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Glite Dictionary
to cast the first stone

to cast the first stone

6 7.7
To be the first to criticize someone when you have the same fault
  • idiom
  • Literature
translation icon : echar la primera piedra
  • It's easy to judge others for their errors, but we must be careful not to cast the first stone ourselves.
  • cast the first stone of sin

Let he or she who is without sin cast the first stone.

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Examples

  • Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

    The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)

  • Before criticizing her mistakes, remember that none of us are perfect; after all, we should not cast the first stone.

  • I should not cast the first stone.

    Wicked Little Letters (2024)

  • I highly doubt you would be in a position to cast the first stone.

    Blog text (34)

  • Then let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

    The Book of Clarence (2024)

  • Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.

    Jungle Fever (1991)

  • Who is to point the first finger and cast the first stone?

    Academic text (2001)

  • I decline to judge, and I decline to cast the first stone.

    Blog text (9)

  • Which of us can cast the first stone since we are all sinners ourselves?

    Blog text (18)

  • In discussions about morality, it's important to avoid hypocrisy and refrain from casting the first stone at others.

Synonyms

to throw stones
vsto cast the first stone
  • Informal
2 6.7

Say bad things about others while ignoring your own faults

is the first to accuse while likely sharing the same fault
to throw stones in a glass house
vsto cast the first stone
  • Informal
8.4

To blame others when you have the same faults

focuses on starting the criticism while possibly having the same fault

Antonyms

to forgive
∞ 1.4

To stop feeling angry at someone or yourself for a mistake

to excuse
384 2.2

Forgive a fault or bad behaviour

How Accusatory

to condemn
  • Formal
49 5.6
to cast the first stone
  • Literature
6 7.7
to criticize
701 3.3

Surface Forms

cast the first stone infinitive
cast the first stone past
cast the first stone past participle
casting the first stone present participle
casts the first stone third person singular

Morphology

cast + the + first + stone

The literal components ('cast' = throw, 'stone' = rock, 'first' = before others) give a clear image of throwing the initial stone, which points toward initiating an attack or accusation. However, the full idiomatic sense — being the first to criticize, especially hypocritically — relies on a cultural/Biblical reference and an evaluative nuance that a B1 learner who only knows the words may not predict. Therefore the relation is partially transparent but not fully derivable from the constituents alone.

Etymology

The idiom cast the first stone comes from a story in the Bible where people planned to punish a woman by throwing stones, and Jesus said only someone without sin should cast the first stone. So today it means don't be the first to 'criticize or accuse' someone, especially if you have made the same mistake.