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case

case

730 5.1
A person who needs help or treatment from a professional
  • noun
  • /keɪs/
: caso
  • The detective was assigned to a challenging case involving a missing person.
  • a case study
  • a case patient
  • a case report

Or do a few sensational cases skew our perception?

Examples

  • No, we were just discussing the divorce case of Lord Byron Jones, the undertaker.

  • No, I think we just have a case of miscommunication.

  • Suppose that the hospital case comes about as follows.

  • So, you and the D.A. working a new case together yet?

  • I am very happy chasing cold leads on our missing persons case.

  • I'm working on an important P.I. case.

  • More fundamentally, a delay in child support cases means a delay in families receiving support.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Let's talk about this case of Jennifer Crumbly.

  • Mrs. Waters, well, I'd like you to know that our appeals department, we have done a careful analysis of your case, and I want you to understand that we've given significantly more time to your claim than our others.

  • In his research, the psychologist studied various cases of anxiety disorders.

Synonyms

subject
vscase
  • Formal
406 4.1

A thing that someone looks at or studies

is a person who attracts professional attention or is seen as unusual
character
vscase
  • Informal
150 4.1

An interesting or unusual person you notice because of how they act

is used for people who draw professional attention or are considered unusual
guinea pig
vscase
  • Informal
34 3.5

A person who takes part in an experiment so others can see the results

is instead a person who draws professional attention or is considered unusual
eccentric
vscase
10 7.0

A person who behaves in an unusual way that others find odd

is applied when a person draws professional attention or study rather than odd behaviour

Idioms

∞ 1.0

To do something to be safe if a problem happens later

358 3.3

To be ready for something that might happen

167 2.8

No matter what, this is true or will happen

case in point
  • Informal
42 3.7

An example that clearly shows the point you are making

If something dangerous or urgent happens, follow these instructions

to rest my case
  • Informal
8 6.5

To say you have finished and proved your point

2 9.9

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

Compounds

102 2.8

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

37 3.9

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

30 3.8

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

25 5.2

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

22 3.5

A typical example of a situation or problem

case law
  • Specialized
22 5.6

Judges make rules from earlier court decisions

basket case
  • Offensive
20 7.8

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

nut case
  • Slur
20 8.2

A person who behaves in a strange or unexpected way

charity case
  • Offensive
16 4.6

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

15 2.4

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

12 4.4

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

test case
  • Jargon
11 6.1

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

case officer
  • Jargon
10 7.5

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

9 2.5

A glass cabinet that holds trophies and medals

case history
  • Specialized
7 4.1

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

7 9.9

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

case load
  • Specialized
5 3.7

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

A clear example that shows a typical situation very well

antitrust case
  • Specialized
4 5.6

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

4 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

3 1.0

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

A small letter of the alphabet that is not a capital

welfare case
  • Jargon
2 4.9

A person or family who receives help from social services

2 3.6

A flat rectangular bag with a hard frame for carrying papers

2 1.0

A small hard box for keeping glasses safe

index case
  • Specialized
1 6.7

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

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

1 3.9

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

A large letter that begins names and sentences

objective case
  • Specialized
1 7.4

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

1 8.6

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

case-hardened
  • Specialized
1 7.3

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

1 2.3

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

case-hardened steel
  • Specialized
1 6.7

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

nominative case
  • Specialized
1 8.6

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

A container that keeps things dry in water

1 5.9

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

case shot
  • Archaic
1 9.8

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

genitive case
  • Specialized
1 7.2

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

possessive case
  • Specialized
1 4.4

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

dressing case
  • Archaic
1 7.5

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

vocative case
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A noun form that you use when you speak directly to someone

trophy case
  • Texting
1 3.6

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

dispatch case
  • Formal
1 7.8

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

dative case
  • Specialized
1 9.1

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

1 2.0

A box for keeping hand tools like screwdrivers or wrenches

accusative case
  • Specialized
1 8.6

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

1 7.6

A small knife with a fixed blade carried in a sheath

gear case
  • Specialized
1 4.1

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

Being emotionally hard and not showing feelings because of bad experiences

subject case
  • Specialized
1 7.0

The form a noun or pronoun takes when it is the subject of a verb

wing case
  • Specialized
1 7.7

A hard front shell on beetles that protects their thin back wings

ablative case
  • Specialized
1 9.9

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

1 2.5

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

locative case
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A word form that shows where something is or happens

grammatical case
  • Specialized
1 6.7

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

oblique case
  • Specialized
1 9.9

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

spore case
  • Specialized
1 7.2

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

case agreement
  • Specialized
8.5

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

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

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

How Serious

serious issue
72 3.0
case
730 5.1
minor detail
10 3.2

Surface Forms

case singular
cases plural

Etymology

Case for a person or subject comes from the Latin word casus meaning 'an event' or 'what happened', so a 'case' is someone or something that is a special subject of attention or study.