CASE

n. 1 an instance of something occurring. 2 a state of affairs, hypothetical or actual. 3 a an instance of a person receiving professional guidance, e.g. from a doctor or social worker. b this person or the circumstances involved. 4 a matter under official investigation, esp. by the police. 5 Law a a cause or suit for trial. b a statement of the facts in a cause sub judice, drawn up for a higher court's consideration (judge states a case). c a cause that has been decided and may be cited (leading case). 6 a the sum of the arguments on one side, esp. in a lawsuit (that is our case). b a set of arguments, esp. in relation to persuasiveness (have a good case; have a weak case). c a valid set of arguments (have no case). 7 Gram. a the relation of a word to other words in a sentence. b a form of a noun, adjective, or pronoun expressing this. 8 colloq. a comical person. 9 the position or circumstances in which one is. øas the case may be according to the situation. case history information about a person for use in professional treatment, e.g. by a doctor. case-law the law as established by the outcome of former cases (cf. common law, statute law). case-load the cases with which a doctor etc. is concerned at one time. case-study 1 an attempt to understand a person, institution, etc., from collected information. 2 a record of such an attempt. 3 the use of a particular instance as an exemplar of general principles. in any case whatever the truth is; whatever may happen. in case 1 in the event that; if. 2 lest; in provision against a stated or implied possibility (take an umbrella in case it rains; took it in case). in case of in the event of. in the case of as regards. in no case under no circumstances. in that case if that is true; should that happen. is (or is not) the case is (or is not) so. [ME f. OF cas f. L casus fall f. cadere cas- to fall]