Definition of case

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< Casco Bay

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case¹    (ks) KEY 

NOUN:

1. An instance of something; an occurrence; an example: a case of mistaken identity. See Synonyms at example.
2. An occurrence of a disease or disorder: a mild case of flu.
3. A set of circumstances or a state of affairs; a situation: It may rain, in which case the hike will be canceled.
4. Actual fact; reality: We suspected the walls were hollow, and this proved to be the case.
5. A question or problem; a matter: It is simply a case of honor.
6. A situation that requires investigation, especially by a formal or official body.
7. Law
   1. An action or a suit or just grounds for an action.
   2. The facts or evidence offered in support of a claim.
8. A set of reasons or supporting facts; an argument: presented a good case for changing the law.
9. A person being assisted, treated, or studied, as by a physician, lawyer, or social worker.
10. Informal A peculiar or eccentric person; a character.
11. Linguistics
    1. In traditional grammar, a distinct form of a noun, pronoun, or modifier that is used to express one or more particular syntactic relationships to other words in a sentence.
    2. Case In some varieties of generative grammar, the thematic or semantic role of a noun phrase as represented abstractly but not necessarily indicated overtly in surface structure. In such frameworks, nouns in English have Case even in the absence of inflectional case endings.

IDIOMS:
in any case

Regardless of what has occurred or will occur.

in case

1. If it happens that; if.
2. As a precaution: took along an umbrella, just in case.

in case of

If there should happen to be: a number to call in case of emergency.

off (someone's) case

No longer nagging or urging someone to do something.

on (someone's) case

Persistently nagging or urging someone to do something.

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ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English cas, from Old French, from Latin csus, from past participle of cadere, to fall; see kad- in Indo-European roots