Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CASE, n.¹ [Fr. caisse; Sp. and Port. caxa, a box or chest; It. cassa; D. kas; Dan. kasse. The French caisse is the Sp. caxa. The Spanish caxeta, a gasket, seems to be a derivative of caxa, and if so, the fact indicates that caxa is from an Oriental root, signifying to tie or bind, and that the word originally denoted a bag made of skin, like a bottle, or a basket made of osiers interwoven, like fisc, fiscus. Qu. Syr. ܟܫܐ‎ casha, to bind or tie.]

1. A covering, box or sheath; that which incloses or contains; as, a case for knives; a case for books; a watch case; a printer's case; a pillow case.
2. The outer part of a building. – Addison.
3. A certain quantity; as, a case of crown glass.
4. A building unfurnished. [Not used.]