casus belli

2 definitions found

casus belli - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Casus \Ca"sus\, n. [L.]
     An event; an occurrence; an occasion; a combination of
     circumstances; a case; an act of God. See the Note under
     Accident.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Casus belli, an event or combination of events which is a
        cause war, or may be alleged as a justification of war.
  
     Casus fortuitus, an accident against which due prudence
        could not have provided. See Act of God, under Act.
  
     Casus omissus, a case not provided for by the statute.
        [1913 Webster]

casus belli - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  casus belli
      n 1: an event used to justify starting a war