case
case
Pronunciation
/keɪs/.
First and only Syllable: /keɪs/
/k/: Voiceless velar plosive (as in "cat")
/eɪ/: Diphthong, starting with a mid-front unrounded vowel and gliding towards a close front unrounded vowel (as in "day" or "say")
/s/: Voiceless alveolar fricative (as in "sit" or "hiss")
Word Form Variations
I. As a Noun (most common uses):
Singular: case
Example: "There was a strange case of mistaken identity." (meaning: instance, situation)
Example: "Please put the books back in their case." (meaning: container)
Example: "The lawyer presented his case to the jury." (meaning: legal argument)
Example: "The detective cracked the case." (meaning: a mystery or crime under investigation)
Example: "The disease is a mild case of the flu." (meaning: an instance of a medical condition)
Plural: cases
Example: "There have been many similar cases of fraud."
Example: "She packed two cases for her trip."
Example: "The court heard several complex cases today."
Example: "They are investigating multiple cold cases."
Example: "We've seen a few cases of that virus this season."
Possessive (Singular): case's
Example: "The case's evidence was compelling."
Example: "The briefcase's lock was broken."
Possessive (Plural): cases'
Example: "The detectives collaborated on all their cases' files."
II. As a Verb (to enclose in a case, or to scout a location):
Base Form/Infinitive: case
Example: "He needs to case his guitar before traveling."
Example: (Slang) "They planned to case the bank before the robbery."
Third-person singular present: cases
Example: "She always cases her camera when she's done shooting."
Example: (Slang) "He cases a different store every week."
Present Participle/Gerund: casing
Example: "He was casing the joint for hours."
Example: "The process of casing the firearm is delicate."
Past Simple: cased
Example: "They cased the jewelry store for a month before the heist."
Example: "He cased his violin carefully."
Past Participle: cased
Example: "The valuables were securely cased for transport."
Example: "The building had been cased numerous times before the attempt."
III. As a Grammatical Term (less about word form, more about function):
When "case" refers to a grammatical category (like nominative, objective, possessive), it doesn't change its own form. Instead, it describes how other words (like nouns and pronouns) change their forms or positions in a sentence.
Nominative case (e.g., I went)
Objective case (e.g., He saw me)
Possessive case (e.g., my book, the dog's bone)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
An individual instance or example of a particular situation, condition, or event.
Example: "This is a prime case of miscommunication."
Synonyms: instance, example, occurrence, situation, circumstance, scenario
Antonyms: generality, rule (as opposed to an exception)
A container or protective covering designed to hold, carry, or store something.
Example: "She bought a sturdy case for her new laptop."
Synonyms: container, box, cover, casing, sheath, holder, receptacle, luggage (when referring to a suitcase)
Antonyms: none (as it describes a physical object)
A matter requiring investigation or consideration, especially by police, a court of law, or a medical professional.
Example: "The detective closed the cold case after years of effort."
Example: "The doctor discussed the patient's case with the specialist."
Synonyms: investigation, inquiry, lawsuit, trial, suit (legal), situation (medical), condition (medical)
Antonyms: resolution (for an investigation), acquittal (for a legal case), cure (for a medical case)
A set of arguments or evidence presented in support of or against an idea, proposal, or legal claim.
Example: "The lawyer presented a strong case for his client's innocence."
Synonyms: argument, justification, reasoning, plea, evidence, grounds, defense, rationale
Antonyms: counter-argument, rebuttal, refutation, disproof
A grammatical category that indicates the function of a noun, pronoun, or adjective in a sentence (e.g., nominative, possessive, objective).
Example: "In English, personal pronouns have different forms depending on their case."
Synonyms: inflection, declension (in linguistics)
Antonyms: none (as it describes a linguistic function)
Verb
To enclose or cover something in a container or protective material.
Example: "He carefully cased his guitar before the flight."
Synonyms: encase, cover, enclose, wrap, pack, sheathe, box
Antonyms: uncased, open, unwrap, expose
To observe or examine a place, often surreptitiously, typically in preparation for a crime. (Informal/Slang)
Example: "The thieves cased the bank for a week before the robbery."
Synonyms: scout, survey, reconnoiter, stake out, examine, observe, plan (for nefarious purposes)
Antonyms: ignore, overlook, disregard, neglect
Adjective (Derived Forms)
Cased: Enclosed or protected within a case or covering.
Example: "The valuable antique vase was delivered safely, securely cased in foam."
Synonyms: enclosed, covered, boxed, sheathed, protected, packaged
Antonyms: uncased, uncovered, exposed, open, unpackaged
Adverb
There isn't a direct adverbial form like "casely." However, the noun form is often used in adverbial phrases:
In any case: Regardless of the circumstances; anyway.
Example: "It might rain, but in any case, we're still going."
Synonyms: anyhow, anyway, regardless, nevertheless, nonetheless
Antonyms: definitively, precisely (implies a specific rather than general outcome)
In no case: Under no circumstances; never.
Example: "In no case should you open that package."
Synonyms: never, under no circumstances, by no means
Antonyms: always, certainly, definitely, assuredly
As the case may be: Depending on the specific situation.
Example: "You should bring a coat, or an umbrella, as the case may be."
Synonyms: depending on circumstances, according to the situation
Antonyms: universally, always
Examples of Use
Books
"It was a case of sheer bad luck that led to his downfall." (Used to describe an instance or situation)
"Sherlock Holmes meticulously examined the clues, determined to crack the case." (From a detective novel, referring to a mystery/investigation)
"He retrieved the antique violin from its velvet-lined case." (Referring to a container)
"In this peculiar case, the defendant chose to represent himself." (From a legal thriller, referring to a legal matter)
Newspapers
"New case of rare disease confirmed in western Kenya." (Headline from The Standard, June 29, 2025 - referring to a medical instance)
"The prosecution's case relies heavily on circumstantial evidence." (Daily Nation, May 10, 2025 - referring to a legal argument)
"Police are investigating a case of vandalism at the city park." (The East African, April 1, 2025 - referring to a crime under investigation)
"The mobile phone company reported a record number of customer service cases last quarter." (Business Daily Africa, June 20, 2025 - referring to instances of customer issues)
Online Publications
"Google introduces a new feature that lets users case their privacy settings more easily." (Tech blog, TechCrunch, March 15, 2025 - verb, meaning to enclose or set)
"A comprehensive case study on the impact of remote work on productivity was published today." (Harvard Business Review Online, February 5, 2025 - referring to an in-depth analysis of an instance)
"Developers are still trying to understand the edge cases where the software might fail." (Software development forum on Stack Overflow, discussions from various dates - referring to unusual or extreme instances)
"In case you missed it, here's a recap of yesterday's top stories." (News aggregator website, Flipboard, daily update - adverbial phrase "in case")
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
"The main character, a young lawyer, takes on a seemingly unwinnable case." (Plot summary of a legal drama series on Netflix)
"Players must solve a series of perplexing cases in the detective video game 'L.A. Noire'." (Video game review, IGN, various dates - referring to mysteries/investigations)
"The band's tour manager makes sure all the equipment is properly cased before transport." (Documentary about a music tour on Hulu - verb, past participle used as adjective)
"He played the 'poor little rich kid' case perfectly in the play." (Theater critic review, The Stage, describing a character's portrayal of a specific type or situation)
General Public Discourse
"Just in case it rains, I brought an umbrella." (Common everyday conversation - adverbial phrase "just in case")
"I need to buy a new phone case; mine is cracked." (Everyday conversation, referring to a container)
"That's not always the case; sometimes things are different." (Common expression, meaning "that's not always true" or "that's not always the situation")
"He spent an hour casing the house before he decided not to break in." (Informal conversation, referring to the act of scouting)
"Worst case scenario, we'll just have to start over." (Common idiom, referring to the most undesirable possible outcome)
10 Famous Quotes Using Case
"The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it." (Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., often used in the context of moral "cases" or dilemmas)
"In that case, I'm off to bed." (A very common phrase, notably used in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams and other comedic contexts, implying a decision based on the current situation.)
"The exception proves the rule." (Often misused, but a famous saying where "proves" means "tests." It suggests that a case that doesn't fit the rule helps to define its boundaries.)
"Open and shut case." (A widely recognized idiom, popularized in legal dramas and detective stories, meaning a straightforward and easily solvable situation.)
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." (Ralph Waldo Emerson, implies that holding too rigidly to one's past "case" or position without adapting is a weakness.)
"In any case, I shall not give up." (Often attributed to various determined figures; a common expression of resolve regardless of circumstances.)
"Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst." (A common adage, implicitly advising preparation for the "worst case scenario.")
"When in doubt, don't." (Benjamin Franklin, a piece of advice that can be applied to many "cases" or situations where uncertainty exists.)
"This is a case of you just don't know what you don't know." (Often used in business and learning contexts, highlighting a lack of awareness about certain aspects of a situation.)
"Every case is different." (A frequently used phrase in various professional fields like medicine, law, and customer service, emphasizing the uniqueness of individual situations.)
Etymology
The word "case" has a couple of different origins, which is why it has so many meanings today!
Origin 1: The "Container" or "Situation" Case
This is the older and more common origin. It comes from the Latin word "casus," which literally meant "a falling" or "a fall." This might seem odd, but "casus" also came to mean an "occurrence," "chance," or "event." Think of how things "fall out" or "happen."
From "casus," we get the Old French word "cas," which meant "an event," "an incident," or "a chance."
When "cas" came into English around the late 1200s or early 1300s, its first known meanings were:
"An event, occurrence, or situation." So, if something happened, it was a "case." This is how we still use it when we say, "in this case," or "a case of mistaken identity."
Later, it also developed the meaning of a "state of affairs" or a "circumstance."
The meaning of "case" as a "container" (like a suitcase or a phone case) developed from a slightly different, though related, path. It came from the Latin word "capsa," which meant "box" or "container." This word evolved into various forms in Old French and eventually merged with the "cas" meaning in English, likely because both implied something that holds or defines. So, the "container" meaning of "case" also appears in English around the 14th century.
Origin 2: The "Grammar" Case
This meaning, as in "nominative case" or "possessive case," also comes from the Latin "casus." But in this context, "casus" was used by ancient grammarians to describe how the endings of words (especially nouns) "fell" or "declined" to show their grammatical role in a sentence. So, the first known use of "case" in English with a grammatical meaning dates to the late 1300s or early 1400s, directly from this Latin grammatical sense of "falling" or "inflecting" words.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Case
In any case: Regardless of other considerations; anyway.
Example: "It might rain, but in any case, we're still going."
Just in case: As a precaution against something happening.
Example: "Bring an umbrella, just in case."
As the case may be: Depending on the specific circumstances.
Example: "You'll need a lawyer or an accountant, as the case may be."
Open and shut case: A straightforward and easily solvable situation, especially a legal one.
Example: "The detective declared it an open and shut case after finding the evidence."
Case in point: An example that illustrates what is being discussed.
Example: "People waste too much food. Case in point: look at this overflowing bin."
Worst-case scenario: The most undesirable possible outcome of an event or situation.
Example: "Worst-case scenario, the flight gets delayed, but we'll still make it."
Best-case scenario: The most favorable possible outcome of an event or situation.
Example: "Best-case scenario, we finish the project ahead of schedule and under budget."
Get off someone's case: To stop bothering or criticizing someone.
Example: "Just get off my case; I'll do it when I'm ready."
Make a case for (something/someone): To present arguments or evidence in support of something or someone.
Example: "She made a strong case for implementing the new policy."
A basket case: A person or thing that is in a state of nervous collapse, exhaustion, or complete failure.
Example: "After working 80 hours a week, I was a complete basket case."
To case the joint: (Slang) To examine a place carefully, especially in preparation for a crime.
Example: "The burglars spent an hour casing the jewelry store before they broke in."
Put a case on something: (Informal) To enclose something in a protective covering.
Example: "Don't forget to put a case on your phone, it's fragile."
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of case from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
