~ 1
■ noun
1》 an instance of a particular situation; an example of something occurring: a ~ of mistaken identity.
↘the situation affecting or relating to a particular person or thing: I'll make an exception in your ~.
↘an incident under official investigation by the police.
2》 an instance of a disease, injury, or problem.
↘a person or their particular problem as a subject of medical or welfare attention.
3》 a legal action, especially one that is to be decided in a court of law.
↘a set of facts or arguments supporting one side in such a legal action.
↘a legal action that has been decided and may be cited as a precedent.
4》 a set of facts or arguments supporting one side of a debate or controversy.
5》 Grammar any of the inflected forms of a noun, adjective, or pronoun that express the semantic relation of the word to other words in the sentence.
↘such a relation whether indicated by inflection or not.
Phrases
be the ~ be so.
on (or off ) someone's ~ informal continually (or no longer) criticizing or harassing someone.
Origin
ME: from OFr. cas , from L. casus 'fall', related to cadere 'to fall'.
————————
~ 2
■ noun
1》 a container designed to hold or protect something.
↘the outer protective covering of a natural or manufactured object.
2》 a suit~.
3》 a box containing twelve bottles of wine or other drink, sold as a unit.
4》 Printing a partitioned container for loose metal type.
↘each of the two forms, capital or minuscule, in which a letter of the alphabet may be written or printed.
■ verb
1》 enclose within a ~.
2》 informal reconnoitre (a place) before carrying out a robbery.
Origin
ME: from OFr. casse , chasse (mod. caisse 'trunk, chest', châsse 'reliquary, frame'), from L. capsa , related to capere 'to hold'.