case

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /keɪs/
• SAMPA: /keIs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

Singular case

Plural cases

1. A case is a container to hold something.
   • Synonym: container

   He opened the case and pulled out his violin.

2. (law) A case is a matter for police or in court.
   • Synonyms: matter and litigation

   The judge did not accept his case.

3. (grammar) A case is the form of a noun showing how it is used in a sentence.

   The word "he" is in the subject or nominative case.

4. A case is a person of a certain kind.

   That man is sure a hard case.

Related words

• in case
• case closed
• casework
• closed case
• cold case
• hard case
• open case

Verb

Plain form case

Third-person singular cases

Past tense cased

Past participle cased

Present participle casing

1. If a police officer cases a house, he or she watches it until something happens.

   We were casing a house all night in Brooklyn.

Synonyms

• watch