care for
- 01 B1 Intermediate
to look after someone who is young, old, or sick and provide what they need.
to provide physical or emotional care for a person who is unable to look after themselves independently.
Simple“He stayed at home for two weeks to care for his elderly mother after her surgery.”
In context“The charity provides essential resources for families who care for children with complex physical disabilities at home.”
UsageThis is an inseparable phrasal verb; the object always follows 'for'.
Teacher's tipWhile 'look after' is more common in daily speech, 'care for' is often used in professional or medical contexts.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to like something, or to want something when someone offers it to you.
to have an affection for someone or a preference for something; frequently used in negative constructions or formal interrogatives.
Simple“Would you care for a cup of tea while you wait for your appointment?”
In context“To be honest, I don't much care for modern jazz, as I find the lack of a clear melody quite distracting.”
UsageOften appears in the negative ('I don't care for...') to show a polite dislike.
Teacher's tipIn modern English, this is much more common in the negative to mean 'I don't like it' or in polite offers like 'Would you care for...?'
distinguish between the 'provide care' sense (active) and the 'like' sense (stative); the latter is often used politely, such as 'Would you care for some tea?'.