Case Definition & Meaning
case
- noun
- an occurrence of something; "it was a case of bad judgment"; "another instance occurred yesterday"; "but there is always the famous example of the Smiths"
- a special set of circumstances; "in that event, the first possibility is excluded"; "it may rain in which case the picnic will be canceled"
- a comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy; "the family brought suit against the landlord"
- the actual state of things; "that was not the case"
- a portable container for carrying several objects; "the musicians left their instrument cases backstage"
- a person requiring professional services; "a typical case was the suburban housewife described by a marriage counselor"
- a person who is subjected to experimental or other observational procedures; someone who is an object of investigation; "the subjects for this investigation were selected randomly"; "the cases that we studied were drawn from two different communities"
- a problem requiring investigation; "Perry Mason solved the case of the missing heir"
- a statement of facts and reasons used to support an argument; "he stated his case clearly"
- the quantity contained in a case
- nouns or pronouns or adjectives (often marked by inflection) related in some way to other words in a sentence
- a specific state of mind that is temporary; "a case of the jitters"
- a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities); "a real character"; "a strange character"; "a friendly eccentric"; "the capable type"; "a mental case"
- a specific size and style of type within a type family
- an enveloping structure or covering enclosing an animal or plant organ or part
- the housing or outer covering of something; "the clock has a walnut case"
- the enclosing frame around a door or window opening; "the casings had rotted away and had to be replaced"
- (printing) the receptacle in which a compositor has his type, which is divided into compartments for the different letters, spaces, or numbers; "for English, a compositor will ordinarily have two such cases, the upper case containing the capitals and the lower case containing the small letters"
- bed linen consisting of a cover for a pillow; "the burglar carried his loot in a pillowcase"
- a glass container used to store and display items in a shop or museum or home
- verb
- look over, usually with the intention to rob; "They men cased the housed"
- enclose in, or as if in, a case; "my feet were encased in mud"
"Case" in song lyrics
See how case is used in real songs:
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"But it will be a brittle case"
1200 Techniques f/ Rashad Houghton — Fork in the Road -
"I'm capable and on the case"
2 Live Crew — 2 Live is What We Are... (Word) -
"So consider yourself warned; they're back on the case:"
2 Live Crew — Ghetto Bass II
Words that rhyme with case
Usage tips for "case"
Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "case" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for case to find words that pair well.