care

[ kair ]
/ kɛər /

noun

verb (used without object), cared, car·ing.

verb (used with object), cared, car·ing.

to feel concern about: He doesn't care what others say.
to wish; desire; like: Would you care to dance?

Idioms for care

Origin of care

before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English caru, cearu, cognate with Gothic kara, Old High German chara “lament”

synonym study for care

1. See concern. 3. To take care, pains, trouble (to do something) implies watchful, conscientious effort to do something exactly right. To take care implies the performance of one particular detail: She took care to close the cover before striking the match. To take pains suggests a sustained carefulness, an effort to see that nothing is overlooked but that every small detail receives attention: to take pains with fine embroidery. To take trouble implies an effort that requires a considerable amount of activity and exertion: to take the trouble to make suitable arrangements.

usage note for care

13. Couldn't care less, a phrase used to express indifference, is sometimes heard as could care less, which ought to mean the opposite but is intended to be synonymous with the former phrase. Both versions are common mainly in informal speech.

OTHER WORDS FROM care

car·er, noun non·car·ing, adjective o·ver·care, noun un·car·ing, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for take care of (1 of 2)

care
/ (kɛə) /

verb

noun

Word Origin for care

Old English cearu (n), cearian (vb), of Germanic origin; compare Old High German chara lament, Latin garrīre to gossip

British Dictionary definitions for take care of (2 of 2)

CARE
/ (kɛə) /

n acronym for

Cooperative for American Relief Everywhere, Inc.; a federation of US charities, giving financial and technical assistance to many regions of the world
communicated authenticity, regard, empathy: the three qualities believed to be essential in the therapist practising client-centred therapy

Idioms and Phrases with take care of (1 of 2)

take care of

1

Attend to, assume responsibility for, as in Go ahead to the movies, I'll take care of parking the car, or They've hired someone to take care of the children for a week. [Late 1500s]

2

Beat up or kill someone, as in If he didn't pay up they threatened to take care of him and his family. [Slang; c. 1930]

Idioms and Phrases with take care of (2 of 2)

care