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Glite Dictionary
to build a case

to build a case

33 4.2
Gather and organize facts and evidence to support a claim or accusation
  • phrasal verb
: reunir pruebas
  • The detective worked hard to build a case against the suspect using witness statements and physical evidence.

So those were what my law firm felt I could build a case for or they could help me build a case for.

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Examples

  • Look, as far as I understand it, we don't really have the evidence to build a case.

    Chappaquiddick (2018)

  • How are we gonna build a case against him?

    The Report (2019)

  • So those were what my law firm felt I could build a case for or they could help me build a case for.

    Molly Burke

  • Anything to build a case against me.

    Forever Mine (1999)

  • Too often, we build a case against the people we are involved with.

    Blog text (19)

  • We've spent the last six months building a case against them.

    Where'd You Go, Bernadette (2019)

  • Because it's a CIA officer we're trying to build a case against.

    Breach (2007)

  • The House Ways and Means Committee met today to start building a case to pursue Trump's tax returns.

  • A small group of Spanish and Chilean officials worked behind the scenes to build a case against the Chilean general.

    Academic text (2004)

  • He was approached by a DEA agent who wanted help in building a case against corrupt New York City cops.

    Freelancers (2012)

Synonyms

to make a case
vsto build a case
85 3.7

To give reasons to support or oppose an idea

focuses more on gathering and ordering evidence and arguments to support an accusation
to prepare the case
vsto build a case
2 6.0

To organize legal arguments, evidence, and papers before a trial or hearing

is about collecting and arranging evidence and arguments for any accusation or position
to put the case
vsto build a case
1 7.1

Give reasons for or against an idea

does the same but emphasizes collecting supporting evidence and arranging it
to put up an argument
vsto build a case
1 3.7

To give reasons to support or oppose an idea

is more about assembling and arranging evidence, not only stating arguments
to buttress a claim
vsto build a case
  • Formal
6.7

To give more evidence or reasons to make a claim stronger

focuses broadly on gathering and organizing all evidence for a charge or position

Antonyms

to undermine
304 6.8

Weaken a person or system slowly, often in secret, so it does not work well

to dismiss
296 3.0

To refuse to accept an idea or claim

How Convincing

to prove
∞ 3.1
to demonstrate
570 3.0
to build a case
33 4.2

Surface Forms

build a case infinitive

Morphology

build + a + case

The meaning 'to collect and organize evidence or arguments' is directly derivable from combining 'build' (to create/assemble) with 'case' (a set of facts or an argument); the verb indicates assembling and the noun names what is assembled. This construction follows a common metaphor of constructing an argument and has clear parallels in other languages, making it readily comprehensible to a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.

Etymology

The verb build a case comes from the image of a lawyer building a strong box or wall of evidence around a claim: each fact and witness is like a brick that makes the case stronger. That's why it now means 'to collect and organize evidence or arguments' to prove a point.