Library / English Dictionary

CAST

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A violent throw

Synonyms:

cast; hurl

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("cast" is a kind of...):

throw (the act of throwing (propelling something with a rapid movement of the arm and wrist))

Derivation:

cast (throw forcefully)

cast (put or send forth)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of throwing a fishing line out over the water by means of a rod and reel

Synonyms:

cast; casting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("cast" is a kind of...):

fishing; sportfishing (the act of someone who fishes as a diversion)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cast"):

bait casting (the single-handed rod casting of a relatively heavy (artificial) bait)

fly casting (casting an artificial fly as a lure)

overcast (a cast that falls beyond the intended spot)

surf casting; surf fishing (casting (artificial) bait far out into the ocean (up to 200 yards) with the waves breaking around you)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The act of throwing dice

Synonyms:

cast; roll

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("cast" is a kind of...):

throw (casting an object in order to determine an outcome randomly)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cast"):

natural ((craps) a first roll of 7 or 11 that immediately wins the stake)

Holonyms ("cast" is a part of...):

craps (a gambling game played with two dice; a first throw of 7 or 11 wins and a first throw of 2, 3, or 12 loses and a first throw of any other number must be repeated to win before a 7 is thrown, which loses the bet and the dice)

Derivation:

cast (choose at random)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Object formed by a mold

Synonyms:

cast; casting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("cast" is a kind of...):

copy (a thing made to be similar or identical to another thing)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cast"):

life mask (a cast taken from the face of a living person)

block; cylinder block; engine block (a metal casting containing the cylinders and cooling ducts of an engine)

death mask (a cast taken from the face of a dead person)

Derivation:

cast (form by pouring (e.g., wax or hot metal) into a cast or mold)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Bandage consisting of a firm covering (often made of plaster of Paris) that immobilizes broken bones while they heal

Synonyms:

cast; plaster bandage; plaster cast

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("cast" is a kind of...):

bandage; patch (a piece of soft material that covers and protects an injured part of the body)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Container into which liquid is poured to create a given shape when it hardens

Synonyms:

cast; mold; mould

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("cast" is a kind of...):

container (any object that can be used to hold things (especially a large metal boxlike object of standardized dimensions that can be loaded from one form of transport to another))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cast"):

form (a mold for setting concrete)

matrix (mold used in the production of phonograph records, type, or other relief surface)

pig; pig bed (mold consisting of a bed of sand in which pig iron is cast)

sandbox (mold consisting of a box with sand shaped to mold metal)

Sense 7

Meaning:

The visual appearance of something or someone

Example:

the delicate cast of his features

Synonyms:

cast; form; shape

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("cast" is a kind of...):

appearance; visual aspect (outward or visible aspect of a person or thing)

Sense 8

Meaning:

The actors in a play

Synonyms:

cast; cast of characters; dramatis personae

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("cast" is a kind of...):

assemblage; gathering (a group of persons together in one place)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cast"):

ensemble; supporting players (a cast other than the principals)

Holonyms ("cast" is a member of...):

company; troupe (organization of performers and associated personnel (especially theatrical))

Derivation:

cast (select to play,sing, or dance a part in a play, movie, musical, opera, or ballet)

cast (assign the roles of (a movie or a play) to actors)

Sense 9

Meaning:

The distinctive form in which a thing is made

Example:

pottery of this cast was found throughout the region

Synonyms:

cast; mold; mould; stamp

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Hypernyms ("cast" is a kind of...):

solid (a three-dimensional shape)

Derivation:

cast (formulate in a particular style or language)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth

Example:

The patient regurgitated the food we gave him last night

Synonyms:

barf; be sick; cast; cat; chuck; disgorge; honk; puke; purge; regorge; regurgitate; retch; sick; spew; spue; throw up; upchuck; vomit; vomit up

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "cast" is one way to...):

egest; eliminate; excrete; pass (eliminate from the body)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Formulate in a particular style or language

Example:

She cast her request in very polite language

Synonyms:

cast; couch; frame; put; redact

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "cast" is one way to...):

articulate; formulate; give voice; phrase; word (put into words or an expression)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

cast (the distinctive form in which a thing is made)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Choose at random

Example:

cast lots

Synonyms:

cast; draw

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "cast" is one way to...):

go; move (have a turn; make one's move in a game)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

cast (the act of throwing dice)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Throw forcefully

Synonyms:

cast; hurl; hurtle

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "cast" is one way to...):

throw (propel through the air)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cast"):

bowl (hurl a cricket ball from one end of the pitch towards the batsman at the other end)

catapult; sling (hurl as if with a sling)

precipitate (hurl or throw violently)

crash; dash (hurl or thrust violently)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence example:

They cast the object in the water

Also:

cast anchor (secure a vessel with an anchor)

Derivation:

cast (a violent throw)

casting (the act of throwing a fishing line out over the water by means of a rod and reel)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Get rid of

Example:

shed your clothes

Synonyms:

cast; cast off; drop; shake off; shed; throw; throw away; throw off

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "cast" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cast"):

exuviate; molt; moult; shed; slough (cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers)

abscise (shed flowers and leaves and fruit following formation of a scar tissue)

exfoliate (cast off in scales, laminae, or splinters)

autotomise; autotomize (cause a body part to undergo autotomy)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Put or send forth

Example:

cast a warm light

Synonyms:

cast; contrive; project; throw

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "cast" is one way to...):

direct; send (cause to go somewhere)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cast"):

shoot (send forth suddenly, intensely, swiftly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

cast (a violent throw)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Form by pouring (e.g., wax or hot metal) into a cast or mold

Example:

cast a bronze sculpture

Synonyms:

cast; mold; mould

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "cast" is one way to...):

forge; form; mold; mould; shape; work (make something, usually for a specific function)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cast"):

press; press out (press from a plastic)

recast; remold; remould (cast again)

sand cast (pour molten metal into a mold of sand)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

Did he cast his major works over a short period of time?

Derivation:

cast (object formed by a mold)

caster (a worker who casts molten metal into finished products)

casting (the act of creating something by casting it in a mold)

casting (object formed by a mold)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Select to play,sing, or dance a part in a play, movie, musical, opera, or ballet

Example:

He cast a young woman in the role of Desdemona

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "cast" is one way to...):

assign; delegate; depute; designate (give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person))

"Cast" entails doing...:

present; represent; stage (perform (a play), especially on a stage)

film (record in film)

do; execute; perform (carry out or perform an action)

Verb group:

cast (assign the roles of (a movie or a play) to actors)

Domain category:

performing arts (arts or skills that require public performance)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cast"):

recast (cast again, in a different role)

miscast (cast an actor, singer, or dancer in an unsuitable role)

typecast (cast repeatedly in the same kind of role)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

cast (the actors in a play)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

Example:

They rolled from town to town

Synonyms:

cast; drift; ramble; range; roam; roll; rove; stray; swan; tramp; vagabond; wander

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "cast" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Verb group:

drift; err; stray (wander from a direct course or at random)

wander (go via an indirect route or at no set pace)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cast"):

maunder (wander aimlessly)

gad; gallivant; jazz around (wander aimlessly in search of pleasure)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 10

Meaning:

Deposit

Example:

cast a ballot

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "cast" is one way to...):

give (convey or reveal information)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 11

Meaning:

Assign the roles of (a movie or a play) to actors

Example:

Who cast this beautiful movie?

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "cast" is one way to...):

assign; delegate; depute; designate (give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person))

Verb group:

cast (select to play,sing, or dance a part in a play, movie, musical, opera, or ballet)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue cast the movie

Derivation:

cast (the actors in a play)

casting (the choice of actors to play particular roles in a play or movie)

Credits

 Context examples: 

A statement that indicates casts were looked for in a biological specimen.

(Cast Present Or Absent, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

The determination of the amount of cellular casts present in a urine sample.

(Cellular Cast Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)

A measurement of the cellular (white blood cell, red blood cell, epithelial and bacterial) casts present in a biological specimen.

(Cellular Cast Measurement, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

The determination of the amount of urinary broad (waxy) casts present in a sample.

(Broad Casts Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)

A measurement of the bacterial casts present in a biological specimen.

(Bacterial Cast Measurement, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

The shadow cast by the rock in mid-afternoon sunlight reveals it is about 20 feet (6 meters) tall.

(Tall boulder rolls down martian hill, lands upright, NASA)

When used together, the tests cast a broader net and detect subtypes of pancreatic cancer that may have been missed by using one of the two tests on its own.

(New Approach to Pancreatic Cancer Screening May Help Catch Disease Earlier, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The new study documents atmospheric changes on Io as the giant planet casts its shadow over the moon’s surface during daily eclipses.

(New Research Reveals Fluctuating Atmosphere of Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon, NASA)

The determination of the amount of bacterial casts present in a urine sample.

(Bacterial Cast Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)

Dennin cast a practical eye over the preparations, noting the grave, the barrel, the thickness of the rope, and the diameter of the limb over which the rope was passed.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)