care

- definition

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verb [intransitive/transitive] British English pronunciation: care

/keə(r)/

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

1
[never progressive] to 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.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care
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.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care

phrases

any person/thing you care to name/mention
anyone or anything at all, used especially in comparisons
It was definitely hotter than any place in the tropics you’d care to mention.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care
be past caring
British spoken
to be no longer interested in someone or something, because they have made you feel annoyed or tired of them
‘Don’t you want to know what she said?’ – ‘No, I’m past caring.’
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care
someone couldn’t care less
or as if someone cares
or what does someone care? spoken
used for emphasizing that someone thinks something is unimportant. These phrases usually show that the speaker is angry or upset
I couldn’t care less how you do it – just do it.
As if she cares whether he’s happy or not!
What do the bus company care if you have to wait for three hours?
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care
for all someone cares
spoken
used for saying that someone would not be worried or affected by a particular situation or action
For all he cares, I could be lying dead somewhere.
Ask my parents yourself, for all I care – it won’t make any difference.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care
more/longer etc than someone cares to remember/admit/mention
used for saying that something has been happening for a long time or very much
I’ve been doing this job for more years than I care to remember.
He had hurt her more than she cared to admit.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care
not care for someone/something
formal
to not like someone or something
I don’t much care for chocolate.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care
not care to do something
formal
to not want to do something
The Prime Minister said he did not care to comment.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care
perhaps someone would care to do something/would someone care to do something?
spoken
used for asking someone to do something, in a way that shows that you are angry or upset
Perhaps one of you would care to explain this to me?
Would someone care to tell us just what is going on here?
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care
see if I care
spoken
used when talking to someone who has made you angry or upset, for saying that their actions do not worry or interest you
Oh, just go – see if I care!
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care
who cares?
spoken
used for saying that you do not think something is important and that you are not worried about it
‘I don’t know. Who cares?’
I mean, really, who cares whether he lied or not?
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care
would you care for something
spoken formal
used for asking politely whether someone would like something
Would you care for a coffee?
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care
would you care to do something
spoken formal
used for asking politely whether someone would like to do something
Would you care to sit down?
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of care

phrasal verbs

care for

This is the British English definition of care. View American English definition of care.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

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care

What are red words?

Thesaurus

Related dictionary definitions

phrases

any person/thing you care to name/mention

be past caring

someone couldn’t care less

or as if someone cares

or what does someone care? spoken

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

showmance

Word of the Day

slime

human-readable