# casual

Pronunciation: say "KAZH-oo-uhl" US /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/, UK /ˈkaʒ(uː)əl/

## Adjective

1. Relaxed and informal in manner, tone, or style.
   - Simple: Relaxed and not formal.
   - _The interview had a casual feel, more like a chat than a test._
   - _He greeted his boss with a casual wave on his way out._
2. Designed for informal or everyday use rather than formal occasions.
   - Simple: Made for everyday use, not for special or formal times.
   - _The restaurant has a casual dress code, so jeans are fine._
   - _She prefers casual clothing on weekends and saves suits for work._
3. Occurring by chance rather than by arrangement.
   - Simple: Happening by chance, not planned ahead.
   - _A casual encounter at the conference turned into a long partnership._
   - _The match was a casual one, the result of two people taking the same shortcut._
4. Arising irregularly or by chance rather than as part of a regular pattern.
   - Simple: Happening now and then, not on a regular basis.
   - _The shop relied on casual trade from tourists passing through._
   - _His comments were casual remarks rather than a settled opinion._
5. Showing or done with little care or concern; careless.
   - Simple: Done with little care or attention.
   - _His casual disregard for the rules eventually cost him the job._
   - _She answered with a casual indifference that annoyed her teacher._
6. Happening or coming to pass without design or intention.
   - Simple: Happening without anyone planning or meaning it to.
   - _The discovery was entirely casual, made by someone looking for something else._
   - _A casual observation by a passerby ended up cracking the case._
7. Employed on an irregular or occasional basis rather than permanently.
   - Simple: Hired only now and then, not as a steady job.
   - _Most of the holiday staff were casual employees taken on for a few weeks._
   - _He preferred casual labor because it left his weekdays free._

## Noun

8. A worker doing a particular kind of job temporarily rather than as a lifelong career.
   - Simple: A worker who does a job for a short time, not as a career.
   - _Each casual on the crew was paid by the day._
   - _The warehouse relies on casuals to handle seasonal spikes in orders._
9. A worker employed by a company only occasionally rather than as a permanent member of staff. *(Australia, British, New Zealand)*
   - Simple: A worker who works for a company only now and then, not as a permanent employee.
   - _The pub keeps a few casuals on call for its busiest weekends._
   - _Each casual was brought in to cover the summer season only._
10. Shoes suitable for everyday wear rather than formal footwear.
   - Simple: Shoes you wear every day, not dressy or formal ones.
   - _He keeps a pair of leather casuals by the door for quick errands._
   - _Loose-fitting casuals can slip at the heel and rub the skin raw on a long walk._
11. A player of casual games, often used dismissively to imply a lack of serious gaming skill or commitment. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A person who plays simple video games for fun, not seriously.
   - _The forum regulars dismissed him as a casual who only touched mobile puzzle games._
   - _She got tired of being labeled a casual just for skipping ranked matches._
12. A soldier temporarily stationed at a place of duty, usually while en route to another posting.
   - Simple: A soldier staying somewhere for a short time on the way to another posting.
   - _Each casual reported to the orderly room on arrival to await onward orders._
   - _The depot processed incoming casuals before assigning them to their next units._
13. A person whose engagement with media is relaxed or superficial rather than deeply invested. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A person who follows a show or game in a relaxed, not very deep way.
   - _The show was written for casuals as much as for devoted fans._
   - _He stayed a casual about the franchise, dipping in only when a new film dropped._
14. A member of a football-hooligan subculture who wore expensive designer clothing to avoid attracting police attention. *(UK)*
   - Simple: A member of a rough group of football fans who wore costly designer clothes to avoid police notice.
   - _The casuals dressed to blend in with ordinary fans rather than flaunt team colors._
   - _Police struggled to pick out a casual in the crowd by his clothes alone._
16. A vagrant who receives a night's relief in a parish to which they do not belong, lodged in the casual ward. *(UK)*
   - Simple: A homeless traveler given shelter for one night in a place where they do not live.
   - _A casual arriving after dark was admitted to the ward and turned out the next morning._
   - _The master logged the casuals separately from the parish's settled paupers._

## Noun

15. A homeless wanderer with no settled home; a tramp. *(dated, British)*
   - Simple: A homeless person who wanders from place to place.
   - _An old casual trudged along the lane with everything he owned in a sack._
   - _The farmer left scraps by the gate for any casual passing through._

## Origin

From Middle French casuel, from Late Latin cāsuālis ("happening by chance"), from Latin cāsus ("event"), which comes from cadere ("to fall"): the same roots behind English case and cadence.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/casual (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).