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case

case

15 8.7
The form of a word that shows its job in a sentence
  • noun
  • /keɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : caso
  • There were three cases of wrist pain proximal to the third metacarpal base following the procedure.
  • case marking
  • pronoun case
  • subject case

Examples

  • When you type your article, use regular type, not script, and use upper and lower case letters.

    Academic text (2000)
  • The lack of student experience with case study methods places a high demand on the instructor for support and supervision.

    Academic text (2005)
  • In the simple and most common case, the forces are arranged from the more general to the less controllable.

    Academic text (2001)
  • As in the case of pronatalist policies, such conversion may be passive or active.

    Academic text (2002)
  • You have such a terrible time with the objective case, and your split infinitives put such a stress on the adverb.

  • XML element names are case-sensitive, and beginning and ending element names must thus match exactly.

    Academic text (2004)
  • In order to get around memorizing declension tables, he teaches one case at a time.

    Academic text (1994)
  • In the ungrammatical cases, no preposition follows the head noun.

    Academic text (2006)
  • In contrast, sentinel surveillance was not influenced by the change in case-based surveillance during the pandemic.

    Academic text (2012)
  • In English grammar, the accusative case is used for the direct object of a verb.

Synonyms

grammatical case
vscase
  • Specialized
6.7

Different forms of nouns or pronouns that show their role in a sentence

is the shorter, common label for that grammatical category

Idioms

558 1.0

To do something to be safe if a problem happens later

256 3.3

To be ready for something that might happen

51 2.8

No matter what, this is true or will happen

case in point
  • Informal
33 3.7

An example that clearly shows the point you are making

to rest my case
  • Informal
11 6.5

To say you have finished and proved your point

If something dangerous or urgent happens, follow these instructions

1 9.9

Get in trouble with the law by being charged with a crime

Compounds

97 2.8

A court case about someone being killed and the person tried for it

36 3.8

A careful study of one person, group or situation for research and teaching

30 3.9

An argument with good evidence and clear reasons that is likely to convince people

20 3.5

A typical example of a situation or problem

basket case
  • Offensive
19 7.8

A person or thing that cannot cope and is a total mess

case law
  • Specialized
18 5.6

Judges make rules from earlier court decisions

charity case
  • Offensive
14 4.6

A person who gets help from other people because they are in need

12 2.4

A glass cabinet with clear sides that shows and protects things like jewelry or small objects

12 5.2

A legal matter handled by the national government rather than state or local courts

10 4.4

A legal process to decide who will live with and care for a child after parents separate

nut case
  • Slur
9 8.2

A person who behaves in a strange or unexpected way

test case
  • Jargon
9 6.1

A lawsuit brought to make a rule that applies to similar lawsuits

case officer
  • Jargon
8 7.5

A person who manages secret sources who give information to a spy agency

case history
  • Specialized
6 4.1

A detailed written record of a person's past medical and personal information

antitrust case
  • Specialized
4 5.6

A legal case against a company or person for breaking laws that keep business competition fair

4 9.9

A rude old word used for a person with a mental illness

A clear example that shows a typical situation very well

4 2.5

A glass cabinet that holds trophies and medals

3 2.7

A container that holds and protects a gun for carrying or storing

A small flat box for holding cigarettes in a pocket or purse

2 1.0

A small box or bag for keeping pencils, pens, and erasers

2 3.6

A flat rectangular bag with a hard frame for carrying papers

case load
  • Specialized
1 3.7

The amount of work a doctor, lawyer, or agency has from the people they must help in a period

welfare case
  • Jargon
1 4.9

A person or family who receives help from social services

A small letter of the alphabet that is not a capital

index case
  • Specialized
1 6.7

First known person in an outbreak who helps trace where the disease came from

trophy case
  • Texting
1 3.6

An online display that shows the trophies and badges you earn in games

case shot
  • Archaic
1 9.8

A metal cylinder filled with small balls fired from a cannon to spread them widely

1 8.6

A feeling of being tired and not wanting to work at the start of the week

1 1.0

A small hard box for keeping glasses safe

objective case
  • Specialized
1 7.4

The form words like him or them take when they are objects in a sentence

A small bag for clothes and items for one night's trip

1 2.3

A large strong box used to hold goods for storage or shipping

A large letter that begins names and sentences

1 3.9

A metal or plastic cover for a watch that protects its inner parts

case agreement
  • Specialized
8.5

When a noun and words that describe it show the same case

A small knife with a fixed blade carried in a sheath

A knife with a rounded end used for spreading butter and eating soft foods

9.9

A state when your thinking is slow and unclear after drinking too much alcohol

8.4

The part of people who have a disease and die from it, often shown as a percent

case-hardened steel
  • Specialized
6.7

Steel with a very hard surface and a softer inside to resist wear

Being emotionally hard and not showing feelings because of bad experiences

case-hardened
  • Specialized
7.3

With a hard outer surface and a softer inner core to make it stronger

9.9

A short time when someone feels very lazy

A lawsuit a husband brings because another man has sex with his wife

A funny phrase for feeling stuck and bored in a long meeting or at home

9.9

A strong, unnecessary worry about liberal ideas

9.9

Tiredness that comes after driving for a long time

9.6

A short time when students feel very tired or do not want to study

9.9

Soreness in the thumb from using a phone too much

The percentage of infections that become known as cases

6.3

A number that shows how many infected people become sick

9.7

A clear example of someone acting foolish while thinking they are smart

9.9

A tray with small sections that hold letters for printing pages

dative case
  • Specialized
9.1

A noun form that shows the person who receives something or benefits from an action

dispatch case
  • Formal
7.8

A small lockable case for carrying important papers like letters or legal documents

dressing case
  • Archaic
7.5

A small box for keeping brushes, bottles, and toiletries when you travel

A tropical bean plant with red flowers that grows black beans with white spots you can eat

ablative case
  • Specialized
9.9

A noun form in some languages that shows movement away or how something is done

accusative case
  • Specialized
8.6

The form of a noun or pronoun used as the direct object of a verb

9.9

A noun with 's that shows who owns or is closely connected to something

locative case
  • Specialized
9.9

A word form that shows where something is or happens

2.5

A small cup made of paper, foil, or silicone that holds batter while baking

gear case
  • Specialized
4.1

A metal cover that holds and protects gears in a machine or vehicle

genitive case
  • Specialized
7.2

A grammatical form that shows possession or a close relationship, usually shown with 's

grammatical case
  • Specialized
6.7

Different forms of nouns or pronouns that show their role in a sentence

nominative case
  • Specialized
8.6

The form of a noun or pronoun used as the subject of a sentence

oblique case
  • Specialized
9.9

A form of a noun used as an object or after a preposition

possessive case
  • Specialized
4.4

A word form that shows who something belongs to, for example John's book

A small baked pastry cup that holds creamy fillings like chicken or mushrooms as an appetizer

2.0

A box for keeping hand tools like screwdrivers or wrenches

9.9

A court action to get money when someone causes harm indirectly

spore case
  • Specialized
7.2

A small bag on a plant or fungus that holds tiny parts for making new plants

Surface Forms

case singular
cases plural

Etymology

Case in grammar comes from Latin casus which meant 'what happened', and that idea became 'the role a word has' in a sentence, so grammatical case shows the part or job of a noun or pronoun.