n.

1. a comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy;
   lawsuit, suit, cause, causa
   
   • the family brought suit against the landlord
2. an occurrence of something;
   instance, example
   
   • it was a case of bad judgment
   • another instance occurred yesterday
   • but there is always the famous example of the Smiths
3. a special set of circumstances;
   event
   
   • in that event, the first possibility is excluded
   • it may rain in which case the picnic will be canceled
4. a problem requiring investigation
   
   • Perry Mason solved the case of the missing heir
5. the actual state of things
   
   • that was not the case
6. a statement of facts and reasons used to support an argument
   
   • he stated his case clearly
7. a portable container for carrying several objects
   
   • the musicians left their instrument cases backstage
8. a person who is subjected to experimental or other observational procedures; someone who is an object of investigation;
   subject, guinea pig
   
   • the subjects for this investigation were selected randomly
   • the cases that we studied were drawn from two different communities
9. a person requiring professional services
   
   • a typical case was the suburban housewife described by a marriage counselor
10. the quantity contained in a case;
    caseful
11. a glass container used to store and display items in a shop or museum or home;
    display case, showcase, vitrine
12. a specific state of mind that is temporary
    
    • a case of the jitters
13. nouns or pronouns or adjectives (often marked by inflection) related in some way to other words in a sentence;
    grammatical case
14. the housing or outer covering of something;
    shell, casing
    
    • the clock has a walnut case
15. a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities);
    character, eccentric, type
    
    • a real character
    • a strange character
    • a friendly eccentric
    • the capable type
    • a mental case
16. an enveloping structure or covering enclosing an animal or plant organ or part;
    sheath
17. the enclosing frame around a door or window opening;
    casing
    
    • the casings had rotted away and had to be replaced
18. bed linen consisting of a cover for a pillow;
    pillowcase, slip, pillow slip
    
    • the burglar carried his loot in a pillowcase

v.

1. look over, usually with the intention to rob
   
   • They men cased the housed
2. enclose in, or as if in, a case;
   encase, incase
   
   • my feet were encased in mud