case2

 
Pronunciation: /keɪs/

noun

  • 1a container designed to hold or protect something: a silver cigarette case
  • the outer protective covering of a natural or manufactured object: a seed case
  • an item of luggage; a suitcase.
  • a box containing twelve bottles of wine or other drink, sold as a unit: a case of champagne
  • 2each of the two forms, capital or minuscule, in which a letter of the alphabet may be written or printed. See also upper case, lower case.
    [from the use in printing to mean 'partitioned container for loose metal type']

verb

[with object]
  • 1surround in a material or substance: the towers are of steel cased in granite
  • enclose in a protective container: (as adjective cased) a cased pair of pistols
  • 2 informal reconnoitre (a place) before carrying out a robbery: I was casing the joint

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old French casse, chasse (modern caisse 'trunk, chest', châsse 'reliquary, frame'), from Latin capsa, related to capere 'to hold'