care

¹

[ kair ]

noun

1. a state of mind in which one is troubled; worry, anxiety, or concern:

   He was never free from care.

2. a cause or object of worry, anxiety, concern, etc.:

   A massage is an excellent way to forget your cares for a little while.

   Their son has always been a heavy care to them.

3. serious attention; solicitude; heed; caution:

   She devotes great care to her work.

4. the provision of what is needed for the well-being or protection of a person or thing:

   He is under the care of a doctor.

   With proper care, the watch will last a lifetime.

5. temporary keeping, as for the benefit of or until claimed by the owner:

   He left his valuables in the care of friends.

   Address my mail in care of the American Embassy.

6. grief; suffering; sorrow.

verb (used without object)

, cared, car·ing.

1. to be concerned or solicitous; have thought or regard:

   You can just tell she cares for people's feelings by the way she talks to them.

2. to be concerned or have a special preference (usually used in negative constructions):

   I don't care where we go, I just want to get out of town for a bit.

3. to make provision or look out (usually followed by for ):

   Will you care for the children while I am away?

4. to have an inclination, liking, fondness, or affection (usually followed by for ):

   Would you care for dessert?

   I don't care for him very much.

verb (used with object)

, cared, car·ing.

1. to feel concern about:

   He doesn't care what others say.

2. to wish; desire; like:

   Would you care to dance?

verb phrase

1. 1. to have concern for or interest in:

      It's a privilege to stand in the presence of so many people who care about building a better Canada.

      They don't care about the privacy of the people who use their services.

   2. to have affection for; love:

      One of my greatest joys in life is cooking for those I care about.

CARE

²

or Care

[ kair ]

noun

1. a private organization for the collection of funds, goods, etc., for distribution to people in foreign countries who need aid.

care

¹

/ kɛə /

verb

1. when tr, may take a clause as object to be troubled or concerned; be affected emotionally

   he is dying, and she doesn't care

2. intr; foll by for or about to have regard, affection, or consideration (for)

   he cares more for his hobby than his job

3. intrfoll byfor to have a desire or taste (for)

   would you care for some tea?

4. intrfoll byfor to provide physical needs, help, or comfort (for)

   the nurse cared for her patients

5. tr to agree or like (to do something)

   would you care to sit down, please?

6. for all I care or I couldn't care less
   I am completely indifferent

noun

1. careful or serious attention

   under her care the plant flourished

   he does his work with care

2. protective or supervisory control

   in the care of a doctor

3. often plural trouble; anxiety; worry
4. an object of or cause for concern

   the baby's illness was her only care

5. caution

   handle with care

6. care of
   at the address of: written on envelopes Usual abbreviationc/o
7. in care or into care
   social welfare made the legal responsibility of a local authority by order of a court

CARE

²

/ kɛə /

acronym for

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

Usage Note

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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of care¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun care “sadness, sorrow, grief,” Old English caru, cearu, cognate with Gothic kara, Old High German chara “lament”

Origin of care²

First recorded in 1945–50; shortening of C(ooperative for) A(merican) R(elief) E(verywhere)

Word History and Origins

Origin of care¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. couldn't care less, could not care less; be completely unconcerned: Also could care less.

   I couldn't care less whether she goes to the party or not.

2. take care of,
   1. to watch over; be responsible for:

      to take care of an invalid.

   2. to deal with; attend to:

      I'll take care of the bill, and you can go out and get the car started.

3. take care,
   1. be alert; be careful:

      Take care that you don't fall on the ice!

   2. take care of yourself; goodbye: used as an expression of parting.

More idioms and phrases containing care

In addition to the idiom beginning with care , also see couldn't care less ; for all (I care) ; in care of ; in charge (the care of) ; take care ; take care of ; tender loving care ; that's (takes care of) that .

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

The work stoppage, which affects service and patient care workers at all UC campuses and medical facilities, will continue until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday.

From Los Angeles Times

“Many of my brothers and sisters got killed in my time,” she said, “so I don’t care who doesn’t like it. I’m going to tell it.”

From Los Angeles Times

Unlike kids in the United States, hunter-gatherer children in the Congo Basin have often learned how to hunt, identify edible plants and care for babies by the tender age of six or seven.

From Science Daily

This definition not only ignores cerebral palsy as a lifelong condition but contributes to a lopsided research focus directed only at pediatric care and not care into adulthood and across the lifespan, experts say.

From Science Daily

It found that Mrs Thompson had care plans in place which indicated she required the assistance of two carers in order to stay safe while being moved.

From BBC

Related Words

• attend
• nurse
• nurture
• protect
• tend
• watch

More About Care

What is a basic definition of care?

Care means to devote thought to something and consider it important enough to be worthy of concern. Care also means an attention to detail or the supervision and protection of something. Care has several other senses as a noun and a verb.

If you care about something, then you think it is worthy of your time and it is of concern to you. Most parents care what happens to their children, for example, and will protect and help them.

• Real-life examples: Animal lovers care about the safety and treatment of pets. Most citizens care where their tax money goes. The point of giving a person a present is to show that you care about them.
• Used in a sentence: I always watch the news because I care deeply about what is happening in the world. 

This sense of care is often used in the negative to mean to think something is unimportant or is unworthy of a person’s attention or concern.

• Used in a sentence: I really don’t care if you throw out that old couch. 

As a noun, care refers to caution or an attention to detail, usually when you are trying to not make a mistake or miss something. The adjective careful, meaning cautious, comes from this sense of care. The adjective careless means someone is not using care at all.

• Real-life examples: Surgeons use great care when they slowly and methodically perform surgeries. Drivers should use care when navigating snow and ice on the road. Masters of a craft devote great care to their work and create amazing things.
• Used in a sentence: The house was falling down because the carpenters didn’t devote much care when they built it. 

Care is also used to refer to a situation in which someone or something is under the protection and supervision of someone. A patient who is in a doctor’s care, for example, is being watched and tended to by their doctor. The idiom take care of is related to this sense of care. The term healthcare also comes from this sense.

• Real-life examples: Baby bears are under their mother’s care until they can protect themselves. Plants need proper care from gardeners if they are to grow successfully. Most people keep their money in the care of a bank or accountant.
• Used in a sentence: The children were in the teacher’s care during the field trip. 

Where does care come from?

The first records of care come from before the 900s. It comes from the Old English noun caru and verb carian. It is related to the Old High German chara, meaning “lament.”

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to care?

• carer (noun)
• caring (adjective, noun, present tense verb)
• uncaring (adjective)
• noncaring (adjective)
• overcare (noun)

What are some synonyms for care?

• carefulness
• effort
• management
• responsibility
• supervision
• protection

What are some words that share a root or word element with care? 

• careful
• carefree
• caregiver
• careless
• couldn’t care less

What are some words that often get used in discussing care?

• regard
• package
• protective
• intensive

How is care used in real life?

Care is a very common word that people use to express whether they do or don’t consider something worth thinking about or being concerned with.

Visited Newly added 50 bedded facility including 5 ICU bed in Tezpur Medical College Hospital with HOD anaesthesioloy & Critical care @Prof JK Choudhury.This facility is arranged by GOC4 crops,Tezpur.@DCSonitpur @TheAshokSinghal @keshab_mahanta @AnuraggoelGoel @samirsinha69 pic.twitter.com/pdGoyGUoI3

— Dr Madhab Ch Rajbangshi (@DrRajbangshi) May 13, 2021

Thanks Houston for being understanding. I ended up in doctor’s care, but I gave it my best and you guys were amazing.

— Marilyn Manson (@marilynmanson) August 20, 2018

New guidance: Use care and caution with terms such as disputed election and disputed victory. They require assessing whether the outcome is truly in doubt or unknown, based on reputable sources of information about accuracy and completeness of the vote count. #APStyleChat (1/3)

— APStylebook (@APStylebook) September 29, 2020

Try using care!

True or False?

If you care about your house, you don’t think about it very much and aren’t concerned about what happens to it.

When To Use

What are other ways to say care?

The noun care refers to a state of mind in which one is troubled or anxious about something. How does care compare to concern and worry? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.