difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge; "the professor's lectures were so abstruse that students tended to avoid them"; "a deep metaphysical theory"; "some recondite problem in historiography"
(Bible) an agreement between God and his people in which God makes certain promises and requires certain behavior from them in return
a signed written agreement between two or more parties (nations) to perform some action
enter into a covenant or formal agreement; "They covenanted with Judas for 30 pieces of silver"; "The nations covenanted to fight terrorism around the world"
requiring more than usually expected or thought due; especially great patience and effort and skill; "found the job very demanding"; "a baby can be so demanding"
a portable container for carrying several objects; "the musicians left their instrument cases backstage"
a glass container used to store and display items in a shop or museum or home
bed linen consisting of a cover for a pillow; "the burglar carried his loot in a pillowcase"
the actual state of things; "that was not the case"
nouns or pronouns or adjectives (often marked by inflection) related in some way to other words in a sentence
a statement of facts and reasons used to support an argument; "he stated his case clearly"
a problem requiring investigation; "Perry Mason solved the case of the missing heir"
an occurrence of something; "it was a case of bad judgment"; "another instance occurred yesterday"; "but there is always the famous example of the Smiths"
a person requiring professional services; "a typical case was the suburban housewife described by a marriage counselor"
the quantity contained in a case
a specific state of mind that is temporary; "a case of the jitters"
look over, usually with the intention to rob; "They men cased the housed"
harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance; "a dour, self-sacrificing life"; "a forbidding scowl"; "a grim man loving duty more than humanity"; "undoubtedly the grimmest part of him was his iron claw"- J.M.Barrie
not subject to the control of the will; "involuntary manslaughter"; "involuntary servitude"; "an involuntary shudder"; "It (becoming a hero) was involuntary. They sank my boat"- John F.Kennedy
controlled by the autonomic nervous system; without conscious control; "involuntary muscles"; "gave an involuntary start"
impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, reason; "he is adamant in his refusal to change his mind"; "Cynthia was inexorable; she would have none of him"- W.Churchill; "an intransigent conservative opposed to every liberal tendency"