cast
B2Multi-register: common in everyday, technical (medical/engineering), and specialist (arts) contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To throw something, often with force or in a deliberate direction; to form by pouring liquid into a mould; to select actors for a play or film.
A broad term encompassing actions of throwing, shaping, selecting, assigning, and discarding. It extends to the resulting group (e.g., actors), the form/shape produced (e.g., a plaster cast), and the look/appearance of something (e.g., cast of light).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The core sense of 'throwing' has expanded metaphorically: casting a vote (throwing support), casting doubt (throwing uncertainty), casting a shadow (throwing darkness). The 'forming in a mould' sense is central to manufacturing and medicine. The 'selecting actors' sense is domain-specific to performing arts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use 'plaster cast' (medical). In fishing, BrE might say 'cast a line' equally, but AmE may slightly favour 'cast a line' over simply 'cast'. The past tense 'cast' is universal; 'casted' is non-standard for most senses but emerges rarely in computing/data ('casted a spell' in gaming contexts is contested).
Connotations
Similar. 'Cast iron' connotes strength in both. 'Cast off' in sailing/knotting is identical. In social contexts, 'to be cast as the villain' carries the same metaphorical weight.
Frequency
Frequency is similar. Slight variance in collocation preference, e.g., AmE may use 'cast a ballot' slightly more formally than BrE's 'cast a vote', but both are understood.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SVOO: She cast him a glance.SVO: The sculptor cast the statue.SVO+A: They cast him as the lead.SVOC: The news cast a pall over the event.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “cast aspersions”
- “cast the first stone”
- “cast in the same mould”
- “cast one's mind back”
- “cast a long shadow”
- “cast iron stomach”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To cast a project in a new light; to cast a wide net for candidates.
Academic
To cast doubt on a theory; a cast of a fossil.
Everyday
He broke his leg and got a cast; Let's cast votes for the best film.
Technical
To cast metal in a foundry; to cast a data type in programming; a worm cast in biology.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The play's cast gave a stellar performance.
- He had to wear a plaster cast for six weeks.
- The soil was full of worm casts.
American English
- The entire cast attended the premiere party.
- The sculpture was a bronze cast of the original model.
- She has a cast in her eye, a hint of green.
verb
British English
- The angler decided to cast his line into the river.
- The director will cast the film next month.
- The setting sun cast long shadows across the garden.
American English
- She cast her ballot early in the election.
- The factory casts engine blocks from molten iron.
- His testimony cast serious doubt on the defendant's alibi.
adjective
British English
- They have a cast iron guarantee for their products.
- He was left with a cast-off piece of furniture.
American English
- She made a cast-iron argument that convinced everyone.
- The book was a cast-off from the library sale.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The witch can cast a magic spell.
- His leg is in a white cast.
- The fisherman cast his net.
- The committee will cast their votes tomorrow.
- The metal was cast into a beautiful shape.
- The novel cast light on life in the last century.
- The scandal cast a long shadow over his political career.
- She was perfectly cast as the determined detective in the new series.
- The artist cast the sculpture using the lost-wax method.
- The historian's findings cast aspersions on the widely accepted narrative.
- The decision was cast in stone, leaving no room for negotiation.
- Her remarks cast the entire project in a completely new and unfavourable light.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CAST as three actions: 1) CAST a fishing line (throw), 2) CAST a statue in bronze (mould), 3) CAST actors in a play (select). All involve a deliberate 'directing' of something.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEAS ARE OBJECTS TO BE THROWN (cast doubt, cast light on); LIFE IS A THEATRE PLAY (cast in a role, cast aside).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not translating 'cast a vote' as 'бросать голос' but as 'голосовать' or 'отдавать голос'.
- Confusing 'cast' (medical) with 'gypsum' or 'bandage'. The correct term is 'гипсовая повязка'.
- Mistaking 'cast iron' (чугун) for 'forged iron' (кованое железо).
- Overusing the verb 'cast' for simple 'throw'—it's more deliberate/formal.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'casted' as past tense (incorrect: *He casted the stone. Correct: He cast the stone).
- Confusing 'cast' with 'caste' (social class).
- Using 'cast' for any type of throw, e.g., *'cast a ball to your friend' (too formal/unnatural, use 'throw').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'cast' used in the sense of 'forming in a mould'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost never. The standard past tense and past participle of 'cast' is 'cast' for all main senses (throw, mould, select). 'Casted' is occasionally found in very niche computing or gaming contexts (e.g., 'The variable was casted to a string'), but even there 'cast' is preferred. It is considered an error in traditional usage.
'Throw' is the general, most common verb. 'Cast' is more formal, deliberate, literary, or technical. You 'throw a ball' but 'cast a net/fishing line'. 'Cast' often implies a purpose (casting light, casting a vote) or a specific technique (casting metal).
Yes. The most common noun use refers to all the actors in a play, film, or show (e.g., 'The cast took a bow'). It can also mean the set of characters in a story.
Metaphorically, 'cast iron' or 'cast-iron' means extremely strong, certain, or undeniable. For example, a 'cast-iron alibi' is one that cannot be broken, and 'cast-iron guarantee' is an absolute promise.