# castling

Pronunciation: US say "KA-suh-ling" /ˈkæsəlɪŋ/; UK say "KAH-suh-ling" /ˈkɑːsəlɪŋ/

## Noun

1. In chess, a move where the king moves two squares toward a rook and the rook moves to the square on the king's other side.
   - Simple: A chess move where the king moves two squares toward a rook and the rook hops to the king's other side.
   - _Castling early gave White a safer king and a connected pair of rooks._
   - _Many players run into trouble because they postpone castling for too long._
3. In shogi, the act of arranging pieces into a defensive formation that shields the king behind pawns and gold or silver generals.
   - Simple: In Japanese chess, the act of building a wall of pieces around the king to keep it safe.
   - _Castling in shogi often takes several moves to build a strong defensive shell._
   - _Beginners frequently skip castling and pay for it when their king is attacked._
4. A miniature cast or mold, or a small copy formed from one. (pronounced: US say "KAST-ling" /ˈkæstlɪŋ/; UK say "KAHST-ling" /ˈkɑːstlɪŋ/)
   - Simple: A small mold, or a tiny copy made using a mold.
   - _The sculptor used a castling to reproduce the figurine in miniature._
   - _Several delicate castlings lined the workbench, each pulled from the same form._
5. A thing or person that has been cast; something produced by casting. (pronounced: US say "KAST-ling" /ˈkæstlɪŋ/; UK say "KAHST-ling" /ˈkɑːstlɪŋ/)
   - Simple: A thing or person that has been cast or thrown.
   - _Every castling from that batch bore the same small flaw._
   - _He examined the castling closely before adding it to the pile._

## Verb

2. Present participle of castle. — present participle and gerund of castle
   - Simple: Present participle of castle. Use this form for the move as it is happening.
   - _White is castling kingside to finish developing the position._
   - _Castling on move six left her with a solid, well-guarded king._

## Noun

6. A miscarriage, or the premature birth of young before full term. *(obsolete)* (pronounced: US say "KAST-ling" /ˈkæstlɪŋ/; UK say "KAHST-ling" /ˈkɑːstlɪŋ/)
   - Simple: A birth that happens too early, or the loss of an unborn baby.
   - _The shepherd recorded another castling among the flock that bitter winter._
   - _Grief over the castling hung heavy in the cottage for days._
7. A second or third swarm of bees that leaves a hive later in the same season. *(obsolete)* (pronounced: US say "KAST-ling" /ˈkæstlɪŋ/; UK say "KAHST-ling" /ˈkɑːstlɪŋ/)
   - Simple: A second or third group of bees that leaves a hive in one season.
   - _That summer the hive threw a strong castling in early August._
   - _The old beekeeper hived the castling in a fresh skep._

## Origin

**Meanings 4–7** — Formed from "cast" combined with the suffix "-ling".
**Meanings 1–3** — From Middle English "castellinge", equivalent to the verb "castle" plus the suffix "-ing".

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