From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcastcast1 /kɑːst $ kæst/ ●●○ W3 verb (past tense and past participle cast) 1 → cast light on/onto something2 → cast doubt(s) on something3 light and shade [transitive] literary to make light or a shadow appear somewherecast something over/on/across something The flames cast dancing shadows on the walls. the shade cast by low-hanging branches4 → cast a shadow/cloud over something5 LOOKlook [transitive] literary to look quickly in a particular directioncast a look/glance at somebody/something She cast an anguished look at Guy.cast somebody a glance/look The young tramp cast him a wary glance. She blushed, casting her eyes down.6 → cast an eye on/over something7 → cast a vote/ballot8 → cast a spell on/over somebody9 → cast your mind back10 → cast aspersions on something/somebody11 METALmetalAVSTI [transitive] to make an object by pouring liquid metal, plastic etc into a mould (=hollow container)cast something in/from something a statue of a horse cast in bronze12 ACTORacting [transitive]ACTOR/ACTRESS to choose which people will act particular parts in a play, film etccast somebody alongside/opposite somebody (=choose people for the two main roles) Pfeiffer was expected to be cast alongside Douglas in ‘Basic Instinct’.cast somebody as something Coppola cast him as Sodapop in ‘The Outsiders’.cast somebody in a role/a part/the lead The producer finally cast Finch in the male lead.13 DESCRIBEdescribe [transitive] to regard or describe someone as a particular type of personcast somebody as something Clinton had cast himself as the candidate of new economic opportunity. Clarke’s trying to cast me in the role of villain here. 14 THROWthrow [transitive always + adverb/preposition] literary to throw something somewhere SYN toss Sparks leapt as he cast more wood on the fire.15 FISHINGfishing [intransitive, transitive]DSO to throw a fishing line or net into the water There’s a trick to casting properly.16 send away [transitive always + adverb/preposition] literaryKEEP somebody IN A PLACE to force someone to go somewhere unpleasantcast somebody into prison/Hell etc Memet should, in her opinion, be cast into prison.17 → cast your net (far and) wide18 CAST ITS SKINskin [transitive]HB when a snake casts its skin, the top layer of skin falls off slowly SYN shed19 → cast a shoe20 → cast a horoscope → the die is cast at die2(3), → throw in/cast your lot with somebody/something at lot2(8), → cast pearls before swine at pearl(4) → cast about/around for something → cast somebody/something ↔ aside → cast away → cast off → cast on → cast somebody/something ↔ out → cast something ↔ up→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
cast• But his style casts a dark shadow over the material, rendering it claustrophobic.• This sent them on their way without having to trouble too much over casting about for tracks.• The same approach can be used where the shade is cast by a wall, fence or building.• After the artist's death 28 examples were cast in bronze, only 11 of which now remain in private hands.• In the tomb they found a statue of a horse cast in bronze.• The meat industry complained that the nutrition chart cast its products in an unfavorable way.• Sparks leaped as more wood was cast onto the fire.• Phil Gramm of Texas have now cast their lot with Buchanan.• You see everybody casts their tuppence worth into the pool but nobody details the route to a better future.• Participants will be helped to identify their own angry inner bums, and cast those barriers aside.• Cast your line across the current and upstream.cast a look/glance at somebody/something• Betsy cast a look at her dad.• Taking a break from singing an ear-splitting aria, Chang Yaohua casts a glance at the odd building in the background.• John le Grant sat with the others, casting a glance at the pitcher as he passed.cast ... in the role of• Where else will you be cast in the role of a dolphin?• The Falcons have been cast in the role of curtain-raisers and will open the show on both days.• Doctors such as geriatricians and psychiatrists have been cast in the role of fixers and gatekeepers to protect the institutions.• In his first season at Arsenal he was cast in the role of footballer turned male model.• Once cast in the role of Guardian of Truth and Traditional Wisdom, a scientist ceases to be scientific.• Deronda resents being cast in the role of listener and mentor.• No longer are local authorities cast in the role of protectors of unpopular, run-down schools. castcast2 ●●○ noun [countable] 1 ACTORSAPACTOR/ACTRESSactors all the people who perform in a play, film etccast of Films like ‘Ben Hur’ have a cast of thousands. the entire cast of ‘Les Misérables’ an all-star cast a strong supporting cast (=everyone except the main actors) a member of the cast2 ON YOUR BODYMHon arm/leg (also plaster cast) a hard protective case that is put over your arm, leg etc because the bone is broken Murray has his leg in a cast.3 FOR SHAPING METALfor making a shape a mould (=hollow container) into which you pour liquid metal, plastic etc in order to make an object of a particular shape, or the object made in this waycast of Make a cast of the statue.4 → somebody’s cast of mind5 IN FISHINGDSOfishing the act of throwing a fishing line into the water6 COLOURCOLOUR/COLORcolour literary a small amount of a particular colour Sage leaves have a silvery cast. 7 MIeye old-fashioned a problem with your eye which causes it to look sideways8 EARTHHBearth a small pile of earth that a worm produces on the surface of the groundCOLLOCATIONSadjectivesa strong cast (=a lot of good actors)The play has a strong cast of new young actors.a talented castIt's a fantastic production with an enormously talented cast.an all-star/a star-studded/a stellar cast (=a lot of very famous actors)The movie features an all-star cast.a supporting cast (=all the actors except the main ones)There’s also a fine supporting cast.verbshave a castThe play had a cast of almost unknown actors.head the cast (=be the main actor)Al Pacino heads the cast of this political thriller.cast + NOUNa cast member/a member of the castEveryone remembers the cast members of 'Friends’.the cast list (=list of members)The movie has an impressive cast list. Examples from the Corpus
cast• Why don't you have a cast?• Mandy has to have her arm in a cast for six weeks.• Films like 'Ben Hur' were made with a cast of thousands.• Given a great script and cast, Steven Soderbergh is unsurpassed as a storyteller.• The entire cast of the play deserves praise for this performance.• The granite columns give a pinkish cast to the base of the building.• McIntosh's work consists of plaster casts of the artist's own face.• The recipes come from an all-star cast of contributors, each a specialist in his or her own right.• And the cast is fairly strong.• Combined with the near-sleepwalking tendencies of the cast, this rendering offered few hair-raising moments on the vocal Richter scale.• The cast includes Bruce Willis and Melanie Griffith.all-star cast• The recipes come from an all-star cast of contributors, each a specialist in his or her own right.• An all-star cast includes Orson Welles and George Sanders.Make ... cast• Reaumur was concerned also with trying to make cast iron less brittle.-cast-cast /kɑːst $ kæst/ suffix [in nouns]a program that is put on the Internet for people to download a podcast —-casting suffix [in nouns] Lifecasting involves showing every event in your life on the Internet.From Longman Business Dictionarycastcast /kɑːstkæst/ verb (past tense and past participle cast) [transitive] cast a vote (also cast a ballot American English) to vote for someone or vote in an electionJustice Kennedy cast the deciding vote in the 5-4 ruling.→ See Verb tableOrigin cast1 (1100-1200) Old Norse kasta 