CASE

case, john (d. 1600), english aristotelian scholar and physician, was born at woodstock. he was educated at oxford, and elected to a fellowship at st john's college, which he was obliged to resign in consequence of his roman catholic sympathies. he subsequently opened a philosophical school in oxford, which was largely attended. he enjoyed a great reputation as a logician and dialectician, and was in addition an authority on music and a distinguished physician. he is described as "a man of an innocent, meek, religious and studious life," an agreeable conversationalist, an enthusiastic teacher, and a great favourite with his pupils. most of his works were commentaries on various treatises of aristotle (_organon, ethics, politics, oeconomics, physics_) under curious titles; they enjoyed a large circulation during his time, and were frequently reprinted. he was also the author of _the praise of musicke_ (1586), dedicated to sir walter raleigh. case. (1) (from lat. _casus_, that which falls or happens; _cadere_, to fall), a word used in various senses traceable to the derivation. in grammar, the "cases" are the various forms in the declension of a noun, adjective or pronoun, the latin word being a translation of the greek [greek: ptosis], falling, applied by aristotle to the variations from the simple form of the word, whether noun, verb or adjective (of which the adverb would be a [greek: ptosis]). later grammarians confined the term to nouns, and included the nominative. in law, "case" is the common term for a cause or suit brought before a court of justice. certain particular legal usages may also be noted. _action on the case_ means an action for the recovery of damages for an injury to the person or property, where the act done was not immediately injurious (see contract; tort). a _case stated_ is a statement of facts drawn up by one court for the opinion of another on a point of law. a _special case_ is a statement of facts agreed to on behalf of two or more litigant parties, and submitted for the opinion of a court of justice as to the law bearing upon the facts so stated. a _leading case_ is a decision which settles some point of importance. in the legal systems of the united kingdom and of the united states decided cases are considered authoritative for courts of at least equal jurisdiction with those in which the judgments were given, but on the continent of europe the rule is, following that of the roman law, that they are instructive but not authoritative. (2) (o. fr. _casse_, mod. _chasse_, lat. _capsa_, from _capere_, to hold; cf. "cash"), a box, sheath or covering. the term is applied to the natural protective covering of seed-vessels, and of a pupa or chrysalis. it is also used of a box containing instruments, pistols, swords, &c., and sometimes of the contents. in building, a "case" is the facing where the backing may be of inferior material; the framework in which a window or door is hung; or the wall surrounding a stair, "staircase" properly signifying the whole structure of walls and stairs. in bookbinding, a "case" means the boards and back in which the books are bound; and in typography, the tray, divided into partitions, containing the type ready for the compositor's use. casemate (ital. _casa_, a house, and _matta_, dull or dim), an armoured vault or chamber, or in field fortification, a bombproof shelter; in architecture, a hollow moulding, chiefly employed in cornices. casement (from a lat. form _casamentum_), in architecture, a frame in wood or metal, which holds the glass of a window, and is hung by hinges either at the top, bottom or sides.