Forms: 1 caru, cearu, 2–4 kar(e, 4 car, 3– care. [Common Teut.: OE. caru, cearu = OS. cara, OHG. chara, MHG. kar, Goth. kara, trouble, grief, care, ON. kör (:—karu), gen. karar, bed of trouble or sickness:—OTeut. karâ-. (In no way related to L. cura.)]
† 1. Mental suffering, sorrow, grief, trouble. Obs.
Beowulf, 1303 (Gr.). Cearu wæs ʓeniwod ʓeworden in wicim.
c. 1250. Hymn to God, 33, in Trin. Coll. Hom., 259. Bring us ut of wo and kare.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3212. Sara … deȝed … and Abraham for hir hadde care. Ibid., 3612. Þar i lig her now, in bedd o care [Trin. wo].
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (Rolls), 3204. Þys body ȝow bar wiþ wo & kare!
c. 1430. Syr Gener., 7256. Comen he is to doo vs care.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 62. Care, tristicia.
15[?]. Frere & Boye, 23, in Ritson, Anc. Pop. P., 36. Euer she dyde the lytell boye care, As for forth as she dorste.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. viii. 5. Him to recomfort in his greatest care.
1648. Herrick, Hesper., Sorrowes succeed. When one is passed another care we have, Thus woe succeeds a woe.
1718. Pope, Iliad, XVII. 89. His words infix’d unutterable care Deep in great Hector’s soul.
† b. Utterance of sorrow; lamentation, mourning. Clothing of care: mourning-dress. Obs.
a. 1000. Ags. Ps. lxxviii. 11. Geonge for þe gnornendra care [gemitus].
a. 1300. Cursor M., 10419. Sco tok on hir cleþing o care. Ibid., 10444. I se þe leuedi ma sli care.
2. Burdened state of mind arising from fear, doubt or concern about anything; solicitude, anxiety, mental perturbation; also in pl. anxieties, solicitudes. † Withouten care: without doubt. † To be in care: to be troubled, anxious, concerned.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Luke xxi. 34. On ofer-fylle and on druncennesse and þises lifes carum.
a. 1240. Sawles Warde, in Cott. Hom., 255. Ich habbe þeruore sar care.
c. 1297. R. Glouc. 457. Of þe erl of Chestre ȝe ne dorre abbe non.
c. 1320. Cast. Loue, 1509. O God hit is, wiþ-outen care, Of alle schaftes schuppare.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. I. 170. Þei beoþ cumbred in care · and cunnen not out-crepe.
c. 1420. Sir Amadace, xxxi. Gode Sirs, haue ȝe no care.
1576. Gascoigne, Steel Gl. (Arb.), 61. In my glasse … I can perceive how kingdomes breed but care.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., II. iv. 4. So Cares and Ioyes abound as Seasons fleet.
1682. N. O., Boileau’s Lutrin, IV. 332. Fretting Care, that kills a Cat!
1714. T. Ellwood, Autobiog. (1765), 92. I was in Care how to speak with some Friend about it.
1796–7. Coleridge, Poems (1862), 2. The sorrow-clouded breast of Care.
1864. Tennyson, Enoch Arden, 222. Cast all your cares on God.
1884. Illust. Lond. News, 27 Sept., 307/3. Black care who sits behind the horseman.
3. Serious or grave mental attention; the charging of the mind with anything; concern; heed, heedfulness, attention, regard; caution, pains.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Luke x. 40. Nis þe nan caru [1160 care] þæt min swustur let me ænlipie þenian.
1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. xxvi. 116. Buryed with the busy care of a noble man.
1580. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 320. Dost thou now commit Idolatrie with them with-out care?
1616. R. C., Times’ Whis., V. 1673. Many … only vse their care In dainty banquetes.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 791. His Mother’s Precepts he performs with Care.
1742. Pope, Dunc., IV. 431. Rose or carnation was below my care.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth (1860), Introd. 10. Mustaches which had lately been arranged with some care.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, Prol. 171. As a parrot turns … And takes a lady’s finger with all care.
b. Const. of (arch.), for, and inf. Here, and in c., the sense may pass, esp. in negative construction, to Regard arising from desire or estimation, liking, inclination to or for.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 427. Criste on the crosse for our care deghit.
1590. Greene, Poems (1861), 295. Care to live or sweet delight in life Draws me.
1623. Lisle, Ælfric on O. & N. T., Judg. They worshipped the God of heaven with care of his commandements.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., I. xii. 52. Man, which looks too far before him, in the care of future time.
1705. I. Norris, in Pa. Hist. Soc. Mem., X. 82. They stand in care of nobody’s censure.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., xxxviii. If any care for what is here Survive in spirits render’d free.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, I. (1880), Introd. 8. Public spirit … its essence is care for a common good.
c. To have a care, † keep a care, take care.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 511. We will turne it finely off sir, we wil take some care. Ibid. (1590), Mids. N., IV. i. 15. Good Mounsieur haue a care the hony bag breake not. Ibid. (1596), Tam. Shr., I. i. 191. He tooke some care To get her cunning Schoolemasters to instruct her. Ibid. (1610), Temp., II. i. 301. If of life you keep a care, Shake off slumber and beware.
1677. Moxon, Mech. Exerc. (1703), 221. You must take great care, that the Solid Ball … be … exactly Spherical.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 760. Take a timely Care to bring the Truants back.
1819. Byron, Juan, I. xiii. For native Spanish she had no great care.
1876. Black, Madcap Violet, xviii. 161. ‘Have a care, Jack!’ Peter called out.
4. Charge; oversight with a view to protection, preservation or guidance. In the address of a letter or package ‘care of ——.’
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 6196. Noble knightes all, Vnder care of two kynges.
1560. Bible (Genev.), 2 Cor. xi. 28. I … have the care of all the Churches.
1647–8. Cotterell, Davila’s Hist. Fr. (1678), 4. He left the Care of the whole Enterprize.
1710. Prideaux, Orig. Tithes, ii. 67. Upon the Evangelical Priesthood … is incumbent … to take on them the Care of their Souls.
1841. Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 99. I commend thee to the care of God.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., II. xxiii. 79. ‘I ’ll take her under my care.’
1852. Dickens, Bleak Ho., Address to Nemo, care of Mr. Krook.
1875. Jevons, Money (1878), 207. The ship-master … is obliged to retain the identical cases committed to his care.
b. Hence To have the care of, take care of, etc.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 363/2. O Lorde … I thanke thee, for that thou vouchsafest to haue care vppon so wretched a creature as I am.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Luke x. 32. [He] brought him into an Inne, and tooke care of him.
1611. Bible, Pref., 2. It doth certainely belong vnto Kings … to haue care of Religion.
1620. Shelton, Quix., III. xxxiii. 240. I desired this Waiting-woman to have a Care on him.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 37, ¶ 4. She has no Children to take care of.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, iii. 69. She had the care of Lady Ida’s youth.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 173. You take care of your money.
5. An object or matter of care, concern or solicitude.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. x. 37. Gathered the Princes … To taken counsell of their common cares.
1634. Bp. Hall, Occas. Medit., § 123. The main care of any creature is self-preservation.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., I. § 1. 5. The first Care of Mankind is to supply the Cravings of Nature.
1750. Gray, Elegy, vi. Or busy housewife ply her evening care.
1812. Byron, Ch. Har., I. ix. Pomp and power alone are woman’s care.
1855. Tennyson, To Maurice. Come, when no graver cares employ.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 298. He could not himself spare the time from cares of state.
b. of persons and things. Cf. ‘youthful charge.’
1697. Dryden, Virg. Past., II. 59. Come to my longing Arms, my lovely Care.
1704. Pope, Messiah, 49. The good shepherd tends his fleecy care.
1735. Somerville, Chase, II. 465. Each watchful Eye Fix’d on his youthful Care.
1863. Aytoun, in Tales fr. Blackwood, IX. 39. Wintry frosts shall never see The rose that is my care!
6. Comb. a. attrib., as care-line, -wrinkle; b. objective, (a.) with pr. pples. forming adjs., as care-bewitching, -bringing, -charming, -defying, -drowning, -eluding; (b.) with vbl. sbs. or agent-nouns forming sbs., as care-charmer, -killing, etc.; c. instrumental, as care-accloyed, -crazed, -crossed, -encumbered, -fraught, -laden, -lined, -pined, -scorched, -tired, -tuned, -untroubled, -wounded, etc., and esp. care-worn; also care-bed, a bed of suffering or grief; † care-weed, mourning attire. Also CARE-TAKER, -TAKING, etc.
1596. Fitz-Geffrey, Sir F. Drake (1881), 81. Poore *care-accloyed pilgrime traveler.
a. 1400. Sir Perc., lxvii. The kyng to *Carebedd es gane.
1768. Ross, Helenore, 56 (Jam.). In care-bed lair for three lang hours she lay.
1645. Quarles, Sol. Recant., vii. 5. *Care-bewitching sweets.
1597. Drayton, Mortimeriados, 72. Prest with a *care-bringing Crowne.
1592. Daniel, Delia, Wks. (1717), 415. *Care-Charmer Sleep, Son of the sable Night.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., III. vii. 184. A *care-crazed mother of a many sonnes.
1876. M. Arnold, Lit. & Dogma, 249. *Care-crossed, toil-stained millions.
1802. Lamb, Corr., cxliii. (1870), 376. *Care-drowning night.
1730. Thomson, Autumn, 605. With every gentle *care-eluding art.
1841–6. Longf., Bridge, xii. Thousands of *care-encumbered men.
1835. Willis, Pencillings, II. lvii. 140. Their *care-fraught profession.
1880. Burton, Q. Anne, III. xiv. 11. Whispers and *care-laden looks.
1603. Dekker, Grissill, Wks. 1886, V. 115. Coy dames, who … Fly the *care-pined hearts that sue to them.
1610. Histrio-m., III. 68. Cast water on the *care-scorcht face.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., III. ii. 92. My *care-tun’d tongue.
1611. A. Stafford, Niobe, II. 241 (T.). [The nightingale] begins to carol out her care-tuned musick.
1794. Burns, Wks., IV. 279. *Care-untroubl’d, joy-surrounded.
c. 1500. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 422. I go to the kirk, cled in *cair weid.
1828. Carlyle, Misc. (1857), I. 219. His *careworn heart.
1856. Dickens, Lett. (1880), I. 443. A face too careworn for her years.
1882. [Lees & Clutterbuck], Three in Norway, xix. 149. We met a very careworn-looking man.
1627. May, Lucan, V. (T.). Cornelia, his *care-wounded breast clasping.
