cast Hear it!

cast Definition

cast (kast, käst)

transitive verb cast, cast′·ing

    1. to put, deposit, or throw with force or violence; fling; hurl
    2. to give vent to as if by throwing to cast aspersions
  2. to deposit (a ballot); register (a vote)
    1. to cause to fall or turn; direct to cast one's eyes or attention on a thing
    2. to give forth; project to cast light, gloom, etc.
  4. to throw out or drop (a net, anchor, etc.) at the end of a rope or cable
  5. to throw out (a fly, bait, lure, etc.) at the end of a fishing line
  6. to draw (lots) or shake (dice) out of a container
  7. to bring forth (young), esp. prematurely
    1. to throw off or away
    2. to shed; slough the snake casts its skin
  9. to add up (accounts, a sum, etc.); calculate by arithmetic
  10. to calculate (a horoscope, tides, etc.)
  11. to arrange in some form or system; formulate
    1. to form (molten metal, plastic, etc.) into a particular shape by pouring or pressing into a mold
    2. to make by such a method
    1. to choose and assign actors for (a play, film, etc.)
    2. to select (an actor) for (a role or part)
  14. to twist; turn; warp
  15. Naut. to direct the bow of (a ship) to port or starboard in getting under way

Etymology: ME casten < ON kasta, to throw

intransitive verb

  1. to throw dice
  2. to throw out a fly, etc. at the end of a fishing line
  3. Brit., Dialectal to vomit
  4. to turn; warp
  5. to add up figures; calculate
  6. to calculate horoscopes, tides, etc.
  7. to be formed in a mold
  8. Obsolete
    1. to make a forecast; conjecture
    2. to deliberate; plan
  9. Hunting to search for game, a trail, or a lost scent
  10. Naut.
    1. to cast a ship
    2. to veer

noun

  1. the act of casting; a throw; also, a way of casting or distance thrown; specif.,
    1. a throw of dice; also, the number thrown
    2. a stroke of fortune
    3. a turn of the eye; glance; look
    4. a throw of a fishing line, net, etc.
    5. an adding up; calculation
    6. a conjecture; forecast
  2. a quantity or thing cast in a certain way; specif.,
    1. something thrown up, off, or out, as bait on a line, a pair of hawks in falconry, the dirt thrown up by worms, the shed skin of an insect, etc.
    2. the amount of metal cast at one time
    3. something formed in or as in a mold, as a bronze or plaster reproduction of a statue modeled in clay; also, the mold
    4. a mold or impression taken of an object or of printing type
    5. a plaster form for immobilizing a broken arm, leg, etc.
    6. the set of actors in a play or movie
  3. the form or direction in which a thing is cast; specif.,
    1. an arrangement
    2. an appearance or stamp, as of features
    3. kind; quality of an aristocratic cast
    4. a tinge; shade a reddish cast
    5. a trace or suggestion
    6. a turn or twist to one side; tendency; bent
    7. a slight turning in or out of the eye
  4. Hunting a scattering of the hounds to find a lost scent
  5. Med. a substance formed and molded in the cavities of some diseased organs renal casts

cast Idioms

cast about

  1. to search; look (for)
  2. to make plans; devise

cast aside

or cast away

to discard; abandon

cast back

  1. to refer to something past
  2. to resemble some distant ancestor

cast down

  1. to turn downward
  2. to sadden; depress; discourage

cast off

  1. to discard; abandon; disown
  2. to set free
  3. to release or disengage the line or lines holding a vessel in place beside a dock, quay, etc.
  4. Knitting to make the last row of stitches
  5. Printing to estimate how many lines or pages of type will be set from (a given amount of copy)

cast on

Knitting to make the first row of stitches

cast out

to force to get out or go away; expel

cast up

  1. to throw up; vomit
  2. to turn upward
  3. to add up; total
  4. to construct by digging to cast up earthworks
cast Synonyms

cast

n.

  1. A plaster reproduction

    replica, mold, impression, facsimile; see copy, impression 1, mold 2, sculpture.

  2. Those in a play

    players, performers, actors, characters, list of characters, roles, parts, dramatis personae, company, troupe, dramatic artists; see also actor 1, actress, staff 2.

  3. Aspect

    complexion, appearance, stamp, looks; see appearance 1.

  4. A surgical dressing

    plaster-of-Paris dressing, plaster cast, splint, sling; see dressing 3.

    Kinds of casts include: arm cast, leg cast, full leg cast, half leg cast, knee cast, bent leg cast, walking cast, body cast.

  5. The act of throwing

    casting, throwing, hurling, shooting, thrusting, pitching, tossing, flinging, chucking, heaving, lobbing, pelting, slinging, launching.

  6. A toss

    throw, pitch, heave, lob, fling, thrust, hurl, sling, launching, projection, expulsion, ejection, propulsion, shot; see also shot 1.

  7. Arrangement

    disposition, plan, method; see order 3.

  8. A tinge

    shade, tint, hue, blend; see color 1, shade 2, tint, tone 4.

cast Synonyms

cast

v.

  1. To throw

    pitch, fling, hurl; see throw 1.

  2. To form in a mold

    shape, mold, roughcast, wetcast; see form 1.

  3. To compute

    calculate, number, reckon, figure; see add 1, calculate 1, count.

  4. To select actors for a play

    appoint, designate, decide upon, determine, pick, give parts, assign roles, detail, name, call, audition, screen-test; see also assign 1, choose 1, delegate 1.

  5. To give forth

    emit, disperse, spread, project; see emit 1, scatter 2. See syn. study at throw.

cast Usage Examples

Object

  • shadow: The moon was up casting pale shadows among the ruins of the village.
  • doubt: Witness how he brought about the Fall by casting doubt on the Word of God.
  • vote: Russia has the casting vote on the entire Kyoto Protocol.
  • spell: Any other spell cast upon the subject in the same turn has no effect.
  • aspersion: It would be easy to cast aspersions, even to question my fellow editors on the merits of including this article.
  • glance: Trembling, I would run from my room next to the coach house, casting quick nervous glances round me.

Adjective modifier

  • all-star: Closer, the screen adaptation of the Patrick Marber play with an all-star cast, comes out on DVD this week.
  • stellar: Still, you'll have had your money's worth by then, thanks to a truly stellar cast.
  • supporting: The supporting cast included Donald Sinden, Kenneth Griffith and Gerald Harper.
  • well-loved: Joining an already well-loved cast of hand puppets is the LORAX, the fuzzy-mustached creature from The Lorax.
  • talented: Sporting an experienced and talented cast, the show has developed a strong, borderline fanatic.. .

Modifies a noun

  • iron: I have fond memories of the cast iron range in the front room there.

Noun used with modifier

  • ensemble: An actual stadium was built for the show, which cost big money when combined with the large ensemble cast.
  • plaster: Full weight bearing can be allowed without crutches, splint or plaster cast.

Followed by a transitive particle

  • aside: In other words the merchant is casting aside the last referral model.

Particle object:

  • demon: Also when Jesus cast out demons from a man, the demons entered a herd of pigs.

Particle object:

    Preposition: in

    • bronze: Cast in bronze, the form in space is small but the pleasure of such a beautiful piece of work is enormous.

    Preposition: of

    • puppet: Joining an already well-loved cast of hand puppets is the LORAX, the fuzzy-mustached creature from The Lorax.

    Followed by an intransitive particle

    cast Quotes

    In fear begotten, I begot in fear. Would you have had me cast fear out So that you should not be?

    —Graves, Robert von Ranke

       The opening-night audience is mostly friends of the cast and backers of the show, and they cometo applaud their money.

    —Hirschfeld, Al

    All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

    —Bible (NewTestament)

    And what is time but shadows that were cast By these storm-sculptured stones while centuries fled? The stones remain; their stillness can outlast The skies of history hurrying overhead.

    —Sassoon, Siegfried Louvain

    Not louder shrieks to pitying heav'n are cast, When husbands or when lapdogs breathe their last.

    —Pope, Alexander