(~s, caring, ~d)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
If you ~ about something, you feel that it is important and are concerned about it.
...a company that ~s about the environment.
...young men who did not ~ whether they lived or died...
Does anybody know we’re here, does anybody ~?
VERB: no cont, V about n, V wh, V
2.
If you ~ for someone, you feel a lot of affection for them.
He wanted me to know that he still ~d for me.
...people who are your friends, who ~ about you.
VERB: no cont, V for/about n, V for/about n, also V approval
caring
...the ‘feminine’ traits of caring and compassion.
N-UNCOUNT
3.
If you ~ for someone or something, you look after them and keep them in a good state or condition.
They hired a nurse to ~ for her.
...these distinctive cars, lovingly ~d for by private owners.
...well-~d-for homes.
VERB: V for n, V for n, V-ed
•
Care is also a noun.
Most of the staff specialise in the ~ of children.
...sensitive teeth which need special ~...
She denied the murder of four children who were in her ~.
N-UNCOUNT: usu with supp
4.
Children who are in ~ are looked after by the state because their parents are dead or unable to look after them properly. (BRIT)
...a home for children in ~...
She was taken into ~ as a baby.
N-UNCOUNT: oft in N
5.
If you say that you do not ~ for something or someone, you mean that you do not like them. (OLD-FASHIONED)
She had met both sons and did not ~ for either.
VERB: no cont, with brd-neg, V for n
6.
If you say that someone does something when they ~ to do it, you mean that they do it, although they should do it more willingly or more often.
The woman tells anyone who ~s to listen that she’s going through hell...
Experts reveal only as much as they ~ to.
= choose
VERB: no cont, V to-inf, V to-inf
7.
You can ask someone if they would ~ for something or if they would ~ to do something as a polite way of asking if they would like to have or do something.
Would you ~ for some orange juice?...
He said he was off to the beach and would we ~ to join him.
= like
VERB: no cont, V for n, V to-inf politeness
8.
If you do something with ~, you give ~ful attention to it because you do not want to make any mistakes or cause any damage.
Condoms are an effective method of birth control if used with ~...
We’d taken enormous ~ in choosing the location.
N-UNCOUNT: oft with N
9.
Your ~s are your worries, anxieties, or fears.
Lean back in a hot bath and forget all the ~s of the day...
Johnson seemed without a ~ in the world.
= worry
N-COUNT
10.
see also caring , after~ , day ~ , intensive ~
11.
You can use for all I ~ to emphasize that it does not matter at all to you what someone does.
You can go right now for all I ~.
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR with cl emphasis
12.
If you say that you couldn’t ~ less about someone or something, you are emphasizing that you are not interested in them or worried about them. In American English, you can also say that you could ~ less, with the same meaning.
I couldn’t ~ less about the bloody woman...
I used to be proud working for them; now I could ~ less. I’m just out here for the money...
PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR about n emphasis
13.
If someone sends you a letter or parcel ~ of a particular person or place, they send it to that person or place, and it is then passed on to you. In American English, you can also say in ~ of.
Please write to me ~ of the publishers...
PHRASE: PHR n
14.
If you take ~ of someone or something, you look after them and prevent them from being harmed or damaged.
There was no one else to take ~ of their children...
You have to learn to take ~ of your possessions.
= look after
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n
15.
You can say ‘Take ~’ when saying goodbye to someone.
CONVENTION formulae
16.
If you take ~ to do something, you make sure that you do it.
Foley followed Albert through the gate, taking ~ to close the latch.
PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR to-inf
17.
To take ~ of a problem, task, or situation means to deal with it.
They leave it to the system to try and take ~ of the problem...
‘Do you need clean sheets?’—‘No. Mrs. May took ~ of that.’
= deal with
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n
18.
You can say ‘Who ~s?’ to emphasize that something does not matter to you at all.
‘But we might ruin the stove.’—‘Who ~s?’
PHRASE: oft PHR about n emphasis