · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-MEGA 17 letters
- VOW-7 7 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "M" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | make common cause |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| Letters | 17 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “make common cause” in English
Rare enough to double-check
make common cause is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To cooperate, to enter into an alliance for a shared goal.".
The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for make common cause, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
Etymologically, the entry records: Possibly a calque of French faire cause commune, first attested in the same period (1787). The correct English form is make common cause, spelled M-A-K-E- -C-O-M-M-O-N- -C-A-U-S-E.
Definition
- 1To cooperate, to enter into an alliance for a shared goal.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how make common cause appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
[…] in a great community, the reformer has the voice and approbation of a majority to encourage him. In a very narrow circle he will have no part of the society, in which he lives, to support him against the rest. They will all make common cause against him, and sooner or later overcome his resolution, or break his heart.
They preferred endeavouring to alter the feelings of mankind on the particular points on which they were themselves heretical, rather than make common cause in defence of freedom, with heretics generally.
Etymology
Possibly a calque of French faire cause commune, first attested in the same period (1787).
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.