2 N‑COUNT A case is a person or their particular problem that a doctor, social worker, or other professional is dealing with. □ [+ of ] …the case of a 57-year-old man who had suffered a stroke. □ [+ of ] Some cases of arthritis respond to a gluten-free diet. □ Child protection workers were meeting to discuss her case.
3 N‑COUNT [adj N ] If you say that someone is a sad case or a hopeless case , you mean that they are in a sad situation or a hopeless situation. □ I knew I was going to make it–that I wasn't a hopeless case.
4 → see also basket case , nutcase
5 N‑COUNT A case is a crime or mystery that the police are investigating. □ Mr. Hitchens said you have solved some very unusual cases.
6 N‑COUNT [usu sing] The case for or against a plan or idea consists of the facts and reasons used to support it or oppose it. □ [+ for ] He sat there while I made the case for his dismissal. □ [+ against ] Both these facts strengthen the case against hanging. □ She argued her case.
7 N‑COUNT In law, a case is a trial or other legal inquiry. □ It can be difficult for public figures to win a libel case. □ The case was brought by his family, who say their reputation has been damaged.
8 → see also test case
9 PHRASE You say in any case when you are adding something which is more important than what you have just said, but which supports or corrects it. [EMPHASIS ] □ Alf said that there was nothing he could do, and in any case, it was a private matter.
10 PHRASE You say in any case after talking about things that you are not sure about, to emphasize that your next statement is the most important thing or the thing that you are sure about. [EMPHASIS ] □ Either he escaped, or he came to grief. In any case, he was never seen again.
11 PHRASE If you do something in case or just in case a particular thing happens, you do it because that thing might happen. □ In case anyone was following me, I made an elaborate detour.
12 PHRASE If you do something or have something in case of a particular thing, you do it or have it because that thing might happen or be true. □ Many shops along the route have been boarded up in case of trouble.
13 PHRASE You use in case in expressions like 'in case you didn't know' or 'in case you've forgotten' when you are telling someone in a rather irritated way something that you think is either obvious or none of their business. [FEELINGS ] □ She's nervous about something, in case you didn't notice.
14 PHRASE You say in that case or in which case to indicate that what you are going to say is true if the possible situation that has just been mentioned actually exists. □ Members are concerned that a merger might mean higher costs, in which case they would oppose it.
15 PHRASE You can say that you are doing something just in case to refer vaguely to the possibility that a thing might happen or be true, without saying exactly what it is. □ I guess we've already talked about this but I'll ask you again just in case.
16 PHRASE You say as the case may be or whatever the case may be to indicate that the statement you are making applies equally to the two or more alternatives that you have mentioned. □ They know how everything works–or doesn't work, as the case may be.
17 PHRASE If you say that a task or situation is a case of a particular thing, you mean that it consists of that thing or can be described as that thing. □ It's not a case of whether anyone would notice or not.
18 PHRASE If you say that something is a case in point , you mean that it is a good example of something you have just mentioned. □ In many cases religious persecution is the cause of people fleeing their country. A case in point is colonial India.
19 PHRASE If you say that something is the case , you mean that it is true or correct. □ You'll probably notice her having difficulty swallowing. If this is the case, give her plenty of liquids. □ Consumers had hoped the higher prices would mean more goods in stores. But that was not the case.
20 PHRASE If you say that someone is on the case , you mean that they are aware of a particular problem and are trying to resolve it. □ Management is on the case now, and it looks as if things will return to normal soon.
➋ case /ke I s/ (cases )
1 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A case is a container that is specially designed to hold or protect something. □ [+ for ] …a black case for his spectacles.
2 → see also attaché case , bookcase , briefcase , packing case , pillowcase , showcase
3 N‑COUNT A case is a suitcase.
4 N‑COUNT A case of wine or other alcoholic drink is a box containing a number of bottles, usually twelve, which is sold as a single unit.
➌ case /ke I s/ (cases )
1 N‑COUNT In the grammar of many languages, the case of a group such as a noun group or adjective group is the form it has which shows its relationship to other groups in the sentence.
2 → see accusative , nominative
3 → see also lower case , upper case COLLOCATIONS case NOUN ➊7
noun + case : abuse, fraud, libel, murder, rape; court
adjective + case : civil, criminal
verb + case : bring; adjourn; hear
case|book /ke I sbʊk/ (casebooks ) N‑COUNT A casebook is a written record of the cases dealt with by someone such as a doctor, social worker, or police officer.