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to cast

to cast

357 3.7
To throw something with force or cause a change in light, like a shadow
  • verb
  • /kæst/
: arrojar
  • Let's all get out there and cast our votes this November.
  • cast doubt on
  • cast long shadows
  • cast light on

Now, a lunar eclipse happens when the Earth casts a shadow on the moon.

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Examples

  • I mean, it's like he cast a spell over the entire area.

  • When I walk in the sunshine, my shadow is cast onto the ground.

    Academic text (1999)
  • The excavation that followed it cast a lot of new light on the actual battle.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • The partial roof over the grandstand cast an angled shadow over the seats.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • As these prisms caught the sunlight, they cast a multitude of tiny rainbows upon her walls.

    Academic text (1993)
  • But the re-establishment of the pre-1972 oligarchy casts a long, dark shadow into the future.

    Academic text (1993)
  • The magician expertly cast a spell that made everyone believe they were flying.

  • During the Halloween party, she cast spooky shadows on the wall with her flashlight.

  • As the sun set, the trees cast long shadows across the lawn.

Synonyms

to throw
vsto cast
∞ 1.0

To send something through the air by a quick movement of the arm

can also mean making light or a shadow appear, not just arm motion
to hurl
vsto cast
55 3.6

To throw something very hard

is broader, including gentler or deliberate sending and appearance uses
to cast a spell
vsto cast
  • Literature
37 7.4

Use words or actions to make a magical change

also covers physical sending and making light or shadow appear
to project
vsto cast
17 2.9

To throw something forward through the air

also makes light, shadows, or magic appear rather than only propelling
to hurtle
vsto cast
6 7.0

To throw something with great force and speed

can be less about speed and include causing light or magic to appear

Antonyms

179 3.7

To hide something so others cannot see or find it

42 3.5

To hit someone or something often by surprise

Idioms

Make a person, event, or situation seem less happy and less hopeful

8 7.7

To be the first to criticize someone when you have the same fault

To look in more places to find someone or something

Make a meeting or event feel gloomy and sad

1 9.5

To give something valuable to people who do not appreciate it

Do something kind without expecting anything back, hoping it helps later

Fixed and not able to be changed

Make people feel uneasy, disappointed or uncomfortable

To hurt someone by reminding them of an embarrassing thing they did

To add up the money someone gets and spends to find the total

Phrasal Verbs

50 6.2

Force someone to leave a group or place because others reject them

to cast a spell
  • Literature
37 7.4

Use words or actions to make a magical change

28 4.8

To get rid of something you do not want or need

23 4.6

Make people feel unsure if something is true

to cast aside
  • Informal
17 3.7

Reject or ignore people and things you no longer want

Give your choice in an election or official decision

10 4.1

To throw away things you no longer want

To look around or think hard to find something you need

To look in a worried way for an idea or solution

1 6.3

To make someone feel sad or discouraged

To free something by letting go of ties or limits

to cast off
  • Jargon
1 8.2

To finish the last row of knitting so the stitches do not come undone

Throw a fishing net into the water to catch fish

to cast on
  • Jargon
1 6.9

To make the first row of stitches on a needle when you start knitting

To lower an anchor from a boat or ship to hold it in place

to sand cast
  • Specialized
1 6.6

Make a metal object by pouring liquid metal into a sand mold

Think about something that happened in the past to remember it

Compounds

cast iron
  • Specialized
29 3.7

A very hard but brittle metal made by melting iron and pouring it into molds

A group of actors who perform in a play or film

plaster cast
  • Specialized
5 3.1

A hard shell of plaster that keeps a broken bone still while it heals

2 4.5

A thing, often clothing, that someone has thrown away

A group of actors who are mostly white

A very hardy houseplant that has long green leaves and needs little care

needle cast
  • Specialized
1 7.9

A disease of pine and spruce trees that makes their needles turn brown and fall early

alloy cast iron
  • Specialized
6.0

A type of cast iron made by adding other metals to make it stronger and resist wear

9.9

A disease of evergreen trees like pines that makes their needles fall early

soft-cast steel
  • Specialized
5.1

Steel with very little carbon that is easy to shape

How Forceful

to hurl
55 3.6
launch
321 4.0
to cast
357 3.7
to throw
∞ 1.0
to toss
610 1.0

Surface Forms

cast infinitive
cast past
cast past participle
casting present participle
casts third person singular

Etymology

Cast comes from an old German word kast meaning 'to throw', so imagine 'throwing' light or a shadow across a room like you would throw a ball. So to cast something is to send or throw it out so it spreads or appears.