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Definition of "case" []

  • An instance of something; an occurrence; an example: a case of mistaken identity. See Synonyms at example. (noun)
  • An occurrence of a disease or disorder: a mild case of flu. (noun)
  • A set of circumstances or a state of affairs; a situation: It may rain, in which case the hike will be canceled. (noun)
  • Actual fact; reality: We suspected the walls were hollow, and this proved to be the case. (noun)
  • A question or problem; a matter: It is simply a case of honor. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "case" in a sentence
  • "In either case, the blood will reflow upon the heart, and dilate the left ventricle, as in _case the first_, and others; and, if the mitral valves be thickened and rigid, the left auricle will be more dilated than in a case of simple aneurism of the left ventricle, as appeared also in the _first case_."
  • "Evidence and economic theory suggests that control of the Internet by the phone and cable companies would lead to blocking of competing technologies (as in theMadison River case), blocking of innovative technologiesthat may not even compete with the phone/cablecartel (according to Comcast itself, theComcast/BitTorrent case would be an example), andincreased spying on Internet users."
  • "So, when we place a noun before a verb as actor or subject, we say it is in the _nominative case_; but when it follows a transitive verb or preposition, we say it has another _case_; that is, it assumes a new _position_ or _situation_ in the sentence: and this we call the _objective_ case."