care

See also: Care, caré, căre, čáře, çare, çarë, and -care

English

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /kɛə/
(General American) enPR: kâr, IPA^(key): /kɛɚ/, [kʰe(ə̯)ɹ], [kʰɛ(ə̯)ɹ]
- Audio (US): (file)
- (dialectal) enPR: kêr IPA^(key): /kɪə(ɹ)/^[1]
(General Australian) IPA^(key): /keː/
(New Zealand, without the cheer–chair merger) IPA^(key): /keə/
(New Zealand, cheer–chair merger) IPA^(key): /kiə/
(Scotland) IPA^(key): /keɹ/
(Lancashire, fair–fur merger) IPA^(key): /kɜː(ɹ)/
Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)
Homophones: Keir (cheer–chair merger), cur (fair–fur merger)

Etymology 1

From Middle English care, from Old English caru, ċearu (“care, concern, anxiety, sorrow, grief, trouble”), from Proto-West Germanic *karu, from Proto-Germanic *karō (“care, sorrow, cry”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵeh₂r- (“shout, call”). Cognate with Old Saxon cara, kara (“concern, action”), Middle High German kar (“sorrow, lamentation”), Icelandic kör (“sickbed”), Gothic 𐌺𐌰𐍂𐌰 (kara, “concern, care”). Related also to Dutch karig (“scanty”), German karg (“sparse, meagre, barren”), Latin garriō, Ancient Greek γῆρυς (gêrus). See also chary.

Noun

care (countable and uncountable, plural cares)

(obsolete) Grief, sorrow. [13th–19th c.]
- 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The life and death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
  More health and happiness betide my liege / Than can my care-tuned tongue deliver him!
- c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
  Sleep, that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care.
- 1885, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Julnar the Sea-Born and Her Son King Badr Basim of Persia”, in A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume VII, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC, page 265:
  One day, among the days, he bethought him of this and fell lamenting for that the most part of his existence was past and he had not been vouchsafed a son, to inherit the kingdom after him, even as he had inherited it from his fathers and forebears; by reason whereof there betided him sore cark and care and chagrin exceeding.
Close attention; concern; responsibility.
Care should be taken when holding babies.
- 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
  I thank thee for thy care and honest pains.
- 1925, Walter Anthony and Tom Reed (titles), Rupert Julian (director), The Phantom of the Opera, silent movie:
  ‘Have a care, Buquet—ghosts like not to be seen or talked about!’
(countable, uncountable) Worry.
I don’t have a care in the world.
- 1956, Irving Berlin, “Cheek to Cheek”:
  Yes, heaven, I’m in heaven / And the cares that hung around me through the week / Seem to vanish like a gambler’s lucky streak
(uncountable) Maintenance, upkeep.
dental care
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Corinthians 11:28:
  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
(uncountable) The treatment of those in need (especially as a profession).
- 2013 June 21, Karen McVeigh, “US rules human genes can't be patented”, in The Guardian Weekly‎^[1], volume 189, number 2, page 10:
  The US supreme court has ruled unanimously that natural human genes cannot be patented, a decision that scientists and civil rights campaigners said removed a major barrier to patient care and medical innovation.
(uncountable) The state of being cared for by others.
in care
The object of watchful attention or anxiety.
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 17:
  Right sorrowfully mourning her bereaved cares.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

close attention, concern or responsibility

Albanian: re (sq) m, reja (sq) f
Arabic: اِهْتِمَام m (ihtimām)
Armenian: խնամք (hy) (xnamkʻ), հոգ (hy) (hog)
Azerbaijani: diqqət (az), qayğı (az)
Belarusian: кло́пат m (klópat), турбо́та f (turbóta)
Bengali: পরোয়া (bn) (porōẇa), এহতেমাম (ehtemam)
Bulgarian: грижа (bg) f (griža), отговорност (bg) m (otgovornost)
Catalan: cura (ca) f, compte (ca) m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 關懷 / 关怀 (zh) (guānhuái)
Czech: péče (cs)
Danish: forsigtighed c, omtanke c, omsorg c
Dutch: zorg (nl)
Esperanto: zorgo (eo), atento
Finnish: huolellisuus (fi), varovaisuus (fi)
French: souci (fr) m, soin (fr) m
Galician: cudio m, coido m, coidado (gl) m, gabexo m, femenza f, xeito (gl) m, cadillo m, cura (gl) f
German: Sorge (de) f
Gothic: 𐌺𐌰𐍂𐌰 f (kara)
Greek: έγνοια (el) f (égnoia)
Ancient: ἐπιμέλεια f (epiméleia)
Hanunoo: alaga
Hindi: परवाह (hi) f (parvāh)
Hungarian: figyelem (hu), óvatosság (hu)
Irish: aire (ga) f
Italian: cura (it) f, attenzione (it) f
Japanese: 気にする (ja) (ki ni suru), 気にかける (ki ni kakeru)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: ئاگا (aga)
Ladino: kudio m
Latgalian: ryupestis, ryupeste, klopotys
Latin: cura (la) f
Latvian: rūpe f, gādība f, gādīgums m, rūpība f, rūpīgums m
Macedonian: грижа m (griža)
Malayalam: ഉത്തരവാദിത്തം (uttaravādittaṁ), ശ്രദ്ധ (ml) (śraddha)
Maori: tautiakanga, tautiakitanga
Mongolian: анхаарал (mn) (anxaaral)
Norwegian:
Bokmål: forsiktighet (no) m or f
Old English: ġīeme f
Ottoman Turkish: دقت (dikkat), بال (bâl)
Plautdietsch: Hutt f
Polish: troska (pl) f
Portuguese: cuidado (pt) m
Romanian: grijă (ro), păs (ro)
Russian: забо́та (ru) f (zabóta)
Scottish Gaelic: aire f, suim f
Serbo-Croatian: skrb (sh) f
Slovak: opatrnosť
Spanish: atención (es) f, cuidado (es) m, esmero (es) m, primor (es) m
Swedish: omtanke (sv), omsorg (sv), vård (sv)
Tagalog: pakialam
Tocharian B: snauki
Turkish: dikkat (tr), özen (tr)
Ukrainian: турбо́та f (turbóta)
Zazaki: itimad

worry

Armenian: հոգս (hy) (hogs)
Azerbaijani: qayğı (az)
Belarusian: кло́пат m (klópat), непако́й m (njepakój), неспако́й m (njespakój), турбо́та f (turbóta)
Bengali: চিন্তা (bn) (cinta)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 擔心 / 担心 (zh) (dānxīn)
Danish: bekymring c
Esperanto: zorgo (eo)
Finnish: huoli (fi)
French: souci (fr) m
Greek:
Ancient: μέριμνα f (mérimna)
Irish: sníomh m
Latin: cura (la)
Latvian: rūpe f
Norwegian: nennsomhet m
Old English: caru f
Plautdietsch: Sorj f
Russian: беспоко́йство (ru) n (bespokójstvo), забо́та (ru) f (zabóta), трево́га (ru) f (trevóga), хло́поты (ru) f pl (xlópoty)
Serbo-Croatian: briga (sh) f
Swedish: bekymmer (sv) n
Turkish: kaygı (tr), tasa (tr)
Ukrainian: турбо́та f (turbóta), турбо́та f (turbóta), неспокі́й m (nespokíj)
Zazaki: qaxu
Zulu: ukukhatazeka

maintenance, upkeep — see also maintenance

Bengali: যত্ন (bn) (jotno)
Danish: vedligehold n
Finnish: hoito (fi)
Greek:
Ancient: ἐπιμέλεια f (epiméleia)
Portuguese: manutenção (pt) f
Russian: ухо́д (ru) m (uxód)
Serbo-Croatian: skrb (sh) f, zbrinjavanje n
Slovak: starostlivosť
Swedish: underhåll (sv) n
Turkish: bakım (tr)
Zazaki: timar

treatment of those in need

Arabic: عِنَايَة f (ʕināya), رِعَايَة f (riʕāya)
Moroccan Arabic: رعاية (riʕāya)
Belarusian: турбо́та f (turbóta), до́гляд m (dóhljad), апе́ка f (apjéka)
Bengali: সেবা (bn) (śeba)
Bulgarian: грижи (bg) pl (griži)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 關照 / 关照 (zh) (guānzhào)
Czech: péče (cs) f
Danish: omsorg c, pleje c
Esperanto: flegado
Finnish: hoito (fi), hoiva (fi), hoitotyö (fi), hoivatyö, hoitoala (fi), hoiva-ala (fi)
French: soin (fr) m
German: Pflege (de) f
Greek:
Ancient: ἐπιμέλια f (epimélia)
Hungarian: törődés (hu), ápolás (hu)
Indonesian: perawatan (id), asuhan (id)
Irish: cúram f, cúraimí pl
Kazakh: күтім (kütım)
Latin: cūra (la) f, cūrātūra (la) f, cūrātiō f
Malay: rawatan (ms)
Malayalam: ശുശ്രൂഷ (ml) (śuśrūṣa)
Mongolian: анхаарал (mn) (anxaaral)
Norwegian:
Bokmål: pleie (no) m or f, omsorg m or f

Nynorsk: pleie f, omsorg f
Ottoman Turkish: تیمار (timar)
Polish: opieka (pl) f
Portuguese: atendimento (pt) m, assistência (pt) f, tratamento (pt)
Russian: забо́та (ru) f (zabóta), ухо́д (ru) m (uxód), попече́ние (ru) n (popečénije), опе́ка (ru) f (opéka), хло́поты (ru) f pl (xlópoty)
Serbo-Croatian: skrb (sh) f, zbrinjavanje n
Slovak: starostlivosť
Swedish: vård (sv), omsorg (sv)
Tagalog: pag-iingat
Turkish: tedavi (tr), tımar
Ukrainian: турбо́та (turbóta), до́гляд (dóhljad)
Zazaki: tedawi

state of being cared for

Danish: pleje c
Finnish: huosta, hoiva (fi)
German: Pflege (de) f
Indonesian: perawatan (id)
Latin: cūra (la) f, cūrātūra (la) f, cūrātiō f
Malay: rawatan (ms)
Russian: попече́ние (ru) n (popečénije), ухо́д (ru) m (uxód)
Serbo-Croatian: skrb (sh) f, zbrinjavanje n
Slovak: starostlivosť
Swedish: vård (sv)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: ^{(please verify)} ئاگا (aga)
Old English: ^{(please verify)} ċearu f
Serbo-Croatian: ^{(please verify)} brȉga (sh), ^{(please verify)} nȅga (sh), ^{(please verify)} skȓb (sh)
Slovene: (1) ^{(please verify)} skȓb (sl) f, (1) ^{(please verify)} briga

Etymology 2

From Middle English caren, carien, from Old English carian (“to sorrow, grieve, be troubled, be anxious, to care for, heed”), from Proto-West Germanic *karōn (“to care”), from Proto-Germanic *karōną (“to care”).

Cognate with Old Saxon karōn (“to lament”), Middle High German karen, karn (“to complain, lament, grieve, mourn”), archaic German karen (“to groan, gasp”), Alemannic German karen, kären (“to groan, gasp”), Swedish kära (“to fall in love”), Icelandic kæra (“to care, like”), Gothic 𐌺𐌰𐍂𐍉𐌽 (karōn, “to be concerned”).

Verb

care (third-person singular simple present cares, present participle caring, simple past and past participle cared)

(transitive, intransitive) To be concerned (about), to have an interest (in); to feel concern (about).
She doesn’t care what you think.

I don’t care, I’m still going.
- 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
  […] What cares these roarers [i.e. thunder] for the name of king? […]
- 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax:
  And no use for anyone to tell Charles that this was because the Family was in mourning for Mr Granville Darracott […]: Charles might only have been second footman at Darracott Place for a couple of months when that disaster occurred, but no one could gammon him into thinking that my lord cared a spangle for his heir.
- 2012 May 27, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club:
  This newfound infatuation renders Bart uncharacteristically vulnerable. He suddenly has something to care about beyond causing trouble and makes a dramatic transformation from hell-raiser to gentleman about town.
- 2019, Aries, “Amy's Grave”, in Welcome Home‎^[2]:
  No longer mind if I go / You pray enough, I might fall / Down, down, down, down, down / Why should I care what happens to me? / Why should I care what happens to me?
(intransitive, polite, formal, chiefly in the negative) To want, to desire; to like; to be inclined towards or interested in.
Would you care for another slice of cake?

Would you care to dance?

I don’t care to hear your opinion.
(intransitive, informal, by extension) To be affected by, to treat as relevant for a subsequent course of action.
- 2013, Addy Osmani, Developing Backbone.js Applications, page 175:
  An event aggregator facilitates a fire-and-forget model of communication. The object triggering the event doesn’t care if there are any subscribers. It just fires the event and moves on.
(intransitive) (with for) To look after or look out for.
Young children can learn to care for a pet.

He cared for his mother while she was sick.
(intransitive, Appalachia) To mind; to object.
- 2006, Grace Toney Edwards, JoAnn Aust Asbury, Ricky L. Cox, A Handbook to Appalachia: An Introduction to the Region, Univ. of Tennessee Press, →ISBN, page 108:
  After introducing herself, the therapist then asked the patient if it would be all right to do the exercises which the doctor had ordered for her. The patient would response, "Well, I don't care to." For several days, the therapist immediately left the room and officially recorded that the patient had "refused" therapy. […] It was not until months later that this therapist […] discovered that she should have been interpreting "I don't care to" as "I don't mind" doing those exercises now.

Usage notes

The sense “to want” is most commonly found as an interrogative or negative sentence, and may take a for clause (would you care for some tea?) or (as a catenative verb) takes a to infinitive (would you care to go with me?). See Appendix:English catenative verbs.
In the sense “to be concerned about”, care may idiomatically take a figurative amount as a direct object, as in the fixed phrase care a fig (equivalent to give a fig), or care one whit.

Conjugation

Conjugation of *care*
	present tense	past tense
infinitive	(to) care

1st-person singular	care	cared
2nd-person singular	care, carest^†	cared, caredst^†
3rd-person singular	cares, careth^†	cared
plural	care	cared

subjunctive	care	cared

imperative	care	—

participles	caring	cared

^† Archaic or obsolete.

Derived terms

Translations

to be concerned about

Arabic: اِهْتَمَّ بِـ (ihtamma bi-)
Egyptian Arabic: اهتم (ehtam)
Azerbaijani: vecinə olmaq, vecinə almaq, fikir vermək (az)
Belarusian: турбава́цца impf (turbavácca)
Bulgarian: интересувам се (interesuvam se)
Catalan: preocupar-se
Chinese:
Mandarin: 關心 / 关心 (zh) (guānxīn), 小心 (zh) (xiǎoxīn)
Czech: starat se (cs), starat
Dutch: geven (om)
Esperanto: zorgi (eo)
Estonian: huvitama, hoolima
Finnish: välittää (fi), piitata (fi)
French: se soucier (fr), s’intéresser (fr)
German: sorgen (de), sich sorgen (de), sich kümmern (de)
Gothic: 𐌺𐌰𐍂𐍉𐌽 (karōn), 𐌲𐌰𐌺𐌰𐍂𐍉𐌽 (gakarōn)
Greek: νοιάζει (el) (noiázei)
Ancient: φροντίζω (phrontízō)
Hungarian: foglalkozik (hu) (about the subject), érdekel (hu) (about the object)
Icelandic: sama (is)
Ido: suciar (io)
Indonesian: peduli (id)
Irish: is miste do
Italian: interessarsi (it)
Japanese: 構う (ja) (kamau), 気にする (ja) (ki-ni suru), 気にかける (ki-ni kakeru)
Korean: 상관하다 (sanggwanhada), 걱정하다 (ko) (geokjeonghada)
Latin: cūrō (la), pertineor
Malay: peduli (ms)
Ngazidja Comorian: ushuhuliha
Old English: rēċan
Polish: martwić się (pl)
Portuguese: preocupar-se, importar-se, ligar (pt)
Russian: беспоко́иться (ru) (bespokóitʹsja), забо́титься (ru) (zabótitʹsja)
Slovak: zaujímať
Spanish: importar (es), interesar (es)
Swedish: bry sig (sv)
Thai: สน (th) (sǒn), สนใจ (th) (sǒn-jai)
Tibetan: please add this translation if you can
Turkish: umrunda olmak, umursamak (tr)
Ukrainian: турбува́тися (turbuvátysja), догляда́ти (dohljadáty)
Vietnamese: quan tâm (vi)

to look after

Arabic: اِهْتَمَّ بِـ (ihtamma bi-)
Aromanian: cãshtighedzu, frundisescu
Azerbaijani: qayğısına qalmaq (az), qayğı göstərmək, baxmaq (az)
Belarusian: дбаць impf (dbacʹ), клапаці́цца impf (klapacícca)
Bulgarian: грижа се (griža se)
Catalan: tenir cura
Chinese:
Mandarin: 關照 / 关照 (zh) (guānzhào), 照顧 / 照顾 (zh) (zhàogu)
Czech: pečovat (cs), starat se (cs)
Estonian: hoolima
Finnish: hoitaa (fi), huolehtia (fi)
French: soigner (fr)
German: kümmern (de), pflegen (de)
Greek: φροντίζω (el) (frontízo)
Hawaiian: mālama
Hungarian: törődik (hu), foglalkozik (hu), gondoskodik (hu)
Ido: sorgar (io)
Italian: curare (it)
Japanese: 世話をする (ja) (せわをする, sewa-o suru), 面倒を見る (mendō-o miru), 介抱する (ja) (かいほうする, kaihou suru)
Khmer: please add this translation if you can
Korean: 보살피다 (ko) (bosalpida), 돌보다 (ko) (dolboda)
Latin: curo (la), tueor
Malay: menjaga
Polish: opiekować się (pl), troszczyć się (pl) impf, dbać (pl) impf
Portuguese: cuidar (pt)
Romanian: îngriji (ro)
Russian: забо́титься (ru) (zabótitʹsja), уха́живать (ru) (uxáživatʹ), пригля́дывать (ru) impf (prigljádyvatʹ), пригляде́ть (ru) pf (prigljadétʹ), присма́тривать (ru) impf (prismátrivatʹ), присмотре́ть (ru) pf (prismotrétʹ)
Slovak: starať sa
Spanish: cuidar (es)
Swedish: ta hand om (sv)
Thai: ดูแล (th) (duu-lɛɛ), เอาใจใส่ (th) (ao-jai-sài)
Tibetan: please add this translation if you can
Turkish: bakmak (tr), ilgilenmek (tr)
Ukrainian: турбува́тися (turbuvátysja), догляда́ти (dohljadáty), дба́ти (uk) impf (dbáty)
Vietnamese: quan tâm (vi), chăm sóc (vi)
Zazaki: eleqedar biyen

to be mindful of

Bulgarian: грижа се (griža se), грижа се (griža se), безпокоя се (bezpokoja se)
Finnish: välittää (fi)
German: kümmern (de)
Greek: νοιάζομαι (el) (noiázomai)
Polish: obchodzić (pl) impf, troszczyć się (pl) impf
Swedish: bry (sv) (sig om)
Thai: ใส่ใจ (th) (sài-jai), สนใจ (th) (sǒn-jai)

to want, politely

Bulgarian: обичам (bg) (običam)
Finnish: tahtoa (fi) (conditional form of), haluta (fi) (conditional form of); maistua (fi) (of food and drink)
German: respektieren (de)
Hungarian: kér (hu), kíván (hu), van kedve (hu)
Portuguese: gostar (pt)
Spanish: gustar (es)
Thai: สนใจ (th) (sǒn-jai)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Indonesian: ^{(please verify)} merawat (id) , ^{(please verify)} mengasuh (id) , ^{(please verify)} membina (id) , ^{(please verify)} peduli (id), ^{(please verify)} perduli (id), ^{(please verify)} acuh (id)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: ^{(please verify)} گوێ (ckb) (gwê), ^{(please verify)} گوێدان (gwêdan)
Mandarin: ^{(please verify)} 擔心 / 担心 (zh) (dānxīn), ^{(please verify)} 担心 (zh) (dānxīn), ^{(please verify)} 關心 / 关心 (zh) (guānxīn), ^{(please verify)} 关心 (zh) (guānxīn) ¹
Old English: ^{(please verify)} carian
Romanian: ^{(please verify)} păsa (ro)
Serbo-Croatian: (2) ^{(please verify)} skŕbiti (sh)
Slovene: (2) ^{(please verify)} skrbeti
Vietnamese: (đến) ^{(please verify)} để ý (vi) (1, 3), (2) ^{(please verify)} nuôi (vi), (in a loving sense) ^{(please verify)} thương (vi)

References

^ Stanley, Oma (1937) “I. Vowel Sounds in Stressed Syllables”, in The Speech of East Texas (American Speech: Reprints and Monographs; 2), New York: Columbia University Press, →DOI, →ISBN, § 6, page 16.

Anagrams

acer, race-, Cera, Race, caer, e-car, CERA, Acre, acre, Crea, race

French

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kaʁ/
Homophones: car, carent, cares, carre, carrent, carre, quarre, quarres, quarrent, quart

Verb

care

inflection of carer:
1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
2. second-person singular imperative

Anagrams

acre, âcre, créa, race

Italian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈka.re/
Rhymes: -are
Hyphenation: cà‧re

Adjective

care f pl

feminine plural of caro

Anagrams

Arce, acre, c'era, cera, crea, reca

Latin

Pronunciation

carē: (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈka.reː/, [ˈkäreː]
carē: (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈka.re/, [ˈkäːre]
cāre: (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈkaː.re/, [ˈkäːrɛ]
cāre: (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈka.re/, [ˈkäːre]

Verb

carē

second-person singular present active imperative of careō

Adjective

cāre

vocative masculine singular of cārus

Adverb

cārē (comparative cārius, superlative cārissimē)

at a high price

References

“care”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
“care”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
care in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

Middle English

Etymology

From Old English caru, ċearu (“care, concern, anxiety, sorrow, grief, trouble”), from Proto-West Germanic *karu, from Proto-Germanic *karō. See Modern English care for more.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈkaːr(ə)/

Noun

care (plural cares)

grief; sorrow [from 13th c.]
- 1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book V, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC:
  Than Feraunte his cosyn had grete care and cryed full lowde […].
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Descendants

English: care
Scots: care
Yola: caure, caare, caar

References

“cāre, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Old English

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈkɑ.re/

Noun

care

accusative/genitive/dative singular of caru

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

𑀘𑀭𑁂 (Brahmi script)
चरे (Devanagari script)
চরে (Bengali script)
චරෙ (Sinhalese script)
စရေ or ၸရေ (Burmese script)
จเร or จะเร (Thai script)
ᨧᩁᩮ (Tai Tham script)
ຈເຣ or ຈະເຣ (Lao script)
ចរេ (Khmer script)
𑄌𑄢𑄬 (Chakma script)

Noun

care

inflection of cara (“walker; frequenting”):
1. locative singular
2. accusative plural

Verb

care

first-person singular present/imperative middle of carati (“to walk”)
optative active singular of carati (“to walk”)

Romanian

Etymology 1

Inherited from Latin quālis, quālem. Compare Italian quale, Provençal car, Ligurian quar and Aromanian cari, cai, care.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈka.re/
Rhymes: -are
Hyphenation: ca‧re

Determiner

care

which
Care din aceste jocuri este nou?
Which of these games is new?

Inflection

	masculine	feminine	masculine	neuter
	singular		plural
nominative-accusative	care	care	care	care
genitive-dative	cărui	cărei	căror	căror

Pronoun

care

which, that, who
El este un om care a văzut foarte multe lucruri.
He is a man who has seen very many things.

Etymology 2

Noun

care n pl

plural of car (“cart”)

Etymology 3

Verb

care

third-person singular/plural present subjunctive of căra

References

“care”, in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language) (in Romanian), 2004–2025

Venetan

Adjective

care f

feminine plural of caro

[1] Stanley, Oma (1937) “I. Vowel Sounds in Stressed Syllables”, in The Speech of East Texas (American Speech: Reprints and Monographs; 2), New York: Columbia University Press, →DOI, →ISBN, § 6, page 16.

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