to cast off
28
4.8
- phrasal verb
- /kæst ɔf/
- After years of struggle, she finally decided to cast off the negative influences in her life.
- cast off the yoke
- cast off the old
Examples
-
I cast off, maneuvered the boat away from the town dock, and headed out into the channel.
Fiction book (1995) -
When the South cast off the shackles of political oppression, many things changed for the better.
Blog text (14) -
Stand by to cast off.
-
- All right, let's cast off!
-
Cast off, I tell you!
-
Cast off the bow line.
-
Milo and his crew prepare to cast off.
Fiction book (1991) -
Marcella collected fares in a green lockbox, while Lori and Rita got ready to untie the boat and cast off.
Fiction book (1995) -
He felt relieved as he could cast off his old habits and embrace a healthier lifestyle.
-
To start fresh, she chose to cast off everything that no longer served her goals.
Synonyms
∞
1.5
To move something or someone away from a place
∞
1.6
To remove or throw away something you do not want
563
1.8
To get rid of something you do not want, for example by putting it in the bin
153
3.4
Get rid of something by throwing it away, selling it, or giving it to someone
132
3.8
To quickly remove something you have or that bothers you
118
4.0
To take off or throw away something
100
2.7
To throw something away because you no longer want or need it
85
3.5
To get rid of something you do not need
80
3.6
Make something unwanted go away, like an illness, a feeling, or a person following you
67
2.7
To throw away things you do not want
50
6.2
Force someone to leave a group or place because others reject them
27
6.1
Make a thought or feeling go away so it stops bothering you
17
3.7
Reject or ignore people and things you no longer want
17
3.6
Remove people completely from a place or group because they are unwanted
11
2.0
To throw something away because you no longer want or need it
10
4.1
To throw away things you no longer want
5
7.5
To get rid of something unwanted, for example a bad habit or a weak branch
2
6.0
To reject or get rid of something no longer needed
Antonyms
How Thorough
31
7.8
688
2.6
28
4.8
100
2.7
69
3.9
1
2.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to remove or get rid of' is directly and compositionally derived from 'cast' (to take off or get rid of) combined with the particle 'off' (indicating removal). This verb+particle pattern is a common, transparent English construction and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.
Etymology
Cast off uses the picture of throwing something away or taking a heavy coat off your body; cast means to throw and off means away, so it came to mean 'to remove or get rid of something'.