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11 dictionary results for: care

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

care

[kair] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, cared, car·ing.

–noun

1.	a state of mind in which one is troubled; worry, anxiety, or concern: He was never free from care.

2.	a cause or object of worry, anxiety, concern, etc.: Their son has always been a great care to them.

3.	serious attention; solicitude; heed; caution: She devotes great care to her work.

4.	protection; charge: He is under the care of a doctor.

5.	temporary keeping, as for the benefit of or until claimed by the owner: He left his valuables in the care of friends. Address my mail in care of the American Embassy.

6.	grief; suffering; sorrow.

–verb (used without object)

7.	to be concerned or solicitous; have thought or regard.

8.	to be concerned or have a special preference (usually used in negative constructions): I don't care if I do.

9.	to make provision or look out (usually fol. by for): Will you care for the children while I am away?

10.	to have an inclination, liking, fondness, or affection (usually fol. by for): Would you care for dessert? I don't care for him very much.

–verb (used with object)

11.	to feel concern about: He doesn't care what others say.

12.	to wish; desire; like: Would you care to dance?

—Idioms

13.	couldn't care less, could not care less; be completely unconcerned: I couldn't care less whether she goes to the party or not. Also, could care less.

14.

take care,

a.	be alert; be careful: Take care that you don't fall on the ice!

b.	take care of yourself; goodbye: used as an expression of parting.

15.

take care of,

a.	to watch over; be responsible for: to take care of an invalid.

b.	to act on; deal with; attend to: to take care of paying a bill.

[Origin: bef. 900; (n.) ME; OE caru, cearu, c. Goth kara, OHG chara lament; (v.) ME caren, OE cearian, carian

]

—Related forms

carer, noun

—Synonyms 1. See concern. 3. To take care, pains, trouble (to do something) implies watchful, conscientious effort to do something exactly right. To take care implies the performance of one particular detail: She took care to close the cover before striking the match. To take pains suggests a sustained carefulness, an effort to see that nothing is overlooked but that every small detail receives attention: to take pains with fine embroidery. To take trouble implies an effort that requires a considerable amount of activity and exertion: to take the trouble to make suitable arrangements.

—Usage note 15. Couldn't care less, a phrase used to express indifference, is sometimes heard as could care less, which ought to mean the opposite but is intended to be synonymous with the former phrase. Both versions are common mainly in informal speech.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

CARE

[kair] Pronunciation Key

–noun

a private organization for the collection of funds, goods, etc., for distribution to the needy in foreign countries.

Also, Care

[Origin: C(ooperative for) A(merican) R(elief) E(verywhere)

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

care (kâr) Pronunciation Key
n.

A burdened state of mind, as that arising from heavy responsibilities; worry.
Mental suffering; grief.
An object or source of worry, attention, or solicitude: the many cares of a working parent.
Caution in avoiding harm or danger: handled the crystal bowl with care.
1. Close attention; painstaking application: painting the window frames and sashes with care.
2. Upkeep; maintenance: a product for the care of fine floors; hair care products.
Watchful oversight; charge or supervision: left the child in the care of a neighbor.
Attentive assistance or treatment to those in need: a hospital that provides emergency care.

v. cared, car·ing, cares

v. intr.

To be concerned or interested: Once inside, we didn't care whether it rained or not.
To provide needed assistance or watchful supervision: cared for the wounded; caring for an aged relative at home.
To object or mind: If no one cares, I'll smoke.
1. To have a liking or attachment: didn't care for the movie.
2. To have a wish; be inclined: Would you care for another helping?

v. tr.

To wish; desire: Would you care to dance?
To be concerned to the degree of: I don't care a bit what critics think.

[Middle English, from Old English cearu.]

Synonyms: These nouns refer to the function of watching, guarding, or overseeing: left the house keys in my care; has charge of all rare books in the library; had custody of his children; left the canary in the neighbors' keeping; assumed supervision of the students; documents committed to the bank's trust. See Also Synonyms at anxiety.

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Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

CARE (kâr) Pronunciation Key
abbr. Cooperative for American Relief Everywhere

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
care

O.E. caru, cearu "sorrow, anxiety, grief," also "serious mental attention," from P.Gmc. *karo, from PIE base *gar- "cry out, scream." Sense of "charge, oversight, protection" is c.1400. The verb is O.E. carian, cearian "to feel concern or interest," from P.Gmc. *karojanan. Phrase couldn't care less is from 1946; could care less in the same sense (with an understood negative) is 1966. Careful "circumspect" was in O.E.; careless "inattentive" is from 1579; carefree is from 1795. Caretaker is first attested 1858. Care package was originally CARE package, supplies sent out by Cooperative for American Relief Everywhere, a post-World War II organization.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

care
noun
1.	the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something; "no medical care was required"; "the old car needs constant attention"
2.	judiciousness in avoiding harm or danger; "he exercised caution in opening the door"; "he handled the vase with care" [syn: caution]
3.	an anxious feeling; "care had aged him"; "they hushed it up out of fear of public reaction" [syn: concern]
4.	a cause for feeling concern; "his major care was the illness of his wife"
5.	attention and management implying responsibility for safety; "he is in the care of a bodyguard"
6.	activity involved in maintaining something in good working order; "he wrote the manual on car care"
verb
1.	feel concern or interest; "I really care about my work"; "I don't care"
2.	provide care for; "The nurse was caring for the wounded"
3.	prefer or wish to do something; "Do you care to try this dish?"; "Would you like to come along to the movies?" [syn: wish]
4.	be in charge of, act on, or dispose of; "I can deal with this crew of workers"; "This blender can't handle nuts"; "She managed her parents' affairs after they got too old" [syn: manage]
5.	be concerned with; "I worry about my grades" [syn: worry]

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American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

care

In addition to the idiom beginning with care, also see couldn't care less; for all (I care); in care of; in charge (the care of); take care; take care of; tender loving care; that's (takes care of) that.

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Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: care
Function: noun
1 : watchful or protective attention, caution, concern, prudence, or regard usually towards an action or situation; especially : DUE CARE care in dealing with others, and failure to do so is negligence —Railroad I. Mehr> —see also DUE CARE, NEGLIGENCE, STANDARD OF CARE
NOTE: Statute, case law, and custom often impose a duty of care. The degree or standard of care owed varies depending on the circumstances. For example, a landlord has to exercise greater care in relation to a tenant than to a trespasser.
2 a : personal supervision or responsibility : CHARGE b : MAINTENANCE

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Care

Care\ (k[^a]r), n. [AS. caru, cearu; akin to OS. kara sorrow, Goth. kara, OHG chara, lament, and perh. to Gr. gh^rys voice. Not akin to cure. Cf. Chary.]

1. A burdensome sense of responsibility; trouble caused by onerous duties; anxiety; concern; solicitude.

Care keeps his watch in every old man's eye, And where care lodges, sleep will never lie. --Shak.

2. Charge, oversight, or management, implying responsibility for safety and prosperity.

The care of all the churches. --2 Cor. xi. 28.

Him thy care must be to find. --Milton.

Perplexed with a thousand cares. --Shak.

3. Attention or heed; caution; regard; heedfulness; watchfulness; as, take care; have a care.

I thank thee for thy care and honest pains. --Shak.

4. The object of watchful attention or anxiety.

Right sorrowfully mourning her bereaved cares. --Spenser.

Syn: Anxiety; solicitude; concern; caution; regard; management; direction; oversight. -- Care, Anxiety, Solicitude, Concern. These words express mental pain in different degress. Care belongs primarily to the intellect, and becomes painful from overburdened thought. Anxiety denotes a state of distressing uneasiness fron the dread of evil. Solicitude expresses the same feeling in a diminished degree. Concern is opposed to indifference, and implies exercise of anxious thought more or less intense. We are careful about the means, solicitous and anxious about the end; we are solicitous to obtain a good, anxious to avoid an evil.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Care

Care\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Cared; p. pr. & vb. n. Caring.] [AS. cearian. See Care, n.] To be anxious or solicitous; to be concerned; to have regard or interest; -- sometimes followed by an objective of measure.

I would not care a pin, if the other three were in. --Shak.

Master, carest thou not that we perish? --Mark. iv. 38.

To care for. (a) To have under watchful attention; to take care of. (b) To have regard or affection for; to like or love.

He cared not for the affection of the house. --Tennyson.

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American Heritage Abbreviations Dictionary 3rd Edition - Cite This Source - Share This

CARE