cast
cast [cast casts casting] verb, noun BrE [kɑːst] NAmE [kæst]
verb (cast, cast)
A LOOK/GLANCE/SMILE
1. transitive ~ (sb) sth to look, smile, etc. in a particular direction
• She cast a welcoming smile in his direction.
• He groaned, casting his eyes to the ceiling.
LIGHT/A SHADOW
2. transitive ~ sth (over sth) to make light, a shadow, etc. appear in a particular place
•The setting sun cast an orange glow over the mountains.
• (figurative)The sad news cast a shadow over the proceedings (= made people feel unhappy).
DOUBT
3. transitive ~ doubt/aspersions (on/upon sth) to say, do or suggest sth that makes people doubt sth or think that sb is less honest, good, etc
•This latest evidence casts serious doubt on his version of events.
FISHING LINE
4. intransitive, transitive ~ (sth) to throw one end of a ↑fishing line into a river, etc.
THROW
5. transitive ~ sb/sth (literary)to throw sb/sth somewhere, especially using force
•The priceless treasures had been cast into the Nile.
•They cast anchor at nightfall.
SKIN
6. transitive ~ sth when a snake casts its skin, the skin comes off as part of a natural process
Syn: ↑shed
SHOE
7. transitive ~ sth if a horse casts a shoe, the shoe comes off by accident
ACTORS
8. transitive to choose actors to play the different parts in a film/movie, play, etc; to choose an actor to play a particular role
•~ sth The play is being cast in both the US and Britain.
•~ sb (as sb) He has cast her as an ambitious lawyer in his latest movie.
DESCRIBE
9. transitive to describe or present sb/yourself in a particular way
•~ sb/yourself (as sth) He cast himself as the innocent victim of a hate campaign.
•~ sb/yourself (in sth) The press were quick to cast her in the role of ‘the other woman’.
VOTE
10. transitive ~ a/your vote/ballot (for sb/sth) to vote for sb/sth
SHAPE METAL
11. transitive ~ sth (in sth) to shape hot liquid metal, etc. by pouring it into a hollow container (called a ↑mould)
•a statue cast in bronze
• (figurative)an artist cast in the mould of (= very similar to) Miró
more at cast/set sb adrift at ↑adrift, throw/cast caution to the wind(s) at ↑caution n., the die is cast at ↑die n., cast/run an eye/your eyes over sth at ↑eye n., cast/shed/throw light on sth at ↑light n., draw/cast lots at ↑lot n.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
v. senses 1 to 7 and v. senses 10 to 11 n. senses 2 to 6 Middle English Old Norse kasta ‘to cast or throw’ v. senses 8 to 9 and n. sense 1 mid 17th cent.
Idioms: ↑cast a spell ▪ ↑cast your mind back ▪ ↑cast your net wide
Derived: ↑cast about for something ▪ ↑cast away ▪ ↑cast down ▪ ↑cast off ▪ ↑cast on ▪ ↑cast somebody aside ▪ ↑cast somebody out ▪ ↑cast something off ▪ ↑cast something on
noun
ACTORS
1. countable + singular or plural verb all the people who act in a play or film/movie
•The whole cast performs/perform brilliantly.
•members of the cast
•an all-star cast (= including many well-known actors)
•the supporting cast (= not the main actors, but the others)
•a cast list
IN SHAPING METAL
2. countable an object that is made by pouring hot liquid metal, etc. into a ↑mould (= a specially shaped container)
3. countable a shaped container used to make an object
Syn: ↑mould
APPEARANCE
4. singular (BrE, formal)the way that a person or thing is or appears
•He has an unusual cast of mind.
•I disliked the arrogant cast to her mouth.
THROW
5. countable an act of throwing sth, especially a fishing line
ON ARM/LEG
6. countable = ↑plaster cast
•Her leg's in a cast.
see also ↑opencast
Word Origin:
v. senses 1 to 7 and v. senses 10 to 11 n. senses 2 to 6 Middle English Old Norse kasta ‘to cast or throw’ v. senses 8 to 9 and n. sense 1 mid 17th cent.
Example Bank:
•The play has a large cast of characters.
•Who is in the cast?
•The colours he wore emphasized the olive cast of his skin.
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