Word family noun care carer adjective careful ≠ careless caring ≠ uncaring verb care adverb carefully ≠ carelessly
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcarecare1 /keə $ ker/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 looking after somebodyLOOKING AFTER somebody/something [uncountable]LOOK AFTER somebody the process of looking after someone, especially because they are ill, old, or very young high standards of medical care They shared the care of the children. Care facilities for the elderly are inadequate.in somebody’s care (=being looked after by someone) The children had been left in the care of a babysitter.be under somebody’s care (=be officially looked after or treated by someone) Mentally ill patients will be under the care of a psychiatrist. → day care, health care, intensive care, → tender loving care at tender1(5)2 → take care of somebody/something3 → take care4 keeping something in good condition [uncountable] the process of doing things to keep something in good condition and working correctly With proper care, the washing machine should last for years. advice on skin care5 CAREFULNESScarefulness [uncountable]CAREFUL when you are careful to avoid damage, mistakes etc The note on the box said ‘Fragile – handle with care’. The picture had been drawn with great care.6 → take care over/with something7 → in care8 RPOBLEM/WORRYproblem/worry [countable, uncountable] literaryPROBLEM something that causes problems and makes you anxious or sad At last I felt free from my cares. Alex looked as though he didn’t have a care in the world (=had no problems or worries). a man with the cares of the world on his shoulders (=with a lot of problems or worries)9 → care of somebody10 → have a care!COLLOCATIONStypes of care medical carePeople expect good standards of medical care.health careThe government has put a lot more money into health care.hospital care£50.6m is to be spent on hospital care.community care (=in the area where you live rather than in hospitals)Most mentally ill people are now treated through community care.home care (=in people’s own homes)You can find home care through family service agencies.patient care (=care of someone who is ill)The changes should lead to better patient care.inpatient/outpatient care (=for people in hospital/not in hospital)Outpatient care is generally less expensive than a stay in hospital.nursing careThe important thing is the quality of the nursing care.residential care (=for ill or old people in a place where they stay)They used the money to pay for residential care.intensive care (=for people who are very seriously ill)He needed intensive care for several weeks.after-school careChildren with both parents working long hours need after-school care.constant/round-the-clock care (=all day and all night)He needs round-the-clock care.short-term/long-term careThe home provides short-term care for elderly people.verbsprovide careThe charity provides care and shelter for homeless people.need/require careShe had an aging mother who required constant care.receive careEvery citizen has the right to receive health care.care + NOUNa care worker British English (=someone whose job is looking after people)She's a part-time care worker with mentally ill adults.care services/facilitiesHow much money is spent on health care services? THESAURUS – Meaning 5: when you are careful to avoid damage, mistakes etccarefulnesscare if you do something with care, you are careful to avoid damage, mistakes etcShe put the needle in with great care.Everyone should take care in the sun.caution care to avoid danger or risks, or care about trusting information that might not be trueHer evidence should be treated with caution.There was a certain lack of caution among investors.prudence a sensible and careful attitude that makes you avoid unnecessary risks – a rather formal useBanks should show more prudence in lending money. vigilance careful attention to what is happening, so that you will notice any danger or illegal activityGovernments from across the world have called for greater vigilance against Internet-based crime. There is a need for constant vigilance to protect vulnerable people.regard for something careful attention and consideration shown to something, to avoid danger or risks – used especially when someone fails to do thisThe court heard that the company had shown no regard for the safety of its employees.These men are cold-blooded killers and have little regard for human life. tact care not to say anything that might offend or upset someoneHe handled the matter with a great deal of tact.discretion care to deal with situations in a way that does not embarrass, upset or offend people, especially by not telling any of their secretsAny confidential information was treated with discretion. Examples from the Corpus
care• Care of the environment has become a priority in government thinking.• hair-care products• It recommends that resources for the developments in primary and community care to pump-prime and provide transitional support be secured urgently.• These photocopiers require a little extra care to keep them running right.• The other is preventive health care for all, including prenatal care.• Mud-Pony-Boy healed the horse with loving care and herbal compresses for the injured foot.• Your father will need constant medical care.• Finally, such medical care will generally involve invasive drug therapy.• I'd advise you to follow a new skin care routine.• skin care lotions• Take care to fit the diodes and electrolytic capacitors the correct way round.• He had spent two hours taking care of his tires in the rain.• All employees have been trained in the care of young children.• A comprehensive review of the patient can be achieved through the use of the care plan.• She has become a leading expert on the care and maintenance of Renaissance paintings.• The note on the box read, "Fragile - handle with care."• I planned this thing with care.• Movies set you free from your cares for a while.be under somebody’s care• And little Joan had grown morose and was under the care of a dermatologist who was giving her antibiotics.• Everything important to the farm was under the care of a beneficent power, never conceived of as having a definite shape.• They believed that the land was under the care and guardianship of the people who used it and lived on it.• But why, they asked of each other, should a child like that be under the care of the rag woman?great care• Great care must be taken when the fish is transferred by net as the spines inevitably tangle.• Great care was taken in the design of the control panel and the instruments mounted on it.• Great care was taken with his education, but teaching him what he did not wish to learn was a dangerous business.• If you have to clean a patient's eyes, take great care and ask them not to move.• George is very kind and caring and took great care over Lennie.• More experiments on more lymphoma-bearing mice followed, and the doses likely to achieve the best effect were assessed with great care.• He began to weigh his words with great care, struggling to express himself as economically and clearly as possible.carecare2 ●●● S1 W2 verb [intransitive, transitive] 1 OBJECTS/EVENTSINTERESTEDto think that something is important, so that you are interested in it, worried about it etccare about The only thing he seems to care about is money.care what/how/whether etc She didn’t care what her father thought. ‘He looked angry.’ ‘I don’t care!’2 PEOPLELOVEto be concerned about what happens to someone, because you like or love them → caringcare about I care about him and hate to see him hurt like this. She felt that nobody cared.3 → who cares?4 → see if I care!5 → somebody couldn’t care less6 → what does somebody care?7 → as if I cared!8 → for all somebody cares9 → not care to do something10 → any ... you care to name/mention11 → would you care to do sth?THESAURUStake care of somebody (also look after somebody especially British English) to make sure a child or an old or sick person is safe and has the things they needI have to look after my little brother.Taking care of a baby is hard work. She is taking care of her grandmother while her grandfather is in hospital. care for somebody to take care of someone. Care for somebody is less common and more formal than take care of/look after somebodyHe was cared for by a team of nurses.Caring for an elderly relative can be very rewarding.nurse to look after someone who is illHe nursed his wife through a long illness.The monks nursed him back to health (=looked after him until he was well again).babysit to look after children in the evening while their parents go out somewhereI’ll ask Jane to babysit on Wednesday night.He used to babysit for Mary when she worked nights.mind British English to look after a child while their parents are not there, especially for a short timeWill you mind the baby while I go to the shop? → care for somebody/something→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
care• Buy her some flowers to show her you really care.• Despite knowing all this, and caring about it, I would sometimes lose the rag with him.• She thinks we're interfering but we're only doing it because we care.• Thousands are dying from disease and starvation and yet no one seems to care.• Of course I care about Kirsty - that's why I want to help her.• I'm very lucky to have a husband, family and friends who care about me.• Of course I care about the homeless and the unemployed, but what can I do?• He was saying that he cared about them too much to let them feed on self-delusion.• But Theresa would not care, being almost glad to be all wrong in some sphere.• But audiences didn't care if the film died.• The building is crawling with people who seem to care less about the job itself than about holding on to it.• We care not a pin, though they are ne'er so sad.• Some kids' parents don't care what they do.• We make a range of natural, additive-free foods for people who really care what they eat.• If Foley were a traitor, he did not care who knew it, it would seem.care what/how/whether etc• I don't care what any official says.• Everybody certainly had the impression that Oppenheimer cared what each particular person was doing.• Did he think she no longer cared what happened to him?• Iconoclasts rarely care what others think.• Who cares whether she lived or died?• Horses, cards, roulette - he didn't care what the game was.• Did I ever care what was happening around me?• Nor do they care how you might have come by your possessions, off-planet.CARECARE /keə $ ker/ (Cooperative for American Relief to Everywhere) an organization that sends special boxes of food, clothing, and medicine called ‘CARE packages’ to places in the world where they are needed. The organization started in the US but now includes 12 member countries.Origin care1 Old English caru 