care

noun

UK /keə(r)/

Word Forms

singular	care
plural	cares

1
uncountable effort and attention
I can see that a lot of care has gone into your work.
with care:
The label on the box said ‘Handle with care’.
great/special/extra care:
He was choosing his words with great care.
exercise care formal:
The police must exercise more care in the arrest of young offenders.
reasonable/due care legal:
The employer had failed to exercise reasonable care.
Synonyms and related words
Hard work and effort
heavy lifting
ask
work
2
uncountable the activity, skill, or profession of looking after someone who needs help or protection
Some of the injured were in need of hospital care.
The unit provides specialist medical care for premature babies.
The elderly residents receive an excellent standard of care and treatment.
I left him in your care – you should have watched him!
care of:
a technique used in the care of mental patients
Synonyms and related words
The practice or process of protecting
protection
sanctuary
safekeeping
1. 2a
  in the UK, the system in which local government looks after children whose parents are either dead or not able to look after them themselves
  in care:
  She spent 12 years in care.
  take someone into care:
  Her two children were taken into care.
  Synonyms and related words
  Adoption and caring for other people’s children
  adopt
  adopted
  adopter
3
uncountable the use of skill and effort to keep something in good condition
advice on the proper care of your new car
a good skin-care routine
Synonyms and related words
Attentiveness and paying attention
attention
regard
focused
4
countable/uncountable mainly literarya worry about someone or something
Synonyms and related words
Feelings of worry and nervousness
worry
concern
stress

phrases

care of

have a care

not have a care in the world

take care

take care of

care

noun

US /ker/

Word Forms

singular	care
plural	cares

1
uncountable effort and attention
I can see that a lot of care has gone into your work.
with care:
The label on the box said “Handle with care.”
great/special/extra care:
He was choosing his words with great care.
reasonable/due care legal:
The employer had failed to exercise reasonable care.
exercise care formal:
The police must exercise more care in the arrest of young offenders.
Synonyms and related words
Hard work and effort
heavy lifting
ask
work
2
uncountable the activity, skill, or profession of looking after someone who needs help or protection
Some of the injured were in need of hospital care.
The unit provides specialist medical care for premature babies.
The elderly residents receive an excellent standard of care and treatment.
I left him in your care – you should have watched him!
care of:
a technique used in the care of mental patients
Synonyms and related words
The practice or process of protecting
protection
defense
safekeeping
1. 2a
  in the U.K., the system in which local government takes care of children whose parents are either dead or not able to take care of them themselves
  in care:
  She spent her first 12 years in care.
  take someone into care:
  Her two children were taken into care.
  Synonyms and related words
  Adoption and caring for other people’s children
  adopt
  adopted
  adopter
3
uncountable the use of skill and effort to keep something in good condition
advice on the proper care of your new car
a good skin-care routine
Synonyms and related words
Attentiveness and paying attention
attention
regard
focused
4
countable/uncountable mainly literarya worry about someone or something
Synonyms and related words
Feelings of worry and nervousness
worry
concern
stress

phrases

care of

not have a care in the world

take care

take care of

care

verb intransitive/transitive

UK /keə(r)/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	care
he/she/it	cares
present participle	caring
past tense	cared
past participle	cared

1
never progressiveto be interested in someone and want them to be well and happy
I wish I had someone who cared.
Only Ed cared enough to come and talk to her.
care about:
I don’t think she cares about him at all.
Synonyms and related words
To value something or someone
value
respect
appreciate
2
to be interested in something and feel strongly that it is important
care about:
No one seemed to care about her feelings.
care what/why etc:
Of course I care what happens to the school!
genuinely care:
He wasn’t lying – he genuinely didn’t care whether he passed his exams or not.
care deeply/passionately:
They cared passionately about the environment.
not care either way/one way or the other (=not worry about what is decided):
Our mother said she didn’t care either way, as long as we were all happy.
neither know nor care:
He neither knew nor cared what she meant by that remark.
Synonyms and related words
To be, or to become interested in something
deal in
wake up
have something on the brain
3
I could care less
informal
I don’t care at all
My little sister is def going to be engaged or married before I am and I could care less.
Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 21/11/2017
Open Dictionary - November2017

phrases

any person/thing you care to name/mention

be past caring

someone couldn’t care less

for all someone cares

more/longer etc than someone cares to remember/admit/mention

not care for someone/something

not care to do something

perhaps someone would care to do something/would someone care to do something?

see if I care

who cares?

would you care for something

would you care to do something

phrasal verbs

care for

care

verb intransitive/transitive

US /ker/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	care
he/she/it	cares
present participle	caring
past tense	cared
past participle	cared

1
never progressiveto be interested in someone and want them to be well and happy
I wish I had someone who cared.
Only Ed cared enough to come and talk to her.
care about:
I don’t think she cares about him at all.
Synonyms and related words
To value something or someone
value
respect
appreciate
2
to be interested in something and feel strongly that it is important
care about:
No one seemed to care about her feelings.
care what/why etc.:
Of course I care what happens to the school!
not care either way/one way or the other (=not worry about what is decided):
Our mother said she didn’t care either way, as long as we were all happy.
genuinely care:
He wasn’t lying – he genuinely didn’t care whether he passed the test or not.
care deeply/passionately:
They cared passionately about the environment.
neither know nor care:
He neither knew nor cared what she meant by that remark.
Synonyms and related words
To be, or to become interested in something
deal in
wake up
have something on the brain
3
I could care less
informal
I don’t care at all
My little sister is def going to be engaged or married before I am and I could care less.
Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 21/11/2017
Open Dictionary - November2017

phrases

any person/thing you care to name/mention

be past caring

someone couldn’t care less

for all someone cares

more/longer etc. than someone cares to remember/admit/mention

not care for someone/something

not care to do something

perhaps someone would care to do something/would someone care to do something?

see if I care

who cares?

would you care for something

would you care to do something

phrasal verbs

care for

CARE

US /ker/

1
a U.S. organization that sends packages containing medicine, food, clothing, or other things to people who need them anywhere in the world
Synonyms and related words
Charities and charitable organizations or people
aid agency
aid worker
benefactor

View the pronunciation for CARE.

care ​‌‌‌

care ​‌‌‌

care ​‌‌‌

I could care less

care ​‌‌‌

I could care less

CARE

care

care

care

care