Incase

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To surround something completely with a protective outer covering or shell
2. To enclose an object within a firm case so that it is sealed or guarded from outside contact
3. Placing something inside a box, sheath, or hard casing that wraps it on every side

Etymology: "Incase" is a verb built from the prefix "in-" and the noun "case," which in English is an old word for a container or covering, such as a box or sheath. To "incase" something is to enclose it in such a container, placing it inside a protective shell or wrapper. The noun "case" has a longer ancestry than its everyday use suggests. It passed into English through Old French "casse," which itself came from Latin "capsa," a box or chest, and that Latin word is rooted in "capere," to take or hold. The same family of ideas lies behind words for containers and holding, so the verb simply turns the box into an action: putting something into one.