n. & v.
n. 1 a container or covering serving to enclose or contain. 2 a container with its contents. 3 the outer protective covering of a watch, book, seed-vessel, sausage, etc. 4 an item of luggage, esp. a suitcase. 5 Printing a partitioned receptacle for type. 6 a glass box for showing specimens, curiosities, etc.
v.tr. 1 enclose in a case. 2 (foll. by with) surround. 3 sl. reconnoitre (a house etc.) esp. with a view to robbery. case-bound (of a book) in a hard cover. case-harden 1 harden the surface of, esp. give a steel surface to (iron) by carbonizing. 2 make callous. case-knife a knife carried in a sheath. case-shot 1 bullets in an iron case fired from a cannon. 2 shrapnel. lower case small letters. upper case capitals.
[ ME f. OF casse, chasse, f. L capsa f. capere hold ]