adj · name · noun · verb · 59 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/keɪs/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪs
CMU ARPABET:K EY1 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
The last remaining card of a particular rank.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable, slang
Topics: card-games, poker
Examples
He drew the case eight!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
name
Meaning 2
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
name
Meaning 3
A place name:
A township in Presque Isle County, Michigan, United States.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
name
Meaning 4
A place name:
An unincorporated community in Laclede County, Missouri, United States.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
name
Meaning 5
A place name:
An unincorporated community in Warren County, Missouri.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
An actual event, situation, or fact.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
For a change, in this case, he was telling the truth.
It is not the case that every unfamiliar phrase is an idiom.
In case of fire, break glass. [sign on fire extinguisher holder in public space]
Conditioning would require exposition to any sentence before being uttered, which isn’t the case.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A given condition or state.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A specific matter or piece of work, specifically defined within a profession, usually in respect of a specific person and/or event; the set of tasks involved in addressing one such matter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
It was one of the detective's easiest cases.
Social workers should work on a maximum of forty active cases.
The doctor told us of an interesting case he had treated that morning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
An instance or event as a topic of study.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: academia, scholarly, sciences
Examples
The teaching consists of theory lessons and case studies.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
A legal proceeding; a lawsuit or prosecution.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
A specific inflection of a word (particularly a noun, pronoun, or adjective) depending on its function in the sentence.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
15
noun
Meaning 15
A love affair.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
16
noun
Meaning 16
A box that contains or can contain a number of identical items of manufacture.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
17
noun
Meaning 17
A box, sheath, or covering generally.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
a case for spectacles; the case of a watch
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
18
noun
Meaning 18
A piece of luggage that can be used to transport an apparatus such as a sewing machine.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
19
noun
Meaning 19
An enclosing frame or casing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
a door case; a window case
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
20
noun
Meaning 20
A suitcase.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
21
noun
Meaning 21
A piece of furniture, constructed partially of transparent glass or plastic, within which items can be displayed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
22
noun
Meaning 22
The outer covering or framework of a piece of apparatus such as a computer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
23
noun
Meaning 23
A shallow tray divided into compartments or "boxes" for holding type, traditionally arranged in sets of two, the "upper case" (containing capitals, small capitals, accented) and "lower case" (small letters, figures, punctuation marks, quadrats, and spaces).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
Topics: media, printing, publishing
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
24
noun
Meaning 24
The nature of a piece of alphabetic type, whether a “capital” (upper case) or “small” (lower case) letter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly
Topics: media, publishing, typography
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
25
noun
Meaning 25
Four of a kind.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang
Topics: card-games, poker
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
26
noun
Meaning 26
A unit of liquid measure used to measure sales in the beverage industry, equivalent to 192 fluid ounces.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
27
noun
Meaning 27
A small fissure which admits water into the workings.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: business, mining
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
28
noun
Meaning 28
A thin layer of harder metal on the surface of an object whose deeper metal is allowed to remain soft.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
29
noun
Meaning 29
A cardboard box that holds (usually 24) beer bottles or cans.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
a single case of Bud Light
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: carton
Antonyms: none provided
30
noun
Meaning 30
A counterfeit crown (five-shilling coin).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, obsolete, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
31
noun
Meaning 31
Acronym of computer-aided software engineering.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: caseful
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: containerful
56
noun
Meaning 56
a special set of circumstances
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
in that event, the first possibility is excluded
it may rain in which case the picnic will be canceled
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: event
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: circumstance
57
noun
Meaning 57
a specific state of mind that is temporary
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a case of the jitters
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: state of mind, frame of mind
58
verb
Meaning 58
enclose in, or as if in, a case
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
my feet were encased in mud
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: encase, incase
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: enclose, close in, inclose, shut in
Narrower terms: pack, box, package, sack, crate
59
verb
Meaning 59
look over, usually with the intention to rob
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
They men cased the housed
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: inspect
History
Etymology
From Middle English case, from Old Northern French casse (compare Old French chasse (“box, chest, case”)), from Latin capsa (“box, bookcase”), from capiō (“to take, seize, hold”). Doublet of cash, chase, and chasse. Compare Spanish caja, Asturian caxa, Portuguese caixa.
From Middle English cas, from Old French cas (“an event”), from Latin cāsus (“a falling, a fall; accident, event, occurrence; occasion, opportunity; noun case”), perfect passive participle of cadō (“to fall, to drop”).
Capitalization by Noam Chomsky.
Across languages
Translations
464 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
قَضِيَّة
(qaḍiyya)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Bashkir:
ваҡиға
(vaqiğa)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Bashkir:
осраҡ
(osraq)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Belarusian:
спра́ва
(správa)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Belarusian:
вы́падак
(výpadak)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Bengali:
ক্রিয়া
(kriẏa)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Bengali:
ক্ষেত্র
(khetro)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Bengali:
ক্রিয়াক্ষেত্র
(kriẏakkhetro)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Bulgarian:
де́ло
(délo)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Bulgarian:
слу́чай
(slúčaj)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Catalan:
cas
— actual event, situation, or fact
Chinese Mandarin:
事件
(shìjiàn)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Czech:
případ
— actual event, situation, or fact
Danish:
tilfælde
— actual event, situation, or fact
Dutch:
geval
— actual event, situation, or fact
Esperanto:
afero
— actual event, situation, or fact
Finnish:
tapaus
— actual event, situation, or fact
French:
cas
— actual event, situation, or fact
Galician:
caso
— actual event, situation, or fact
Georgian:
შემთხვევა
(šemtxveva)
— actual event, situation, or fact
German:
Fall
— actual event, situation, or fact
German:
Sache
— actual event, situation, or fact
German:
Beispiel
— actual event, situation, or fact
German:
Punkt
— actual event, situation, or fact
German:
Argument
— actual event, situation, or fact
Greek:
περίπτωση
(períptosi)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Greek:
περίσταση
(perístasi)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Haitian Creole:
ka
— actual event, situation, or fact
Hebrew:
מקרה
(mikré)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Hungarian:
eset
— actual event, situation, or fact
Irish:
cás
— actual event, situation, or fact
Italian:
caso
— actual event, situation, or fact
Japanese:
例
(rei)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Japanese:
事例
(jirei)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Japanese:
場合
(baai)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Japanese:
事件
(jiken)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Korean:
사건
(sageon)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Korean:
경우
(gyeong'u)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Ladino:
kavzo
— actual event, situation, or fact
Macedonian:
случај
(slučaj)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Mongolian:
хэрэг
(xereg)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Norwegian Bokmål:
tilfelle
— actual event, situation, or fact
Polish:
przypadek
— actual event, situation, or fact
Polish:
wypadek
— actual event, situation, or fact
Portuguese:
caso
— actual event, situation, or fact
Romanian:
caz
— actual event, situation, or fact
Russian:
де́ло
(délo)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Russian:
слу́чай
(slúčaj)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Serbo-Croatian:
слу̏ча̄ј
— actual event, situation, or fact
Serbo-Croatian:
slȕčāj
— actual event, situation, or fact
Slovak:
prípad
— actual event, situation, or fact
Slovene:
primer
— actual event, situation, or fact
Spanish:
caso
— actual event, situation, or fact
Swedish:
fall
— actual event, situation, or fact
Ukrainian:
спра́ва
(správa)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Ukrainian:
ви́падок
(výpadok)
— actual event, situation, or fact
Vietnamese:
trường hợp
— actual event, situation, or fact
Welsh:
achos
— actual event, situation, or fact
Arabic:
عُلْبَة
(ʕulba)
— piece of work
Belarusian:
спра́ва
(správa)
— piece of work
Finnish:
tapaus
— piece of work
French:
cas
— piece of work
Galician:
caso
— piece of work
German:
Fall
— piece of work
Greek:
υπόθεση
(ypóthesi)
— piece of work
Greek:
περιστατικό
(peristatikó)
— piece of work
Irish:
cás
— piece of work
Italian:
caso
— piece of work
Polish:
dzieło
— piece of work
Portuguese:
caso
— piece of work
Russian:
де́ло
(délo)
— piece of work
Slovak:
prípad
— piece of work
Slovene:
primer
— piece of work
Ukrainian:
спра́ва
(správa)
— piece of work
Arabic:
حَالَات
(ḥālāt)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Armenian:
դեպք
(depkʻ)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Bashkir:
осраҡ
(osraq)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Belarusian:
вы́падак
(výpadak)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Bulgarian:
слу́чай
(slúčaj)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Catalan:
cas
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Chinese Mandarin:
事件
(shìjiàn)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Czech:
případ
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Dutch:
geval
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Esperanto:
kazo
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Finnish:
tapaus
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Finnish:
case
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
French:
cas
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Galician:
caso
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Georgian:
საქმე
(sakme)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
German:
Fall
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Greek:
περίπτωση
(períptosi)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Haitian Creole:
ka
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Hebrew:
מקרה
(miqre)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Hungarian:
eset
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Irish:
cás
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Italian:
caso
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Japanese:
事件
(jiken)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Khmer:
ករណី
(kaʼraʼnəy)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Korean:
경우
(gyeong'u)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Latin:
cāsus
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Macedonian:
случај
(slučaj)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Malagasy:
tranga
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Malagasy:
zava-nitranga
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Mirandese:
causo
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Mongolian:
хэрэг
(xereg)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Occitan:
cas
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Persian:
مورد
(mowred)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Persian:
کیس
(keys)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Polish:
wypadek
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Portuguese:
caso
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Russian:
слу́чай
(slúčaj)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Russian:
кейс
(kejs)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Serbo-Croatian:
слу̏ча̄ј
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Serbo-Croatian:
slȕčāj
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Slovak:
prípad
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Slovene:
primer
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Spanish:
caso
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Swahili:
kesi
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Swedish:
fall
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Swedish:
case
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Ukrainian:
ви́падок
(výpadok)
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Vietnamese:
trường hợp
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Welsh:
achos
— academia: instance or event as a topic of study
Arabic:
دَعْوَى
(daʕwā)
— law: lawsuit
Armenian:
դատական գործ
(datakan gorc)
— law: lawsuit
Bulgarian:
дело
(delo)
— law: lawsuit
Bulgarian:
процес
(proces)
— law: lawsuit
Catalan:
causa
— law: lawsuit
Chinese Mandarin:
案件
(ànjiàn)
— law: lawsuit
Czech:
případ
— law: lawsuit
Czech:
kauza
— law: lawsuit
Dutch:
rechtszaak
— law: lawsuit
Dutch:
proces
— law: lawsuit
Esperanto:
afero
— law: lawsuit
Esperanto:
juĝafero
— law: lawsuit
Finnish:
oikeustapaus
— law: lawsuit
French:
cause
— law: lawsuit
Galician:
caso
— law: lawsuit
Galician:
causa
— law: lawsuit
Georgian:
საქმე
(sakme)
— law: lawsuit
Georgian:
კაზუსი
(ḳazusi)
— law: lawsuit
German:
Fall
— law: lawsuit
German:
Prozess
— law: lawsuit
German:
Rechtssache
— law: lawsuit
Greek:
υπόθεση
(ypóthesi)
— law: lawsuit
Hebrew:
תיק
(tik)
— law: lawsuit
Hungarian:
ügy
— law: lawsuit
Irish:
cás
— law: lawsuit
Italian:
causa
— law: lawsuit
Italian:
caso
— law: lawsuit
Latin:
causa
— law: lawsuit
Macedonian:
судско дело
(sudsko delo)
— law: lawsuit