From Longman Business Dictionaryproximate causeprox‧i‧mate cause /ˌprɒksəmət ˈkɔːzˌprɑːksəmət ˈkɒːz/ noun [countable] LAW the thing that is directly responsible for an event happeningPilots’ breaches of duty and negligence were a proximate cause of the plane crash.
