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noun
Idioms1.
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.
EXPANDa 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.
COLLAPSEInformal. a peculiar or unusual person: He's a case.
13.
get/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.
EXPANDin case, if it should happen that; if: In case I am late, don't wait to start dinner.
18.
19.
COLLAPSEin no case, under no condition; never: He should in no case be allowed to get up until he has completely recovered from his illness.
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Cases
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
Origin:
before 1150; Middle English ca(a)s < Anglo-French, Old French cas < Latin cāsus fall, accident, event, grammatical case (translation of Greek ptôsis), equivalent to cad(ere) to fall + -tus suffix of v. action; compare Old English cāsus grammatical case
before 1150; Middle English ca(a)s < Anglo-French, Old French cas < Latin cāsus fall, accident, event, grammatical case (translation of Greek ptôsis), equivalent to cad(ere) to fall + -tus suffix of v. action; compare Old English cāsus grammatical case
Related forms
case·less, adjective
case·less·ly, adverb
Synonyms
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.
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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
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.
EXPANDa 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.
COLLAPSEMetallurgy. 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 followed 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.
EXPANDBookbinding. to bind (a book) in a case.
19.
COLLAPSECards 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; Middle English cas < Anglo-French cas(s)e, Old French chasse < Latin capsa cylindrical case for holding books in scroll form, receptacle
1250–1300; Middle English cas < Anglo-French cas(s)e, Old French chasse < Latin capsa cylindrical case for holding books in scroll form, receptacle
Related forms
cas·er, noun
well-cased, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To cases
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
case
"receptacle," c.1300, from O.N.Fr. casse, O.Fr. chasse, from L. capsa "box," from capere "to take, hold" (see capable). The verb meaning "examine, inspect" (usually prior to robbing) is Amer.Eng. slang first recorded 1915. Artillery sense is from 1660s, from case-shot "small
EXPANDprojectiles put in cases" (1620s). Reference in the printing trade (first recorded 1580s) to the two trays where compositors keep their types in separate compartments for easy access led to upper case for capitals and lower case for small letters.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
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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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
case definition
A grammatical category indicating whether nouns and pronouns are functioning as the subject of a sentence (nominative case) or the object of a sentence (objective case), or are indicating possession (possessive case). He is in the nominative case, him is in the objective case, and his is in the possessive case. In a language such as English, nouns do not change their form in the nominative or objective case. Only pronouns do. Thus, ball stays the same in both “the ball is thrown,” where it is the subject, and in “Harry threw the ball,” where it is the object.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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