put case

put case (third-person singular simple present puts case, present participle putting case, simple past and past participle put case)

1. (obsolete, idiomatic) To take as a hypothesis; to suppose (that). [15th–19th c.]
   • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 3, member 3:

     But put case they continue; thou art not so poor as thou wast born […]

   • 1646, Joseph Hall, The Balm of Gilead:

     Put case that the soul after the departure from the body may live.

   • 1868-1869, Robert Browning, s:The Ring and the Book

     Put case a person wrongs me past dispute:
     If my legitimate vengeance be a blow,
     Mistrusting my bare arm can deal that blow,
     I claim co-operation of a stick

• cuspate, tea cups, tea-cups, teacups