cast

KAST/kæst/UKKAHST/kɑːst/

Pluralcasts

Verbcasts, casting, cast

54 meanings of cast

Practice

1
actorsnouncountable
The group of actors who perform together in a play, movie, or show.
Like the players on a sports team, but for a show.
The whole cast came onstage to take a bow.
She joined the cast of the school play last spring.
UsageSay an actor is in the cast.
Similarcompany, troupe, lineup
2
choose actorsverbtransitive
To choose an actor for a part in a play or film.
Like a coach picking which player will fill each position.
The director cast her as the lead in the new film.
They cast a young newcomer in the main role.
UsageSay cast someone as a character.
Similarchoose, pick, select
Note
3
voteverbtransitive
To put in or officially record your vote in an election.
Like dropping a slip of paper into a box to make your choice count.
Millions of people cast their votes on election day.
She cast her ballot early this year.
UsageSay cast a vote.
Similarregister, submit, record
4
for broken bonesnouncountable
A hard cover put around a broken arm or leg to hold it still while it heals.
Like a hard shell that keeps a hurt bone from moving until it gets better.
The doctor put a cast on her broken arm.
He had to wear a cast for six weeks.
UsageSay your arm is in a cast.
5
make in a moldverbtransitive
To make an object by pouring hot melted metal or another liquid into a shaped mold and letting it harden.
Like pouring melted chocolate into a mold to make a chocolate shape.
Workers cast the statue from melted bronze.
Factories cast metal parts in large molds.
UsageSay cast in bronze.
Similarmold
Note
6
verbliterarytransitive
To throw something, often hard or carelessly.
Like throwing a stone as far as you can.
The villagers cast flowers into the river during the festival.
She cast the old map aside and started again.
UsagePast form: cast (not ~~incorrect: casted~~).
Similarthrow, hurl, fling, toss, pitch
Note
7
spellverbtransitive
To perform a magic spell or charm.
Like saying special words that are supposed to make magic happen.
The wizard cast a spell to lock the door.
Witches in the story cast spells to protect their village.
UsageSay cast a spell on someone.
Similarweave
8
throw lightverbtransitive
To send light or shadow onto something or in some direction.
Like a flashlight throwing a circle of light onto a wall.
The lamp cast a warm glow across the room.
Tall trees cast long shadows in the evening.
UsageSay cast a shadow over something.
Similarshed, pour
Note
9
verbtransitive
To make something bad, like doubt or blame, fall on someone or something.
Last week's test results cast doubt on his story.
Don't try to cast the blame on your little brother for the broken window.
UsageSay cast doubt on something.
Similarthrow
Note
10
nouncountable
An object made by pouring liquid material, such as melted metal or wet plaster, into a mold and letting it harden.
Like an ice cube: water takes the shape of the tray it freezes in.
The bronze cast sat on a shelf in the studio.
She made a plaster cast of the small statue.
Similarreplica, copy, model
11
throw out (fishing)verbtransitive
To throw a fishing line or net out into the water.
Like throwing a rope out across the water to reach something far away.
The fishermen cast their nets at sunrise.
He cast his line into the lake and waited.
12
portrayverbtransitive
To talk about something in a way that shows your opinion, often using words about light.
Like shining a colored light on something so it looks the way you want others to see it.
Critics often cast his silence as a sign of guilt.
The article cast the new rules in a bad light.
UsageSay cast someone in a bad light.
Similarportray, depict, present, paint, frame
Note
13
nouncountable
The process of forming an object by pouring liquid metal or another liquid into a mold and letting it harden.
Like making an ice cube: you pour the liquid into a tray and let it harden into shape.
The cast took all morning, from melting the metal to filling the mold.
Several casts failed because the metal cooled too quickly.
Similarmolding

Less common meanings

14
nouncountable
A throw, especially of a fishing line or net into the water.
Like tossing a ball, but you throw the line and hook out onto the water instead.
Her first cast landed right beside the lily pads.
He made three casts before a fish finally bit.
UsageSay make a cast.
Similarthrow, toss
Note
15
glanceverbtransitive
To turn your eyes to look in a certain direction.
Like pointing a flashlight, but you point your eyes instead.
I cast my eyes downward whenever he speaks to me.
He cast a worried look toward the window.
UsageSay cast a glance at something.
Similardirect, turn, shoot, throw
16
stream to TVverbtransitive
To send video from a phone or computer to a TV over the Internet or a home network.
Like sending a picture from your phone to a TV so everyone can see it bigger.
She cast the movie from her phone to the living room TV.
You can cast videos straight to the screen with one tap.
UsageSay cast a video to the TV.
Similarstream, beam
Note
17
color tintnouncountable
The general look of something, especially a slight shade of color.
Like how the evening sun can make everything look a little orange.
The old photo had a yellow cast from age.
Her skin took on a pale cast in the cold light.
UsageSay a blue cast to the picture.
Similartinge, tint, hue, air, look
Note
18
the moldnouncountable
The hollow shape that melted material is poured into to make objects.
Like an ice-cube tray that shapes the water poured into it.
The worker poured hot metal into the cast.
When the metal cooled, they lifted the new part out of the cast.
Similarmold, matrix, form
Note
19
convert dataverbtransitive
To change a piece of data from one type to another in a computer program.
Like changing the label on a box so the computer treats what is inside differently.
In this code, we cast the score to text so we can show it.
The program cast the text into a number before adding it.
Similarconvert, coerce
Note
20
set a boneverbtransitive
To put a hard cover around a broken bone to hold it while it heals.
Like wrapping a cracked stick tightly so it can't bend while it mends.
The doctors cast his broken leg right away.
They will cast her arm if the X-ray shows a fracture.
21
verbcolloquialtransitive
To describe and comment on a video game match live, while people watch it.
My cousin wants to cast games for a big esports league one day.
She casts the school's online gaming tournament, explaining every move to the viewers.
Similarcommentate, call
Note
22
shed skinverbtransitive
To shed an old skin, hair, or coat as part of growing.
Like taking off an old coat you have grown out of.
Snakes cast their skin several times a year.
The pony cast its winter coat as spring arrived.
Similarshed, slough
23
frame of mindnouncountable
The usual way a person thinks or feels.
Like how a mold gives clay one set shape, your mind has its own usual way of working.
She has a practical cast of mind.
She has a practical cast of mind and likes clear answers.
UsageMostly cast of mind.
Similarturn, bent, disposition, streak
Note
24
decide the resultverbtransitive
To tip the balance and decide the result of something.
Similardecide, determine, settle
Note
25
attemptnouncountable
A try or chance to do something.
Similarattempt, try, shot, stab
26
think oververbtransitive
To think something over carefully in your mind.
Similarconsider, weigh, ponder, contemplate
Note
27
verbintransitive
Of a dog or hunter, to spread out and search around for a scent.
Like fanning out to search a big yard for a lost ball.
The hounds cast across the field, noses to the ground.
The old setter cast wide before picking up the trail.
Similarrange, search
Note
28
nouncountable
A small pile of soil that a worm pushes out of its body.
There was a tiny cast of soil next to the worm's hole.
After the rain, the wet grass was covered in worm casts.
UsageUsually worm casts.
Note
29
squintnouncountable
A slight squint, where one eye does not look straight ahead.
Like when one eye points a little to the side instead of straight ahead.
He had a slight cast in his left eye.
The cast in her eye was barely noticeable.
UsageSay a cast in his eye.
Similarsquint
Note
30
verbtransitive
In astrology, to work out a horoscope or what the stars meant at someone's birth.
He likes to cast horoscopes for his friends.
My aunt had her horoscope cast by a woman at the county fair.
Note
31
warpverbintransitive
To bend or twist out of shape, as wood or cloth can.
Similarwarp, twist, buckle
Note
32
verb
Of a tree, to drop its leaves or fruit too early.
33
verb
To get out of what you are wearing.
34
verb
To drop a weighted rope into the water to measure how deep it is.
35
verbobsolete
To be sick and bring food up from your stomach.
36
verbarchaic
To build a pile or wall of earth.
Thine enemies shall cast a trench [bank] about thee.
1611, The Holy Bible, King James Version
37
verbarchaic
To give out breath or smoke.
This horned bird, as it casts a strong smell, so it hath a foul look, much exceeding the European Raven in bigness
1849, Philip Henry Gosse, Natural History
38
verb
To add up a list of numbers.
39
verbobsolete
To plan or mean to do something.
I wrapt my selfe in Palmers weed, / And cast to seeke him forth through daunger and great dreed.
1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene
40
verbarchaic
To put a duty or gift on someone.
Cast thy burden upon the Lord.
1611, The Holy Bible, King James Version
41
verbarchaic
To make someone lose a court case or find them guilty.
She was cast to be hanged.
1822, John Galt, The Provost
42
verbarchaic
To give birth too early, or to lose a baby before birth.
The abortion of a woman they describe by an horse kicking a wolf; because a mare will cast her foal if she tread in the track of that animal.
1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica
43
verbdated
To make a metal printing plate from a mold.
44
verb
To turn a sailing ship the right way as the anchor comes up.
45
verb
To make a magic circle before a witches' ritual starts.
46
noun
The number you get when you throw a die.
47
noun
Things thrown or spread around.
48
noun
A pair of hawks let go at the same time.
49
nounobsolete
Caste, the social group you are born into in India, spelled the old way.
The brahmin's cast is higher than any other cast.
1821, Report of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, volumes 12-16
50
noun
A ball of bones, fur or insect parts that a bird coughs up.
51
noun
Several crabs together.
52
noun
How far a shotgun stock bends to the side to fit the shooter's eye.
53
nounarchaic
Help, such as a ride or a hand with work.
boatman, just give us a cast over to the other side of the water.
1882, Sir James William Redhouse, The Turkish Vade-Mecum of Ottoman Colloquial Language
54
adjective
Of an animal, stuck lying in a way it cannot get up from by itself.

More uses

cast onto make the first row of stitches in knitting
cast outto force someone or something to leave

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of cast apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Old Norse kasta, meaning "to throw." Its beginning before that is unknown.

Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

Cast comes from Old Norse kasta, meaning "to throw." en.wiktionary.org
Its ultimate origin is unknown. en.wiktionary.org