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CASE

 - 13 dictionary results

case

1[keys]
–noun
1. an instance of the occurrence, existence, etc., of something: Sailing in such a storm was a case of poor judgment.
2. the actual state of things: That is not the case.
3. a question or problem of moral conduct; matter: a case of conscience.
4. situation; circumstance; plight: Mine is a sad case.
5. a person or thing whose plight or situation calls for attention: This family is a hardship case.
6. a specific occurrence or matter requiring discussion, decision, or investigation, as by officials or law-enforcement authorities: The police studied the case of the missing jewels.
7. a stated argument used to support a viewpoint: He presented a strong case against the proposed law.
8. an instance of disease, injury, etc., requiring medical or surgical attention or treatment; individual affliction: She had a severe case of chicken pox.
9. a medical or surgical patient.
10. Law.
a. a suit or action at law; cause.
b. a set of facts giving rise to a legal claim, or to a defense to a legal claim.
11. Grammar.
a. a category in the inflection of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, noting the syntactic relation of these words to other words in the sentence, indicated by the form or the position of the words.
b. a set of such categories in a particular language.
c. the meaning of or the meaning typical of such a category.
d. such categories or their meanings collectively.
12. Informal. a peculiar or unusual person: He's a case.
13. get or be on someone's case, Slang. to bother or nag someone; meddle in someone's affairs: Her brother is always on her case about getting married. Why do you keep getting on my case?
14. get off someone's case, Slang. to stop bothering or criticizing someone or interfering in someone's affairs: I've had enough of your advice, so just get off my case.
15. have a case on, Slang. to be infatuated with: He had a case on the girl next door.
16. in any case, regardless of circumstances; be that as it may; anyhow: In any case, there won't be any necessity for you to come along.
17. in case, if it should happen that; if: In case I am late, don't wait to start dinner.
18. in case of, in the event of; if there should be: In case of an error in judgment, the group leader will be held responsible.
19. in no case, under no condition; never: He should in no case be allowed to get up until he has completely recovered from his illness.

Origin:
before 1150; ME ca(a)s < AF, OF cas < L cāsus fall, accident, event, grammatical case (trans. of Gk ptôsis), equiv. to cad(ere) to fall + -tus suffix of v. action; cf. OE cāsus grammatical case


caseless, adjective
case⋅less⋅ly, adverb


1. Case, instance, example, illustration suggest the existence or occurrence of a particular thing representative of its type. Case and instance are closely allied in meaning, as are example and illustration. Case is a general word, meaning a fact, occurrence, or situation typical of a class: a case of assault and battery. An instance is a concrete factual case which is adduced to explain a general idea: an instance of a brawl in which an assault occurred. An example is one typical case, usually from many similar ones, used to make clear or explain the working of a principle (what may be expected of any others of the group): This boy is an example of the effect of strict discipline. An illustration exemplifies a theory or principle similarly, except that the choice may be purely hypothetical: The work of Seeing Eye dogs is an illustration of what is thought to be intelligence in animals.

case

2[keys] noun, verb, cased, cas⋅ing.
–noun
1. an often small or portable container for enclosing something, as for carrying or safekeeping; receptacle: a jewel case.
2. a sheath or outer covering: a knife case.
3. a box with its contents: a case of ginger ale.
4. the amount contained in a box or other container: There are a dozen bottles to a case.
5. a pair or couple; brace: a case of pistols.
6. a surrounding frame or framework, as of a door.
7. Bookbinding. a completed book cover ready to be fitted to form the binding of a book.
8. Printing. a tray of wood, metal, or plastic, divided into compartments for holding types for the use of a compositor and usually arranged in a set of two, the upper (upper case) for capital letters and often auxiliary types, the lower (lower case) for small letters and often auxiliary types, now generally replaced by the California job case. Compare news case.
9. a cavity in the skull of a sperm whale, containing an oil from which spermaceti is obtained.
10. Also called case card. Cards. the last card of a suit or denomination that remains after the other cards have been played: a case heart; the case jack.
11. Faro. casebox.
12. Southeastern U.S. (chiefly South Carolina). a coin of a particular denomination, as opposed to the same amount in change: a case quarter.
13. Metallurgy. the hard outer part of a piece of casehardened steel.
–verb (used with object)
14. to put or enclose in a case; cover with a case.
15. Slang. to examine or survey (a house, bank, etc.) in planning a crime (sometimes fol. by out): They cased the joint and decided to pull the job on Sunday.
16. to fuse a layer of glass onto (glass of a contrasting color or of different properties).
17. to cover (a surface of a wall, well, shaft, etc.) with a facing or lining; revet.
18. Bookbinding. to bind (a book) in a case.
19. Cards Slang.
a. to arrange (cards or a pack of cards) in a dishonest manner.
b. to remember the quantity, suit, or denomination of (the cards played).

Origin:
1250–1300; ME cas < AF cas(s)e, OF chasse < L capsa cylindrical case for holding books in scroll form, receptacle


caser, noun

case⋅box

[keys-boks]
–noun Faro.
a device, similar to an abacus, for recording the cards as they are drawn from the dealing box.
Also called case.


Origin:
case 2 + box 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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case 1   (kās)   
n.  
  1. An instance of something; an occurrence; an example: a case of mistaken identity. See Synonyms at example.

  2. An occurrence of a disease or disorder: a mild case of flu.

  3. A set of circumstances or a state of affairs; a situation: It may rain, in which case the hike will be canceled.

  4. Actual fact; reality: We suspected the walls were hollow, and this proved to be the case.

  5. A question or problem; a matter: It is simply a case of honor.

  6. A situation that requires investigation, especially by a formal or official body.

  7. Law

    1. An action or a suit or just grounds for an action.

    2. The facts or evidence offered in support of a claim.

    3. In traditional grammar, a distinct form of a noun, pronoun, or modifier that is used to express one or more particular syntactic relationships to other words in a sentence.

    4. Case In some varieties of generative grammar, the thematic or semantic role of a noun phrase as represented abstractly but not necessarily indicated overtly in surface structure. In such frameworks, nouns in English have Case even in the absence of inflectional case endings.

  8. A set of reasons or supporting facts; an argument: presented a good case for changing the law.

  9. A person being assisted, treated, or studied, as by a physician, lawyer, or social worker.

  10. Informal A peculiar or eccentric person; a character.

  11. Linguistics

    1. In traditional grammar, a distinct form of a noun, pronoun, or modifier that is used to express one or more particular syntactic relationships to other words in a sentence.

    2. Case In some varieties of generative grammar, the thematic or semantic role of a noun phrase as represented abstractly but not necessarily indicated overtly in surface structure. In such frameworks, nouns in English have Case even in the absence of inflectional case endings.


[Middle English cas, from Old French, from Latin cāsus, from past participle of cadere, to fall; see kad- in Indo-European roots.]
case 2   (kās)   
n.  
  1. A container; a receptacle: a jewelry case; meat-filled cases of dough.

  2. A container with its contents.

  3. A decorative or protective covering or cover.

  4. A set or pair: a case of pistols.

  5. The frame or framework of a window, door, or stairway.

  6. The surface or outer layer of a metal alloy.

  7. Printing A shallow compartmented tray for storing type or type matrices.

tr.v.   cased, cas·ing, cas·es
  1. To put into or cover with a case; encase.

  2. Slang To examine carefully, as in planning a crime: cased the bank before robbing it.


[Middle English, from Norman French casse, from Latin capsa.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: case
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin casus accident, event, set of circumstances, literally, act of falling
1 a : a civil or criminal suit or action cases, in law and equity, arising under this Constitution —U.S. Constitution article III> —see also CONTROVERSY
case at bar
: a case being considered by the court case at bar>
case of first im·pres·sion
: a case that presents an issue or question never before decided or considered by the court
com·pan·ion case
: a case that is heard with another case because it involves similar or related questions of law
test case
1 : a representative case whose outcome will serve as precedent for future cases and esp. for pending cases involving similar or related issues or circumstances and often some of the same parties
NOTE: A test case is selected from a number of cases in order to avoid a flood of litigation. All of the parties to the cases must agree to accept the outcome of the test case as binding.
2 : a proceeding usually in the form of a suit for injunction brought to obtain a decision as to the constitutionality of a statute b : the reported facts, procedural history, and esp. decision in an action
land·mark case
: a case that marks a significant turning point on a particular issue
lead·ing case
: a case so well reasoned and important in the rules of law determined and in the principles declared that it becomes well-known and is frequently cited by courts and lawyers as settling the points of law ruled upon and as useful in resolving new questions of law c : the evidence and arguments presented by a party in court —see also CASE STATED
case in chief
: the main part of a party's case including arguments for which the party bears the burden of proof but not including rebuttal
prima facie case
: a case established by evidence that is sufficient to raise a presumption of fact or establish the fact in question unless rebutted
2 : TRESPASS ON THE CASE at, TRESPASS

Main Entry: case
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: cased; cas·ing
: to inspect or study with intent to rob <casing a store>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: case
Pronunciation: 'kAs
Function: noun
1 : the circumstances and situation of a particular person or group
2 a : aninstance of disease or injury <10 cases of pneumonia> b : PATIENT 1
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

case (kās)
n.
An occurrence of a disease or disorder.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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case
1. switch statement.
2. Whether a character is a capital letter ("upper case" - ABC..Z) or a small letter ("lower case" - abc..z).
The term case comes from the printing trade when the use of moving type was invented in the early Middle Ages (Caxton or Gutenberg?) and the letters for each font were stored in a box with two sections (or "cases"), the upper case was for the capital letters and the lower case was for the small letters. The Oxford Universal Dictionary of Historical Principles (Feb 1993, reprinted 1952) indicates that this usage of "case" (as the box or frame used by a compositor in the printing trade) was first used in 1588.
(1996-03-01)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Abbreviations & Acronyms
CASE
computer-aided software engineering
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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