case

/keɪs/ noun

Definition

SITUATION [C] › a particular situation or example of something: People were imprisoned, and, in some cases, killed for their beliefs. We usually ask for references, but in your case it will not be necessary. The whole film is based on a case of mistaken identity.

COURT OF LAW [C] › something that is decided in a court of law: a libel/criminal/divorce case He lost his case.

CRIME [C] › a crime that police are trying to solve: a murder case Police in the town have investigated 50 cases of burglary in the past month.

ILLNESS [C] › an illness, or somebody with an illness: 4,000 new cases of the disease are diagnosed every year.

be the case › to be true: Bad diet can cause tiredness, but I don't think that's the case here.

REASONS [C] › facts or reasons that prove a particular opinion: [usually singular] There is a strong case for/against bringing in the new legislation.mainly UK He put the case for more funding very convincingly.

CONTAINER [C] › a container for storing or protecting something: a pencil case a cigarette case The statues are kept in a glass case.

BAG [C] UK › another word for suitcase (= a rectangular bag or container with a handle which you use for carrying clothes in when you are travelling)

(just) in case › because something might happen, or might have happened: I don't think that it's going to rain, but I'll bring a raincoat just in case.

in any case › used to give another reason for something that you are saying, or that you have done: I don't want to go skiing and, in any case, I can't afford it.

in that case/in which case › because that is the situation/if that is the situation: "Peter's coming tonight." "Oh, in that case, I'll stay in."

be a case of doing sth › to be necessary to do something: We know that we're right. It's just a case of proving it.

in case of sth formal › when something happens, or in preparation for when something happens: We keep a bucket of water backstage, in case of fire.

LANGUAGE [C] › any of the various types to which a noun can belong, depending on what it is doing in the sentence, usually shown by a particular ending

→ See also lower case → See also upper case

(Definition of case noun from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)