care (cares plural & 3rd person present) (caring present participle) (cared past tense & past participle )
1 verb If you care about something, you feel that it is important and are concerned about it.
...a company that cares about the environment. V about n
2 verb If you care for someone, you feel a lot of affection for them., (approval)
He wanted me to know that he still cared for me. V for/about n
♦
caring n-uncount
...the `feminine' traits of caring and compassion.
3 verb If you care for someone or something, you look after them and keep them in a good state or condition.
They hired a nurse to care for her. V for n
4 n-uncount Children who are in care are looked after by the state because their parents are dead or unable to look after them properly.
(BRIT)
...a home for children in care...
5 verb If you say that you do not care for something or someone, you mean that you do not like them.
OLD-FASHIONED She had met both sons and did not care for either. V for n
6 verb If you say that someone does something when they care to do it, you mean that they do it, although they should do it more willingly or more often.
(=choose)
The woman tells anyone who cares to listen that she's going through hell... V to-inf
7 verb You can ask someone if they would care for something or if they would care to do something as a polite way of asking if they would like to have or do something., (politeness)
(=like)
Would you care for some orange juice?... V for n
8 n-uncount If you do something with care, you give careful attention to it because you do not want to make any mistakes or cause any damage.
Condoms are an effective method of birth control if used with care...
9 n-count Your cares are your worries, anxieties, or fears.
(=worry)
Lean back in a hot bath and forget all the cares of the day...
10
→
caring
→
aftercare
→
day care
→
intensive care
11 You can use for all I care to emphasize that it does not matter at all to you what someone does.
♦
for all sb cares phrase
(emphasis)
You can go right now for all I care.
12 If you say that you couldn't care less about someone or something, you are emphasizing that you are not interested in them or worried about them. In American English, you can also say that you could care less, with the same meaning.
♦
couldn't care less, could care less phrase
(emphasis)
I couldn't care less about the bloody woman...
13 If someone sends you a letter or parcel care of a particular person or place, they send it to that person or place, and it is then passed on to you. In American English, you can also say in care of.
♦
care of sb, in care of sb phrase
Please write to me care of the publishers...
14 If you take care of someone or something, you look after them and prevent them from being harmed or damaged.
♦
take care of sth/sb phrase
(=look after)
There was no one else to take care of their children...
15 You can say `Take care' when saying goodbye to someone.
♦
take care convention
(formulae)
16 If you take care to do something, you make sure that you do it.
♦
take care to do sth phrase
Foley followed Albert through the gate, taking care to close the latch.
17 To take care of a problem, task, or situation means to deal with it.
♦
take care of sth phrase
(=deal with)
They leave it to the system to try and take care of the problem...
18 You can say `Who cares?' to emphasize that something does not matter to you at all.
♦
who cares phrase
(emphasis)
Who cares about some stupid vacation?...
