Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense casts, present participle castinglanguage note: The form cast is used in the present tense and is the past tense and past participle.
1. countable noun [with singular or plural verb]
The cast of a play or film is all the people who act in it.
The show is very amusing and the cast are very good.
Synonyms: actors, company, players, characters More Synonyms of cast
2. verb
To cast an actor in a play or film means to choose them to act a particular role in it.
Casting three actresses in the film to play one role was very challenging. [V n + in/as]
He was cast as a college professor. [beVERB-ed + as]
He had no trouble casting the movie. [VERB noun]
castinguncountable noun [NOUN noun]
The film could have done without the casting of the director's daughter in a centralrole.
...the casting director of Ealing film studios.
3. verb
To cast someone in a particular way or as a particular thing means to describe them in that way or suggest they are that thing.
Democrats have been worried about being cast as the party of the poor. [beVERB-ed + as]
Holland would never dare cast himself as a virtuoso pianist. [V pron-refl + as]
[Also + in]
4. verb
If you cast your eyes or cast a look in a particular direction, you look quickly in that direction.
[written]
He cast a stern glance at the two men. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
I cast my eyes down briefly. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
The maid, casting black looks, hurried out. [VERB noun]
[Also VERB noun noun]
Synonyms: bestow, give, level, accord More Synonyms of cast
5. verb
If something casts a light or shadow somewhere, it causes it to appear there.
[written]
The moon cast a bright light over the yard. [VERB noun preposition]
They flew in over the beach, casting a huge shadow. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: give out, spread, deposit, shed More Synonyms of cast
6. verb
To cast doubt on something means to cause people to be unsure about it.
Last night a top criminal psychologist cast doubt on the theory. [VERB noun + on]
7. verb
When you cast your vote in an election, you vote.
About ninety-five per cent of those who cast their votes approve the new constitution. [VERB noun]
Gaviria had been widely expected to obtain well over half the votes cast. [VERB-ed]
8. verb
To cast something or someone somewhere means to throw them there.
[literary]
He gathered up the twigs and cast them into the fire. [VERB noun preposition]
John had Maude and her son cast into a dungeon. [have n V-ed prep]
9. verb
If someone casts a fishing line or casts, they throw one end of the fishing line into the water.
[Also VERB]
10. verb
To cast an object means to make it by pouring a liquid such as hot metal into a speciallyshaped container and leaving it there until it becomes hard.
...sculptures cast in bronze. [V-ed + in]
[Also V n in n, VERB noun]
11. countable noun
A cast is a model that has been made by pouring a liquid such as plaster or hot metal ontosomething or into something, so that when it hardens it has the same shape as that thing.
An orthodontist took a cast of the inside of Billy's mouth. [+ of]
12. countable noun
A cast is the same as a plaster cast.
13. countable noun
If someone has a particular castof mind or castof thought, they have that kind of character or way of thinking of things.
There were some of a more cynical cast of mind, however.
Hers was an essentially sunny cast of mind.
Synonyms: type, turn, sort, kind More Synonyms of cast
14. See also casting
15. to cast anchor
16. to cast aspersions
17. the die is cast
18. to cast your mind back
19. to cast your net wider
20. to cast pearls before swine
Phrasal verbs:
See cast around for
See cast aside
See cast down
See cast off
See cast out
More Synonyms of cast
cast in British English
(kɑːst)
verbWord forms: casts, casting or cast(mainly tr)
1.
to throw or expel with violence or force
2.
to throw off or away
she cast her clothes to the ground
3.
to reject or dismiss
he cast the idea from his mind
4.
to shed or drop
the snake cast its skin
the horse cast a shoe
the ship cast anchor
5. be cast
6.
to cause to appear
to cast a shadow
7.
to express (doubts, suspicions, etc) or cause (them) to be felt
8.
to direct (a glance, attention, etc)
cast your eye over this
9.
to place, esp in a violent manner
he was cast into prison
10. (also intr) angling
to throw (a line) into the water
11.
to draw or choose (lots)
12.
to give or deposit (a vote)
13.
to select (actors) to play parts in (a play, film, etc)
14.
a.
to shape (molten metal, glass, etc) by pouring or pressing it into a mould
b.
to make (an object) by such a process
15. (also intr; often foll byup)
to compute (figures or a total)
16.
to predict
the old woman cast my fortune
17. astrology
to draw on (a horoscope) details concerning the positions of the planets in the signs of the zodiac at a particular time for interpretation in terms of human characteristics, behaviour, etc
18.
to contrive (esp in the phrase cast a spell)
19.
to formulate
he cast his work in the form of a chart
20. (also intr)
to twist or cause to twist
21. (also intr) nautical
to turn the head of (a sailing vessel) or (of a sailing vessel) to be turned awayfrom the wind in getting under way
22. hunting
to direct (a pack of hounds) over (ground) where their quarry may recently have passed
23. (intransitive)
(of birds of prey) to eject from the crop and bill a pellet consisting of the indigestible parts of birds or animals previously eaten
24. falconry
to hold the body of a hawk between the hands so as to perform some operation upon it
25. printing
to stereotype or electrotype
26. cast in one's lot with
noun
27.
the act of casting or throwing
28.
a. Also called: casting
something that is shed, dropped, or egested, such as the coil of earth left by an earthworm
b. another name for pellet (sense 4)
29.
an object that is thrown
30.
the distance an object is or may be thrown
31.
a.
a throw at dice
b.
the resulting number shown
32. angling
a.
a trace with a fly or flies attached
b.
the act or an instance of casting
33.
the wide sweep made by a sheepdog to get behind a flock of sheep or by a hunting dog in search of a scent
34.
a.
the actors in a play collectively
b.
(as modifier)
a cast list
35.
a.
an object made of metal, glass, etc, that has been shaped in a molten state by beingpoured or pressed into a mould
b.
the mould used to shape such an object
36.
form or appearance
37.
sort, kind, or style
38.
a fixed twist or defect, esp in the eye
39.
a distortion of shape
40. surgery
a rigid encircling casing, often made of plaster of Paris, for immobilizing broken bones while they heal
41. pathology
a mass of fatty, waxy, cellular, or other material formed in a diseased body cavity, passage, etc
42.
the act of casting a pack of hounds
43. falconry
a pair of falcons working in combination to pursue the same quarry
44. archery
the speed imparted to an arrow by a particular bow
45.
a slight tinge or trace, as of colour
46.
a computation or calculation
47.
a forecast or conjecture
48.
fortune or a stroke of fate
49. palaeontology
a replica of an organic object made of nonorganic material, esp a lump of sediment that indicates the internal or external surface of a shell or skeleton
50. palaeontology
a sedimentary structure representing the infilling of a mark or depression in a soft layer of sediment (or bed)
Word origin
C13: from Old Norse kasta
cast in American English
(kæst; kɑst)
verb transitiveWord forms: cast or ˈcasting
1.
a.
to put, deposit, or throw with force or violence; fling; hurl
b.
to give vent to as if by throwing
to cast aspersions
2.
to deposit (a ballot); register (a vote)
3.
a.
to cause to fall or turn; direct
to cast one's eyes or attention on a thing
b.
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
8.
a.
to throw off or away
b.
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
12.
a.
to form (molten metal, plastic, etc.) into a particular shape by pouring or pressinginto a mold
b.
to make by such a method
13.
a.
to choose and assign actors for (a play, film, etc.)
b.
to select (an actor) for (a role or part)
14.
to twist; turn; warp
15. Nautical
to direct the bow of (a ship) to port or starboard in getting under way
verb intransitive
16.
to throw dice
17.
to throw out a fly, etc. at the end of a fishing line
18. British, Dialectal
to vomit
19.
to turn; warp
20.
to add up figures; calculate
21.
to calculate horoscopes, tides, etc.
22.
to be formed in a mold
23. Obsolete
a.
to make a forecast; conjecture
b.
to deliberate; plan
24. Hunting
to search for game, a trail, or a lost scent
25. Nautical
a.
to cast a ship
b.
to veer
noun
26.
the act of casting; a throw; also, a way of casting or distance thrown
; specif.,
a.
a throw of dice; also, the number thrown
b.
a stroke of fortune
c.
a turn of the eye; glance; look
d.
a throw of a fishing line, net, etc.
e.
an adding up; calculation
f.
a conjecture; forecast
27.
a quantity or thing cast in a certain way
; specif.,
a.
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.
b.
the amount of metal cast at one time
c.
something formed in or as in a mold, as a bronze or plaster reproduction of a statue modeled in clay; also, the mold
d.
a mold or impression taken of an object or of printing type
e.
a plaster form for immobilizing a broken arm, leg, etc.
f.
the set of actors in a play or movie
28.
the form or direction in which a thing is cast
; specif.,
a.
an arrangement
b.
an appearance or stamp, as of features
c.
kind; quality
of an aristocratic cast
d.
a tinge; shade
a reddish cast
e.
a trace or suggestion
f.
a turn or twist to one side; tendency; bent
g.
a slight turning in or out of the eye
29. Hunting
a scattering of the hounds to find a lost scent
30. Medicine
a substance formed and molded in the cavities of some diseased organs
renal casts
SIMILAR WORDS: throw
Idioms:
cast about
cast aside
cast back
cast down
cast off
cast on
cast out
cast up
Word origin
ME casten < ON kasta, to throw
More idioms containing
cast
cast your eye over something
cast an eye on something
the die is cast
cast your bread upon the waters
cast iron
cast a wide net
cast pearls before swine
cast a long shadow over something
Examples of 'cast' in a sentence
cast
Then cast your mind right away again.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The bigger problem is predicting who will cast a vote.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Their shadows cast blue patterns against the snow.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
We wish the programme well for the future and look forward to seeing who is cast on the show.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
He was taken to hospital in Brighton and had to have a plaster cast.
The Sun (2016)
The human cast is good, too.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
As comedy chops go, this cast is way up there.
The Sun (2016)
Each have a full cast of brilliant actors, a host of authentic sets and amazing special effects.
The Sun (2016)
She will be in the studio and roving around the track, looking at horses, casting her critical eye and giving her opinion.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A genuine laugh-out-loud read, with a brilliant cast of characters.
The Sun (2016)
It had been cast and moulded to conform with the bones of his skull.
Zindell, David The Broken God (1993)
This will give some idea of the range of colour casts.
Freeman, Michael Collins Complete Guide to Photography (1993)
Who would you cast to play the lead role?
The Sun (2009)
Nor his skill in engineering a cast so full of illustrious names.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He cast an evil eye on my play.
George Eliot Daniel Deronda (1876)
We need to make it easier for people to cast their vote.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Those with a puritanical cast of mind love fire.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
That is why the discovery of these plaster casts is so important.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
There was the obvious cast of characters.
Christianity Today (2000)
The thought of being cast out is quite upsetting.
The Sun (2012)
What he says could decide how a good many people cast their vote.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The way the cast perform it is exceptional.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Each character was perfectly cast and the acting polished.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Now he is going home months before anyone casts a vote.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
This works best when the shadow is cast by the story itself.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
Young cast members line up at her door for a chat and advice.
The Sun (2009)
Do you need to meet the cast of the film before composing music?
The Sun (2014)
In other languages
cast
British English: cast /kɑːst/ NOUN
The cast of a play or film is all the people who act in it.
Most of the cast were amazed by the play's success.
American English: cast
Arabic: مـُمَثِّلُون
Brazilian Portuguese: elenco
Chinese: 演员表
Croatian: glumačka postava
Czech: obsazení účinkující
Danish: rollebesætning
Dutch: cast
European Spanish: reparto
Finnish: näyttelijät
French: moule forme
German: Besetzung Film
Greek: διανομή ρόλων
Italian: cast
Japanese: キャスト
Korean: 배역
Norwegian: gips
Polish: obsada
European Portuguese: elenco
Romanian: distribuție
Russian: состав исполнителей
Latin American Spanish: molde
Swedish: gjutform
Thai: ผู้แสดง
Turkish: oyuncu kadrosu
Ukrainian: акторський склад
Vietnamese: dàn diễn viên
All related terms of 'cast'
colorcast
a television broadcast in color
radiobroadcast
a broadcast by radio
be cast
(of a sheep) to have fallen and been unable to rise
cast on
to form (the first row of stitches ) in knitting and weaving
cast up
(of the sea) to cast ashore
cast back
to turn (the mind) to the past
cast down
If someone is cast down by something, they are sad or worried because of it.
cast iron
Cast iron is iron which contains a small amount of carbon. It is hard and cannot be bent so it has to be made into objects by casting .
cast-off
If you cast off something, you get rid of it because it is no longer necessary or useful to you, or because it is harmful to you.
cast out
To cast out something or someone means to get rid of them because you do not like or need them, or do not want to take responsibility for them.
die-cast
to shape or form (a metal or plastic object) by introducing molten metal or plastic into a reusable mould , esp under pressure , by gravity , or by centrifugal force
fly-cast
to fish by casting artificial flies, using a lightweight , resilient rod
sand-cast
to produce (a casting ) by pouring molten metal into a mould of sand
surf-cast
to fish by casting into the surf from or near the shore
type-cast
to cast (type)
cast about
to make a mental or visual search
cast anchor
to anchor a vessel
cast aside
If you cast aside someone or something, you get rid of them because they are no longer necessary or useful to you.
cast loose
to untie or unfasten ; become or set free
cast steel
steel containing varying amounts of carbon, manganese , phosphorus , silicon , and sulphur that is cast into shape rather than wrought
cast stone
a building component , such as a block or lintel , made from cast concrete with a facing that resembles natural stone
stone cast
a short distance
plaster cast
A plaster cast is a cover made of plaster of Paris which is used to protect a broken bone by keeping part of the body stiff .
stone's cast
a short distance
cast aspersions
If you cast aspersions on someone or something, you suggest that they are not very good in some way .
cast a glance
A glance is a quick look at someone or something.
endocranial cast
a cast made of the inside of a cranial cavity to show the size and shape of the brain : used esp in anthropology
cast around for
If you cast around for something or cast about for it, you try to find it or think of it.
cast a spell on
to put into, or as into, a trance
cast a stone at
cast aspersions upon
cast a wide net
to involve a large number of things or people in what you are doing
the die is cast
You can say that the die is cast to draw attention to the importance of an event or decision which is going to affect your future and which cannot be changed or avoided .
to cast aspersions
If you cast aspersions on someone or something, you suggest that they are not very good in some way .
white cast iron
See white iron
draw lots
to decide an issue by using lots
offcast
thrown away ; abandoned
opencast
At an opencast mine, the coal , metal , or minerals are near the surface and underground passages are not needed .
cast/run your eye
If you cast your eye or run your eye over something, you look at it or read it quickly.
malleable cast iron
cast iron that has been toughened by gradual heating or slow cooling
to cast a/its spell
If something or someone casts their spell on you or casts a spell on you, you are fascinated or charmed by them.
cast a pall over sth
If something unpleasant casts a pall over an event or occasion , it makes it less enjoyable than it should be.
cast in one's lot with
to share in the activities or fortunes of (someone else)
cast pearls before swine
to waste your time by offering something that is helpful or valuable to someone who does not appreciate or understand it
to cast your mind back
If you cast your mind back to a time in the past , you think about what happened then.
cast an eye on something
to examine something carefully and give your opinion about it
cast your eye over something
to look at, consider , or read something very quickly
drop anchor to cast anchor
When the people on a boat drop anchor or cast anchor , they drop the boat's anchor into the water in order to prevent the boat from moving.
to cast pearls before swine
If you say that someone is casting pearls before swine , you mean that they are wasting their time by offering something that is helpful or valuable to someone who does not appreciate or understand it.
malleable iron
cast iron that has been toughened by gradual heating or slow cooling
castaway
A castaway is a person who has managed to swim or float to a lonely island or shore after their boat has sunk .
Chinese translation of 'cast'
cast
(kɑːst)
Word forms:ptppcast
vt
(= throw)
[light, shadow]投射 (tóushè)
[net, fishing line]投 (tóu)
[statue]铸(鑄)造 (zhùzào)
(Theat)
to cast sb as sth分配某人扮演某个(個)角色 (fēnpèi mǒurén bànyǎn mǒu gè juésè)
vi
(in fishing) 抛(拋) (pāo)
n(c)
(Theat) 演员(員)表 (yǎnyuánbiǎo) (份, fèn)
(= mould) 模子 (múzi)
(also plaster cast) 石膏 (shígāo)
to cast one's vote投票 (tóupiào)
to cast doubt on sth对(對)某事产(產)生怀(懷)疑 (duì mǒushì chǎnshēng huáiyí)
to cast a glance瞧一瞧 (qiáo yī qiáo)
to cast an eye or one's eye(s) over sth看一眼某物 (kàn yī yǎn mǒuwù)
to cast a spell on sb[witch, fairy etc]施咒于(於)某人 (shīzhòu yú mǒurén) (fig) 迷住某人 (mízhù mǒurén)
to cast sb/sth into sth (liter) 将(將)某人/某物扔入某处(處) (jiāng mǒurén/mǒuwù rēngrù mǒu chù)
All related terms of 'cast'
cast on
起针(針) qǐzhēn
cast off
( liter : get rid of ) 抛(拋)弃(棄) pāoqì
cast out
( get rid of ) 驱(驅)除 qūchú
cast-iron
( metal ) 铸(鑄)铁(鐵)制(製)的 zhùtiě zhì de
cast about
▶ to cast about for sth 想方设(設)法寻(尋)找 xiǎng fāng shè fǎ xúnzhǎo