Definition Definition

Case - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'Case' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Case [ n.]
- A box, sheath, or covering; as, a case for holding goods; a case for spectacles; the case of a watch; the case (capsule) of a cartridge; a case (cover) for a book.
- A box and its contents; the quantity contained in a box; as, a case of goods; a case of instruments.
- A shallow tray divided into compartments or "boxes" for holding type.
- An inclosing frame; a casing; as, a door case; a window case.
- A small fissure which admits water to the workings.
- Chance; accident; hap; opportunity.
- That which befalls, comes, or happens; an event; an instance; a circumstance, or all the circumstances; condition; state of things; affair; as, a strange case; a case of injustice; the case of the Indian tribes.
- A patient under treatment; an instance of sickness or injury; as, ten cases of fever; also, the history of a disease or injury.
- The matters of fact or conditions involved in a suit, as distinguished from the questions of law; a suit or action at law; a cause.
- One of the forms, or the inflections or changes of form, of a noun, pronoun, or adjective, which indicate its relation to other words, and in the aggregate constitute its declension; the relation which a noun or pronoun sustains to some other word.
2 . Case [ v. i.]
- To propose hypothetical cases.
3 . Case [ v. t.]
- To cover or protect with, or as with, a case; to inclose.
- To strip the skin from; as, to case a box.

Meaning of 'Case' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . case [ n]
Meaning (1):
- a specific state of mind that is temporary
Example in sentence:
  • a case of the jitters
Meaning (2):
- a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities)
Example in sentence:
  • a friendly eccentric;
  • a mental case;
  • a real character;
  • a strange character;
  • the capable type
Meaning (3):
- a person requiring professional services
Example in sentence:
  • a typical case was the suburban housewife described by a marriage counselor
Meaning (4):
- an occurrence of something
Example in sentence:
  • another instance occurred yesterday;
  • but there is always the famous example of the Smiths;
  • it was a case of bad judgment
Meaning (5):
- (printing) the receptacle in which a compositor has his type, which is divided into compartments for the different letters, spaces, or numbers
Example in sentence:
  • for English, a compositor will ordinarily have two such cases, the upper case containing the capitals and the lower case containing the small letters
Meaning (6):
- a statement of facts and reasons used to support an argument
Example in sentence:
  • he stated his case clearly
Meaning (7):
- a special set of circumstances
Example in sentence:
  • in that event, the first possibility is excluded;
  • it may rain in which case the picnic will be canceled
Meaning (8):
- a problem requiring investigation
Example in sentence:
  • Perry Mason solved the case of the missing heir
Meaning (9):
- the actual state of things
Example in sentence:
  • that was not the case
Meaning (10):
- bed linen consisting of a cover for a pillow
Example in sentence:
  • the burglar carried his loot in a pillowcase
Meaning (11):
- a person who is subjected to experimental or other observational procedures; someone who is an object of investigation
Example in sentence:
  • the cases that we studied were drawn from two different communities;
  • the subjects for this investigation were selected randomly
Meaning (12):
- the enclosing frame around a door or window opening
Example in sentence:
  • the casings had rotted away and had to be replaced
Meaning (13):
- the housing or outer covering of something
Example in sentence:
  • the clock has a walnut case
Meaning (14):
- a comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy
Example in sentence:
  • the family brought suit against the landlord
Meaning (15):
- a portable container for carrying several objects
Example in sentence:
  • the musicians left their instrument cases backstage
16 . case [ v]
Meaning (16):
- enclose in, or as if in, a case
Example in sentence:
  • my feet were encased in mud
Meaning (17):
- look over, usually with the intention to rob
Example in sentence:
  • They men cased the housed