case
UK: keɪs | US: keɪs
n. a container or protective covering
n. an instance or occurrence of something
n. a legal matter or lawsuit
vt. to enclose in a case
case = cas<container> + e (silent)
- cas (from Latin capsa meaning "box, container")
- e (silent letter, no semantic function)
Etymology Origin:
The word "case" traces back to Latin capsa ("box"), which evolved into Old French casse before entering Middle English. Originally referring to physical containers (e.g., bookcases), its meaning expanded metaphorically to abstract instances (e.g., "a case of fraud") and legal contexts. The silent "e" reflects historical spelling conventions.
She packed her glasses in a leather case.
This is a rare case of mistaken identity.
The lawyer handled the case expertly.
The phone comes with a waterproof case.
They decided to case the building before the robbery.