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Care, vb., to take care, to be solicitous: “one that --s for thee, and for thy maintenance commits his body to painful labour,” Shr. V, 2, 147. “who c. for you like fathers,” Cor. I, 1, 79. “those that c. to keep your royal person from treason's secret knife,” H6B III, 1, 173. “c. no more to clothe and eat,” Cymb. IV, 2, 266. “what was first but fear what might be done, grows elder now and --s it be not done,” Per. I, 2, 15.
Mostly used negatively, to express indifference: I c. not == it is all one to me, Gentl. II, 1, 123. “and said she --d not,” Ado V, 1, 176. “and then I c. not,” Merch. III, 3, 36. Shr. II, 241. “I know not, nor I greatly c. not.” R2 V, 2, 48. “that Timon --s not,” Tim. V, 1, 174. 180 etc. “I would not c. a pin,” LLL IV, 3, 19.
Followed by for: “what --s he now for curb or pricking spur?” Ven. 285. now Nature --s not for thy (death's) “mortal vigour,” Ven. 285 Tp. I, 1, 17. II, 2, 51. Gentl. III, 1, 311. Gentl. III, 1, 311 IV, 4, 87. V, 4, 132. Wiv. III, 4, 27. Ado V, 4, 103. LLL V, 2, 27. As II, 4, 2. As II, 4, 2 III, 5, 111. Tw. III, 1, 31. Wint. V, 1, 46. H6B III, 2, 359. Tim. V, 1, 181. Oth. V, 2, 165 etc. -- Affirmatively, in this sense, only in contradistinction to negative assertions: “thou art a merry fellow and --st for nothing. Not so, sir, I do c. for something, but I do not c. for you,” Tw. III, 1, 32. “I c. not for thee. If I had thee in Lipsbury pinfold, I would make thee c. for me,” Lr. II, 2, 10. “when thou hadst no need to c. for her frowning,” I, 4, 211.
Followed by an infinitive: “to hear music the general does not greatly c.” Oth. III, 1, 18. “I do not greatly c. to be deceived,” Ant. V, 2, 14. Followed by though: “I c. not though he burn himself in love,” Gentl. II, 5, 55. By an and if: “I c. not an she were a black-a-moor,” Troil. I, 1, 79. “I c. not if I have,” As V, 2, 85 (H4B I, 2, 142). Followed by an interrogative clause: “what c. I who calls me ill or well,” Sonn. 112, 3, “he --s not what he puts into the press,” Wiv. II, 1, 79. “get me some repast, I c. not what,” Shr. IV, 3, 16. “when I lose thee again, I c. not,” All's II, 3, 217. “he --d not who knew it,” H5 III, 7, 117. “I c. not which, or Somerset or York, all's one to me,” H6B I, 3, 104. “I c. not whither,” II, 4, 92. “neither to c. whether they love or hate him,” Cor. II, 2, 14. Cor. II, 2, 14 A very remarkable passage: “I seek not to wax great by others' waning, or gather wealth, I c. not with what envy,” H6B IV, 10, 23 (== indifferently).
Indifference may be a softened expression of dislike: “I c. not to get slips of them,” Wint. IV, 4, 84 (== I should not like); as well as of a wish: “I c. not if I do become your physician,” H4B I, 2, 142 (== I should like).
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