case

I

[[t]keɪs[/t]]

n.

1) an instance of the occurrence, existence, etc., of something:

a case of poor judgment[/ex]

2) the actual state of things:

That is not the case[/ex]

3) situation; circumstance; plight:

a sad case[/ex]

4) soc a patient or client, as of a physician or social worker

5) a specific occurrence or matter requiring discussion, decision, or investigation

6) a statement of facts, reasons, etc., used to support an argument

7) med an instance of disease, injury, etc., requiring medical or surgical attention

8) law

a) a suit or action at law; cause

b) law a set of facts making up a claim or defense

9) gram.

a) a category or set of categories in the inflection of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives indicating the syntactic relation of these words to other words in a sentence

b) the indication of such relations by other devices, as by the position of words in a sentence

10) inf Informal. a peculiar or unusual person

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- get off someone's case in any case in case in case of on someone's case

Etymology: 1225–75; < AF, OF cas < L cāsus fall II

case

[[t]keɪs[/t]] n. v. cased, cas•ing

1) a container for enclosing something, as for carrying or safekeeping; receptacle

2) a sheath or outer covering:

a knife case[/ex]

3) a box with its contents:

a case of soda[/ex]

4) the amount contained in a box or other container

5) a pair or couple; brace:

a case of pistols[/ex]

6) bui a surrounding frame or framework, as of a door

7) pri a completed book cover ready to be fitted to form the binding

8) pri a compartmented tray for holding printer's type, usu. arranged with one section

(upper case) for capital letters and another(lower case) for small letters.

9) zool. a cavity in the skull of a sperm whale, containing an oil from which spermaceti is obtained

10) mel the hard outer part of a piece of casehardened steel

11) to put or enclose in a case

12) sts Slang. to examine or survey (a house, bank, etc.) esp. in planning a crime (sometimes fol. by out)

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Etymology: 1250–1300; ME cas < AF cas(s)e, OF chasse < L capsa case for holding scrolls