# cast

Pronunciation: US say "KAST" /kæst/; UK say "KAHST" /kɑːst/

## Noun

1. The group of actors performing together in a play or production, as distinct from the crew.
   - Simple: The group of actors who perform together in a play, movie, or show.
   - _The director introduced the cast to the audience before the premiere._
   - _An ensemble cast carried the production with strong individual performances._
4. A rigid supportive shell placed around a broken limb to hold the bone still while it mends.
   - Simple: A hard cover put around a broken arm or leg to hold it still while it heals.
   - _After the X-ray, the nurse fitted a cast around his fractured wrist._
   - _She signed her name on her friend's cast at school._
10. An object formed by pouring liquid material into a mold and letting it harden.
   - Simple: An object made by pouring liquid material, such as melted metal or wet plaster, into a mold and letting it harden.
   - _The museum displayed a bronze cast of the original sculpture._
   - _Each cast was polished before it left the workshop._
14. An act of throwing something, especially a fishing line, lure, or net, out onto the water.
   - Simple: A throw, especially of a fishing line or net into the water.
   - _A well-timed cast dropped the fly exactly where the trout were feeding._
   - _Each cast sent the lure further toward the deeper channel._
13. The process of forming an object by pouring molten metal or another liquid material into a shaped mold.
   - Simple: The process of forming an object by pouring liquid metal or another liquid into a mold and letting it harden.
   - _The foundry produced a flawless bell only on its third cast._
   - _The statue was made in one cast, with the bronze poured into the mold in a single continuous stream._
17. The overall look of something, especially a faint tinge of color or a characteristic aspect.
   - Simple: The general look of something, especially a slight shade of color.
   - _The marble had a bluish cast under the gallery lights._
   - _There was a melancholy cast to his features that morning._
18. The mold into which molten material is poured to form cast objects.
   - Simple: The hollow shape that melted material is poured into to make objects.
   - _The foundry cracked open the cast to remove the finished piece._
   - _A reusable cast can produce hundreds of identical parts._
23. The characteristic form or disposition of a person's thoughts or temperament.
   - Simple: The usual way a person thinks or feels.
   - _Her scientific cast of mind made her question every assumption._
   - _There was a romantic cast to his entire outlook on life._
25. An attempt or chance directed at achieving something.
   - Simple: A try or chance to do something.
28. A little heap of earth that a worm has excreted or thrown up at the surface.
   - Simple: A small pile of soil that a worm pushes out of its body.
   - _Each cast on the lawn marks a spot where an earthworm surfaced during the night._
   - _Groundskeepers brush the worm casts off the golf greens every morning._
29. A slight squint in which one eye is turned somewhat away from its normal line of sight.
   - Simple: A slight squint, where one eye does not look straight ahead.
   - _A faint cast in his eye gave his gaze a slightly distracted air._
   - _Surgery in childhood had corrected the cast in her right eye._

## Verb

2. To choose actors for a play, film, or other performance, or to give an actor a particular role.
   - Simple: To choose an actor for a part in a play or film.
   - _The studio cast a relative unknown to play the villain._
   - _Producers often cast established stars to attract audiences._
3. To deposit a ballot or formally record one's vote.
   - Simple: To put in or officially record your vote in an election.
   - _Citizens cast their ballots at polling stations across the country._
   - _He cast his vote for the new mayor._
5. To shape molten metal or another liquid material by pouring it into a mold and letting it harden, or to make an object by this method.
   - Simple: To make an object by pouring hot melted metal or another liquid into a shaped mold and letting it harden.
   - _It takes years of practice to cast a large bronze statue without cracks or air bubbles._
   - _The foundry still casts its bells by pouring bronze into clay molds, much as it did centuries ago._
6. To throw something, especially forcefully, away, down, or aside. *(literary)*
   - Simple: To throw something, often hard or carelessly.
   - _With one motion he cast the spear toward the distant target._
   - _Pilgrims cast offerings into the sacred fire each dawn._
7. To put a magic spell or enchantment into effect.
   - Simple: To perform a magic spell or charm.
   - _The sorcerer cast a powerful enchantment over the sleeping castle._
   - _Young apprentices learn to cast simple spells before attempting harder ones._
8. To throw light, or a shadow, onto something or in a particular direction.
   - Simple: To send light or shadow onto something or in some direction.
   - _The setting sun cast golden light over the hills._
   - _Streetlights cast pools of brightness along the empty road._
9. To bring something unwelcome, such as doubt, suspicion, blame, or gloom, down on a person or thing.
   - Simple: To make something bad, like doubt or blame, fall on someone or something.
   - _The bribery scandal cast a shadow over the final years of his career._
   - _Defense lawyers worry that the leaked emails could cast suspicion on their client._
11. To throw a fishing line, net, or similar gear forward into the water.
   - Simple: To throw a fishing line or net out into the water.
   - _Anglers cast their lines far out beyond the breaking waves._
   - _She cast the net in a wide arc across the shallows._
12. To describe a person, action, or event in a way that reflects one's opinion, often through imagery of light or shadow.
   - Simple: To talk about something in a way that shows your opinion, often using words about light.
   - _Editorials cast the verdict as a betrayal of public trust._
   - _The biography cast her early failures in a sympathetic light._
15. To turn or direct one's eyes or gaze toward something.
   - Simple: To turn your eyes to look in a certain direction.
   - _Travelers cast their eyes over the valley spread out below._
   - _She cast a doubtful glance at the contract._
16. To stream video across the Internet or a home network, most often so that it plays on one's television.
   - Simple: To send video from a phone or computer to a TV over the Internet or a home network.
   - _He cast the game highlights to the big screen for everyone to watch._
   - _Many apps let users cast content to a nearby television._
19. To convert a value from one data type to another, such as from an integer to a floating-point number or to text.
   - Simple: To change a piece of data from one type to another in a computer program.
   - _Developers often cast user input to integers before performing calculations._
   - _The function cast the float to a string for display._
20. To set a broken bone in a rigid supportive cast.
   - Simple: To put a hard cover around a broken bone to hold it while it heals.
   - _The surgeon cast the fractured wrist after realigning the bone._
   - _Doctors usually cast such breaks to keep the bone still while it heals._
21. To commentate live on a video game match or an esports event. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To describe and comment on a video game match live, while people watch it.
   - _Two former pros will cast the grand final, sharing the commentary desk for all five games._
   - _He got his start casting amateur tournaments for free, and now a major league pays him to call its matches._
22. To throw off old skin, hair, or fur as a natural part of growth or seasonal change.
   - Simple: To shed an old skin, hair, or coat as part of growing.
   - _Many reptiles cast their outer skin to allow continued growth._
   - _The old sheepdog cast its thick coat in the early summer heat._
24. To tip the balance or scale, making one side outweigh another and so decide the outcome.
   - Simple: To tip the balance and decide the result of something.
26. To consider something, turning it over or revolving it in the mind, often with a view to making a plan.
   - Simple: To think something over carefully in your mind.
27. Of hunting dogs or hunters, to spread out over an area in search of a scent or trail.
   - Simple: Of a dog or hunter, to spread out and search around for a scent.
   - _Well-trained pointers cast methodically over open ground until they find game._
   - _The pack cast in widening circles after losing the fox's scent._
30. In astrology, to calculate the astrological meaning of a horoscope, a birth or the like.
   - Simple: In astrology, to work out a horoscope or what the stars meant at someone's birth.
   - _Astrologers who cast birth charts need to know the exact minute you were born._
   - _The court astrologer was ordered to cast the young prince's nativity._
31. To twist, bend, or warp out of true shape, as timber or fabric does with moisture or age.
   - Simple: To bend or twist out of shape, as wood or cloth can.

## Other meanings

- (verb) Of a tree or plant, to drop its leaves or fruit too early, before they are ripe or the season is over.
- (verb) To take off clothing and put it aside.
- (verb) To throw a weighted sounding line overboard to find out how deep the water is.
- (verb) To throw up the contents of the stomach.
- (verb) To pile up earth into a mound, bank or defensive wall.
- (verb) To send out something such as breath, smoke or a smell.
- (verb) To total a list of numbers written in a column, as in accounts, with totaling across a row called cross-casting.
- (verb) To work out a scheme or have it in mind to do something.
- (verb) To lay or place something, such as a duty, gift or burden, upon someone, or to let something rest on them.
- (verb) To rule against someone in a court case, causing them to lose, or to find them guilty.
- (verb) To deliver offspring before full term, or to lose a pregnancy.
- (verb) To produce a metal printing plate from set type by making a mold of it, by stereotyping or electrotyping.
- (verb) To swing a sailing ship's bow onto the desired tack using the headsail at the moment the anchor comes up, or to turn a ship around.
- (verb) In witchcraft and Wicca, to mark out a ritual circle so that a spell or gathering can begin.
- (noun) The score showing on the top face of a die once it lands.
- (noun) Anything flung or strewn about.
- (noun) In falconry, a set of hawks let fly together, usually two of them.
- (noun) Caste, the inherited rank into which a person is born in Indian society, in an older written form.
- (noun) A pellet of bones, fur, feathers or insect parts that a bird coughs up after eating.
- (noun) A collective term for a number of crabs together.
- (noun) The amount a shotgun stock is bent to one side of the barrel's line, seen from above, so the gun lines up with the shooter's eye.
- (noun) Help for someone, such as giving them a ride or easing their work.
- (adjective) Of a horse, sheep or other animal, stuck on its back or side and unable to get up without help.

## Origin

Old Norse kasta ("to throw, cast, overturn"), which goes back to Proto-Germanic *kastōną ("to throw, cast"), a word of unknown origin, became Middle English casten. Danish kaste and Swedish kasta are related. In the sense of "flinging," it took the place of the native word warp, and the broadcasting senses grew from this same word.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/cast (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).