care

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 [U] the process of caring for sb/sth and providing what they need for their health or protection: medical / patient care * How much do men share housework and the care of the children? * the provision of care for the elderly * skin / hair care products seealsoDAYCARE, HEALTHCARE, INTENSIVECARE 2 [U] attention or thought that you give to sth that you are doing so that you will do it well and avoid mistakes or damage: She chose her words with care. * Great care is needed when choosing a used car. * Fragile-handle with care (= written on a container holding sth which is easily broken or damaged) 3 [C,usually pl.,U] (formal) a feeling of worry or anxiety; something that causes problems or anxiety: I felt free from the cares of the day as soon as I left the building. * Sam looked as if he didn't have a care in the world. IDIOMS care of sb (AmE also in care of sb) (abbreviation c / o) used when writing to sb at another person's address: Write to him care of his lawyer. in care (BrE) (of children) living in an institution run by the local authority rather than with their parents: The two girls were taken into care after their parents were killed. in the care of sb / in sb's care being cared for by sb: The child was left in the care of friends. * You won't come to any harm while you're in their care. take care (spoken) used when saying goodbye: Bye! Take care! take care (that... / to do sth) to be careful: Take care (that) you don't drink too much! * Care should be taken to close the lid securely. take care of sb/sth / yourself 1 to care for sb/sth/yourself; to be careful about sth: Who's taking care of the children while you're away? * She takes great care of her clothes. * He's old enough to take care of himself. * You should take better care of yourself. 2 to be responsible for or to deal with a situation or task: Don't worry about the travel arrangements. They're all being taken care of. * Celia takes care of the marketing side of things. under the care of sb receiving medical care from sb: He's under the care of Dr Parks. * refugees under the care of the relief agencies verb (not used in the progressive tenses) 1 ~ (about sth) to feel that sth is important and worth worrying about: [V] She cares deeply about environmental issues. * I don't care (= I will not be upset) if I never see him again! * He threatened to fire me, as if I cared!. * [Vwh-] I don't care what he thinks. * [Vthat] She doesn't seem to care that he's been married four times before. 2 [V] ~ (about sb) to like or love sb and worry about what happens to them: He genuinely cares about his employees. * They care an awful lot about each other. 3 [Vtoinf] to make the effort to do sth: I've done this job more times than I care to remember. IDIOMS couldn't care less (informal) used to say, often rudely, that you do not think that sb/sth is important or worth worrying about: Quite honestly, I couldn't care less what they do. for all you, I, they, etc. care (spoken) used to say that a person is not worried about or interested in what happens to sb/sth: I could be dead for all he cares! who cares?