cast

[[t]kɑ͟ːst, kæ̱st[/t]]

♦♦

casts, casting

(The form cast is used in the present tense and is the past tense and past participle.)

1) N-COUNT-COLL 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.

2) VERB To cast an actor in a play or film means to choose them to act a particular role in it.

[V n in/as n] The world premiere of Harold Pinter's new play casts Ian Holm in the lead role...

[V n in/as n] He was cast as a college professor...

[V n] He had no trouble casting the movie.

Derived words:

casting N-UNCOUNT oft N of n, N n

The film could have done without the casting of the director's daughter in a central role.

...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.

[V n as/in n] Democrats have been worried about being cast as the party of the poor...

[V pron-refl as/in n] Holland would never dare cast himself as a virtuoso pianist.

4) VERB If you cast your eyes or cast a look in a particular direction, you look quickly in that direction. [WRITTEN]

[V n prep/adv] He cast a stern glance at the two men...

[V n prep/adv] I cast my eyes down briefly...

[V n] The maid, casting black looks, hurried out. [Also V n n]

5) VERB If something casts a light or shadow somewhere, it causes it to appear there. [WRITTEN]

[V n prep] The moon cast a bright light over the yard...

[V n] They flew in over the beach, casting a huge shadow.

6) VERB To cast doubt on something means to cause people to be unsure about it.

[V n on n] Last night a top criminal psychologist cast doubt on the theory.

7) VERB When you cast your vote in an election, you vote.

[V n] About ninety-five per cent of those who cast their votes approve the new constitution...

[V-ed] Gaviria had been widely expected to obtain well over half the votes cast.

8) VERB To cast something or someone somewhere means to throw them there. [LITERARY]

[V n prep] Any true lover casting a pin into the fountain and gazing into it will see his or her future partner...

[have n V-ed prep] John had Maude and her son cast into a dungeon.

9) VERB If someone casts a fishing line or casts, they throw one end of the fishing line into the water.

[V n] Some way from them, the fisherman cast his line. [Also V]

10) VERB To cast an object means to make it by pouring a liquid such as hot metal into a specially shaped container and leaving it there until it becomes hard.

[V-ed in n] The stair grips, cast in either brass or bronze, resemble exotic sea shells. [Also V n in n, V n]

11) N-COUNT: oft N of n A cast is a model that has been made by pouring a liquid such as plaster or hot metal onto something 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 to make a dental plate.

Syn:

casting

12) N-COUNT A cast is the same as a plaster cast.

13) N-COUNT If someone has a particular cast of mind or cast of thought, they have that kind of character or way of thinking of things.

The Social Democratic Party was full of people of an academic cast of mind...

Hers was an essentially sunny cast of mind.

14) → See also casting

15) to cast anchor → see anchor

to cast aspersions → see aspersions

the die is cast → see die

to cast lots → see lot

to cast your mind back → see mind

to cast your net wide → see net

to cast pearls before swine → see pearl

Phrasal Verbs:

- cast around for

- cast aside

- cast down

- cast off

- cast out