Forms: 3–5 cas, (4 cais, caice, cass), 4–5 caas, caace, 4–6 cace, kace, 6 Sc. caice, 4– case. [ME. cās, caas, a. OF. cas in same sense:—L. cāsu-s, cassu-s fall, chance, occurrence, case, f. stem cas- of cadĕre to fall.]
† 1. A thing that befalls or happens to any one; an event, occurrence, hap or chance.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 340. Swuch cas and swuch auenture bitimeð to summe monne.
1297. R. Glouc. (1810), 24. Þar fore me clepude þat Water þo Homber … for þe cas Þat Homber … þer ynne a-dreynt was.
c. 1314. Guy Warw. (A.), 1698. In lasse while þan þat was Might falle mani wonder cas.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, III. 592. The Erle off the leuenax was, I can nocht tell ȝow throw quhat cass, Lewyt behynd.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, 254. How Eneas tolde Dido every caas That hym was tyd upon the see.
c. 1460. Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1714), 38. For doute of sodeyn Casys, which mowe fal to hym.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. ix. 26. I you recount a ruefull cace.
† b. A deed, a thing. Obs.
1297. R. Glouc. (1810), 282. Þys gode kyng and he dude þys gode cas.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 1497 (Fairf.). Quen caym had donw þat sari cas [G. & T. dede, C. plight].
c. 1532. Ld. Berners, Huon, clxiv. (1883), 646. Such a kyng traytoure that hathe done suche a case [ed. 1601 deede].
† 2. Chance, hazard, hap. Obs.
1340–70. Alisaunder, 24. Case fell, þat this Kyng Was with siknes of-sought.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, II. 24. He tauld hys brodyr halyly… how he chapyt wes throw cass.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., lii. 230 (Harl. MS.). Fel cas, that ther was a knyȝt namid andronicus.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 237/3. And thus by caase of fortune … she toke the body of the prothomartir.
† b. Chiefly in phrases: by (be, bi) case, of case, on, upon case = ‘perchance, perhaps’; so PERCASE.
1297. R. Glouc. (1810), 140. Gorlois, erl of Cornewail, þerforþ com bi cas.
c. 1340. Ayenb., 70. And be cas hit is þet Salomon zayþ.
c. 1375. ? Barbour, St. Andreas, 249. Syne eftir hapnyt of case.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 13. On cas [forsan] despised of envious men and proude.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 220. Upon a day hit fell by case.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, I. vi. 99. The schippis that on caice war redy thair.
1560. Rolland, Crt. Venus, I. 692. In argument I and that gentill man Fell heir on case.
3. An instance or example of the occurrence or existence of a thing (fact, circumstance, etc.).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 26679. In þat case man most nede sceu quam wit he did þat foli.
c. 1340. Ayenb., 42. Þet hi ham loki uram þise zenne ine þri cas.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 79. In þis cas he schal not be cursid.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., 243. In manye Caasis.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 297. The case shall bee this: My … neighbour … is so oppressed with povertie, that he is not able to paie.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., III. xli. 265. In a certain case that rarely happens.
1769. Junius Lett., xvi. 70. Some case or cases, strictly in point, must be produced.
1872. Helps, Anim. & Mast., i. (1875), 15. The most recent case within my knowledge.
4. The case: The actual state or position of matters; the fact. It is not the case: it is not the fact, it is not what actually is or happens.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 12025. Euen the couenand to kepe, as þe cas was, Þat bertat hom þe toun.
1463. Bury Wills (1850), 29. I wil the seid iijs. iiijd. go therto, or part therof, as the case requireth.
a. 1626. Bacon, Consid. Warre w. Spaine (1629), 37 (J.). So here was the case, an army of English of some 6000, wasted and tired with a long winters siege, inraged in the middest betweene an army of a greater number than themselues, fresh and in vigour.
1650. Jer. Taylor, Holy Living, ii. § 6. 170 (J.). He hath no need to use them as the case now stands, being provided for with the provisions of an Angel, and the matter of Eternity.
1758. S. Hayward, Serm., i. 4. This is the case not only with men of years, but with infants of a day old.
1830. Macaulay, Lett., in Trevelyan, Life, II. vii. 8. The case with me is the reverse.
1888. Sir L. W. Cave, in Law Times Rep., LII. 627/2. A short consideration of the different sections will show that this is not the case.
b. A state of matters relating to a particular person or thing.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 42. Delicacy in loves cas Withoute reson is and was.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia (1633), 80 (J.). But yet well I do finde each man most wise in his owne case.
1680. Burnet, Rochester, 30. What sense this Noble Lord had of their case, when he came at last seriously to reflect upon his own.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 108, ¶ 7. Will Wimble’s is the Case of many a younger Brother of a great Family.
1726. Gay, Fables, Hare & many Friends, 41. And when a lady’s in the case, You know all other things give place.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 178. But … he regarded the case of the Church of Rome as an exception to all ordinary rules.
† c. All a case: all one. Obs.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Duct. Dubit., 341. He that swears by Heaven, or by the Earth, by the Temple, or by the Gold, it is all a case.
1666. Bunyan, Grace Abound. (1680), ¶ 313. Believe, or disbelieve me in this, all is as a case to me.
1692. R. L’Estrange, Fables, 228 (J.). Taken, or not Taken, ’tis all a Case to Me.
5. Condition, state (of circumstances external or internal), plight. In good case: well off.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 4428. With sweord ryden he dud amere In this strong fyghtyng cas, He mette with Dalmadas.
1482. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxlix. 319. Our enbassatours came home ageyne in werse caas than they wente.
1529. More, Comf. agst. Trib., I. Wks. 1140/1. He … neuer leaueth his seruantes in case of a coumfortlesse Orphanes.
1535. Coverdale, Hosea iv. 3. Therfore shal the londe be in a miserable case.
1560. Bible (Genev.), Gen. xl. 14. When thou art in good case show mercie unto me. Ibid. (1611) Ex. v. 19. And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in euill case.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, III. 80. Thereby leaving their old enemies in case of much contempt and disabilitie.
1693. W. Robertson, Phraseol. Gen., 315. In good case for estate, beatus.
1782. Cowper, Gilpin, xlviii. But stop and eat, for well you may Be in a hungry case.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 281. And now I know not what virtue is, and you seem to be in the same case.
b. esp. Physical condition, as in good case (arch.); also simply, in case, out of case (? obs.).
1640–1. Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855), 60. Ordaines … that William keip the horss in good caice.
1660. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 121/1. By this means their Horses are the better in Case, but the worse for Service.
1674. Diary of W. Cunningham (1887), 3. The houses are out of case.
1693. W. Robertson, Phraseol. Gen., 315. In good case for flesh, pinguis.
1704. Swift, Batt. Bks. (1711), 231. Their Horses large, but extreamely out of Case.
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., Jockey … one that brings Horses into Case.
1755. Johnson, s.v., In ludicrous language, In case is lusty or fat.
1808. Scott, Marm., I. xxi. Our Norham vicar … Is all too well in case to ride.
c. In case to or for: in a condition or position to or for; prepared, ready. arch.
[1461. Paston Lett., 430, II. 77. Sche is in the cas to have the lyf in stede of damages.]
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cxxx. 157. We be nat in case to do any great dede of armes.
1610. Shaks., Temp., III. ii. 29. I am in case to iustle a Constable.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., viii. § 2. 23. When thou art in better case to hear me I will tell thee.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. III. 105/745. Quoth Ralph, I should not, if I were In case for action, now be here.
1824. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. I. (1863), 70. Even if they escaped hanging for that exploit, I should greatly doubt their being in case to attempt another.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., VII. XVIII. ix. 261. Breslau; which is in no case to resist and be bombarded.
6. Law. ‘The state of facts juridically considered’ (J.). a. A cause or suit brought into court for decision. b. A statement of the facts of any matter sub judice, drawn up for the consideration of a higher court. c. A cause that has been decided: leading case, one that has settled some important point and is frequently cited as a precedent.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cccxxvi. 510. The pope gaue the duke full puyssance … reseruyng certayne cases papall, the which he myght nat gyue.
1552. Huloet, s.v. Preiudice.… As the ruled cases and matters of the lawe be called bokecases.
1602. Shaks., Ham., V. i. 108. Why might not that bee the Scull of a Lawyer? Where be his Quiddits now? his Quillets? his Cases?
1621–31. Laud, Serm. (1847), 204. This … is a great leading case for Kings.
1689. Tryal Bps., 26. This being a Case of the greatest Consequence, peradventure, that ever was in the Westminster Hall.
1710. Prideaux, Orig. Tithes, ii. 42. Precedents and judged Cases have ever had the like authority.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., II. ix. 524. If the justices refuse to state a case, application may be made to the Queen’s Bench for a rule commanding them to do so.
1876. (title) Leading Cases done into English.
1886. Daily News, 17 July, 2/1. There is a very strong Bar engaged in the case.
d. The case as presented or ‘put’ to the Court by one of the parties in a suit; hence, the sum of the grounds on which he rests his claim. Also fig. as in to make out one’s case, a case.
[1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 52. And othir sum nyt all that cass And said that he thair king suld be That war in als ner degre.]
1596. Drayton, Legends, iv. 40. My doubtfull Case to plead.
1602. 2nd Pt. Returne fr. Pernass., IV. ii. 1647 (1606), G. Till at length, per varios casus, by putting the case so often, they make their client so lanke, that they may case them vp in a combe case.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Worthy Commun., Introd. 7. This is a breviate of our case.
1863. Cowden Clarke, Shaks. Char., xvi. 391. Shakespeare has made out a strong case for Shylock.
1883. Law Times, 20 Oct., 407/2. A litigant without a case.
1885. Law Rep., 29 Chanc. Div. 452. If he abandoned the point it must be assumed that he had no case.
Mod. This concluded the case for the prosecution. ‘That is our case, my lord.’
e. A form of procedure in the Common Law: see quots. Obs. in England.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., IV. ii. 42. I doe not know the matter, hee is rested on the case.
1591. Lambarde, Archeion (1635), 61. Suits at the Common Law, for remedie in Cases, where no proper helpe was formerly knowne … called the Action or Writ upon the Case.
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol. (1617), 656. We should shortly have no actions upon the case, nor of trespass, but all should be pleas of the crown.
1631. Star Chamb. Cases (1886), 77. The plaintiff had brought an action of the case against Rickby.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 122. Action upon the case, This action of trespass, or trangression, on the case, is an universal remedy given for all personal wrongs and injuries without force … so called because the plaintiff’s whole case or cause of complaint is set forth at length in the original writ.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., II. ix. 523. Action of trespass on the case, so called from the words in consimili casu … in the Statute of Westminster the Second, which authorizes such actions…. Injuries caused by negligence are usually remediable by action on the case.
7. Case of Conscience: A practical question concerning which conscience may be in doubt; a question as to the application of recognized principles of faith and obedience to one’s duty in a particular case or set of circumstances.
A transl. of L. casus conscientiæ (F. cas de conscience), according to Ames (1576–1633), ‘called casus, because it is wont to happen or occur (cadere) in life; and casus conscientiæ, because when it happens, conscience ought to give a judgement with the greatest carefulness.’ These cases or questions are divided into two classes, (1) those that concern a man’s state before God, (2) those that concern his actions in that state. It is mainly to the second of these, or cases of conduct, that CASUISTRY is understood to refer.
[a. 1400. Astexanus, Summa de casibus Conscientiæ (1469).]
1592. W. Perkins (title), A Case of Conscience, the greatest that euer was; How a Man may knowe whether he be the Child of God or no: resolued by the Worde of God.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xxv. § 21. In this part I commend much the deducing of the law of God to cases of conscience.
[1655. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 309, IV. 5, note. He [Cromwell] hoped … to have had some clearing of the Case as to his conscience: but instead of that they had made the matter more doubtful … than it was before.]
1660. Jer. Taylor (title), Ductor Dubitantium; or the Rule of Conscience in all her general measures; serving as a great instrument for the determination of cases of conscience.
1851. Robertson, Serm., Ser. IV. xii. I. 81. This epistle [1st to Corinthians] is one of Christian Casuistry, or the application of Christian principles to the various circumstances and cases of conscience which arise continually in the daily life of a highly … artificial community.
8. Med. a. The condition of disease in a person.
1709. Tatler, No. 121, ¶ 1. It is the general fault of physicians, they are so in haste, that they never hear out the case.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., VI. § 9. A patient must have full liberty to explain his case, and tell all his symptoms.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 442. The fourteen Doctors who deliberated on the King’s case contradicted each other and themselves.
b. An instance of disease, or other condition requiring medical treatment; ‘a record of the progress of disease in an individual’ (Syd. Soc. Lex.).
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, 256. All these Plants are hurtful in Cases where the Blood is too much dissolv’d.
1758. Gooch (title), Cases and Practical Remarks in Surgery.
1804. Abernethy, Surg. Observ. (title), A classification of Tumours, with cases to illustrate the history of each species.
1851. Dixon, W. Penn, xxiii. (1872), 207. At Deal they shipped a case of small-pox.
1864. Miss Yonge, Trial, II. 325. Nothing else could teach him that patients are not cases but persons.
1881. W. H. Netherclift, in Brit. Med. Jrnl., 18 June, 966/1. About two hundred cases of ulcerated legs pass through my wards annually.
c. U.S. slang. of persons: A ‘specimen,’ ‘cure.’
1848–60. Bartlett, Dict. Amer., Case, a character, a queer one; as ‘That Sol Haddock is a case.’ ‘What a hard case he is,’ meaning a reckless scapegrace, mauvais sujet.
1884. P. Roe, in Harper’s Mag., May, 922/2. There was a little wheat in all that chaff of a man, and it’s beginning to grow. But the wife is a case.
9. Grammar. [L. cāsus used to translate Gr. πτῶσις lit. ‘falling, fall.’
By Aristotle πτῶσις was applied to any derived, inflected or extended form of the simple ὄνομα or ῥῆμα (i.e., the nominative of nouns, the present indicative of verbs), such as the oblique cases of nouns, the variations of adjectives due to gender and comparison, also the derived adverb (e.g., δικαίως was a πτῶσις of δίκαιος), the other tenses and moods of the verb, including also its interrogative form. The grammarians, following the Stoics, restricted πτῶσις to nouns, and included the nominative under the designation.]
a. In inflected languages, one of the varied forms of a substantive, adjective, or pronoun, which express the varied relations in which it may stand to some other word in the sentence, e.g., as subject or object of a verb, attribute to another noun, object of a preposition, etc. b. But as many modern languages have nearly or quite lost these variations of form, case is sometimes loosely used for the relation itself, whether indicated by distinct form or not.
Thus, by a mixture of the two notions, in modern English, substantives are commonly said to have three cases, nominative, objective and possessive; the two former being merely relations, and the latter entirely formal; in modern French to have two (or three) cases, cas-sujet and cas-régime (the latter subdivided into direct and indirect), which are in the noun merely relations, while of the pronouns some retain only one case-form, some have four (e.g., ils, les, leur, eux). Thus also, in quot. 1824, ‘nominative’ case is loosely used for subject.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. IV. 339. [As] adiectif and substantyf vnite asken Acordaunce in kynde in cas and in numbre.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xci. 416 (Add. MS.). And so we han the nominatif case.
1530. Palsgr., Introd., 30. But thre cases, nominatyve, accusatyve and oblique as je, me, moy.
1581. Sidney, Def. Poesie (Arb.), 70. Those cumbersome differences of Cases, Genders, Moodes, and Tenses.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., IV. i. 46. Well: what is your Accusatiue-case?
1612. Brinsley, Pos. Parts (1669), 5. What is a Case? Every severall ending of a Noun in the declining of it.
1751. Harris, Hermes, II. iii. (1786), 273. Whatever we may be told of Cases in modern Languages, there are in fact no such things.
1824. L. Murray, Gram., I. 341. To err, is the infinitive mood, and the nominative case to the verb ‘is.’
1868. Browning, Ring & Bk., VIII. 965. A complete list Of the prepositions each with proper case.
II. Phrases.
† 10. In case: a. in the event, in fact (cf. 3). (See also 5, 5 b, for a different sense.)
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 228. For more may hit in cas ȝou menske þan greue.
c. 1384. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 377. In veyn preyers of ypocrites, þat in caas ben dampned devels.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., II. xiv. 231. Thouȝ in caas it can not be founde speciali witnessid bi Holi Scripture.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 2. Except in case whan you vnderstande not yt ye rede therin.
1627. W. Sclater, Exp. 2 Thess., 75. Better a great deale his Scholler Saint Cyprian allowes it in case, and with limits perswades it.
b. as conjunction (with sentence): in the event or contingency that, if it should prove or happen that, if.
c. 1400. Maundev., xviii. 191. In cas that he had ony Werre aȝenst ony other Kyng aboute him.
1418. E. E. Wills (1882), 29. Yn case I deye.
1554. Philpot, Exam. & Writ. (1842), 327. In case one sudden chance … had not interrupted me.
1596. Spenser, State Irel., 12. I would tell you in case you would not challenge me anon.
1646. Fuller, Wounded Consc. (1841), 324. In case his leg be set, he flings, flounces … unjointing it again by his misemployed mettle.
1863. P. Barry, Dockyard Econ., 195. To be in readiness in case anything should happen to the present Board of Admiralty.
1864. D. Mitchell, Sev. Stor., 76. In case his papers were not all right.
c. lest, in provision against the case that.
1588. A. King, Canisius’ Catech., 152. Thou sall pay him the price of his labour … incaice he cry to God agains the.
Mod. Take your umbrella, in case it should rain.
d. In case of: in the event of.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. iii. 49. Whose Crimes have render’d them obnoxious to it [punishment], in Case of a Discovery.
1745. P. Thomas, Jrnl. Anson’s Voy., 65. All the Ships had Orders … in case of not meeting there, to make the best of their Way to Macao in China.
1832. W. Irving, Alhambra, I. 90. More apt to trust to the length of his legs than the strength of his arms, in case of attack.
† 11. If case be that: if it should prove or happen that, if perchance. So if case. Obs.
1535. Coverdale, Job xxxi. 38. But yf case be that my londe crie agaynst me. Ibid., Jer. xxxviii. 17. Yf case be, that thou wilt go forth vnto the kynge off Babilons prynces.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Chirurg. It ought nat to be applyed, but yf case be that the pacyente were faynte herted.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., V. iv. 34. If case some one of you would flye from vs.
1630. J. Taylor (Water P.), Wks., 98/2 (N.). If case a Begger be old, weake or ill.
12. To put or set the case, formerly to put or set case, (that): to propound a hypothetical instance or illustration, to suppose.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2932. With Sossyngs, & Sotelte, Settyng of cases.
a. 1420. Occleve, De Reg. Princ., 1058. I putte cas … Thow were yfalle in indigent povert.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., iv. 10 (Harl. MS.). I sette cas, þat a thefe make an hole in a hous.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 142/2. Let vs put the case that nothing is sought for, but to maintain the honour of the Magistrates.
1654. Jer. Taylor, Real Pres., Ep. Ded. Put case the Turke should invade Italy.
1751. Jortin, Serm. (1771), III. 39. Either there is a future state, or there is not. Put the case that there is not.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., xxxv. O me, what profits it to put An idle case?
13. In any case: by any means (obs.); at all events, anyhow. In († by, † for) no case: by no means (? obs. in this sense).
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 1362. How he miȝt couir in any cas to come to þe cite. Ibid., 2350. Þat þai suld corde be na cas vnto þe kingis hestis.
c. 1440. Ipomydon, 355. But she kowde wete for no case When he come ne what he was.
1577. B. Googe, trans. Heresbach’s Husb., I. (1586), 12 b. Varro wyll in any case have two courtes.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., V. ii. 25. Let not Harry know In any case, the offer of the King.
1611. Bible, Matt. v. 20. Yee shall in no case enter into the kingdome of heauen.
Mod. In any case you had better hear what he has to say.
III. 14. Comb., as case-ending, -form (sense 8); case-book, a book containing an account of legal or medical cases; † case-divinity, casuistry; case-law, the law settled by decided cases; † case-putter, one who puts cases or the (legal) case; so † case-putting, stating of a legal case, the making of hypotheses.
1762. Canning, in Poet. Register (1807), 459. Now adieu, my friend Jacob—I’ll close up my *case-book.
1862. Burton, Bk.-hunter, II. 129. I know not whether ‘lay gents’ … can feel any pleasure in wandering over the case-books.
1628. Bp. Hall, Righteous Mamm., 721. That which law and *case-diuinity speakes of life.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., II. x. 90. In Case-divinity Protestants are defective.
1874. Sayce, Compar. Philol. vii. 271. The so-called *case-ending in -a.
1875. Whitney, Life Lang., iii. 41. A *case-form of a compounded adjective.
1861. Maine, Anc. Law (1870), 13. English *case-law is sometimes spoken of as unwritten.
1871. Markby, Elem. Law (1885), 58. English case law does for us what the Roman law does for the rest of Western Europe.
1885. Law Times, LXXIX. 153/1. The unwieldy mass of case-law which now cumbers every practitioner’s shelves.
1681. Otway, Soldier’s Fort., II. i. He’s a tatter’d worm-eaten *case-putter; some call him Lawyer.
1645. Milton, Tetrach. (1851), 159. Some heroick magistrat, whose mind … dares lead him both to know and to do without their frivolous *case-putting.
1687. R. L’Estrange, Answ. Diss., 21. The Case-putting-Humour goes on still too; though the Author succeeds no Better in his Third Supposition.
