A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

care about something • care for something
care about something —
1
. feel anxiety or concern about
smth.: I’m not sure that anyone in the audience really cares
much about what happens to him. 2. take an interest in smth.:
Jack didn’t care about anything but horses and dogs, and lived
every day of his life.
care for something —
1
. wish for smth.: “Care for a bit of navy
plug?” He never dreamt of boarding a trawler without strong
navy plug tobacco in his pocket. 2. = care about something 2:
Do you care for Venetian glass? Ah, not so very much, I see;
but you would be converted, I am sure you would, by my
chandelier. 3. look after smth.; preserve smth. with care: The
skilled staff needed not only to maintain the fabric of the
buildings but to care for the precious pictures.
Note: 
The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with
the phrase take care of something—
1
. = care for something 3:
Young ladies are delicate plants. They should take care of their
health and their complexion. 2. deal with problems, etc.: He
found himself besieged with petitions for jobs. It was impos-
sible to take care of all of them.
care for someone • take care of someone
care for someone —
1
. like smb.; be fond of a person: I do not
really care for Kerry. He was certainly the one I liked the least
during the debates. 2. have regard for smb.: She seems like she
only cares for people with money and people who are
“known.” 3. be responsible for the support or treatment of
patients, little children, etc.: Brand doesn’t need an office be-
cause she only cares for patients in their homes.
take care of someone —
1
. = care for someone 3: I witnessed
him in action, and I participated in helping him take care of
his patients in his clinic. 2. (sl., euph.) get rid of or kill a per-
son: While continuing to comment on “taking care of the park
manager,” he displayed a small handgun to Olson.