CAST

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does cast mean? 

• CAST (noun)
  The noun CAST has 9 senses:

1. the actors in a play
2. container into which liquid is poured to create a given shape when it hardens
3. the distinctive form in which a thing is made
4. the visual appearance of something or someone
5. bandage consisting of a firm covering (often made of plaster of Paris) that immobilizes broken bones while they heal
6. object formed by a mold
7. the act of throwing dice
8. the act of throwing a fishing line out over the water by means of a rod and reel
9. a violent throw

  Familiarity information: CAST used as a noun is familiar.

• CAST (adjective)
  The adjective CAST has 1 sense:

1. (of molten metal or glass) formed by pouring or pressing into a mold

  Familiarity information: CAST used as an adjective is very rare.

• CAST (verb)
  The verb CAST has 11 senses:

1. put or send forth
2. deposit
3. select to play,sing, or dance a part in a play, movie, musical, opera, or ballet
4. throw forcefully
5. assign the roles of (a movie or a play) to actors
6. move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
7. form by pouring (e.g., wax or hot metal) into a cast or mold
8. get rid of
9. choose at random
10. formulate in a particular style or language
11. eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth

  Familiarity information: CAST used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CAST (noun)

Sense 1

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The actors in a play

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

dramatis personae; cast of characters; cast

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 principles)

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

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

Sense 2

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

mold; cast; mould

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 3

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The distinctive form in which a thing is made

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

mold; stamp; cast

Context example:

pottery of this cast was found throughout the region

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

solid (a three-dimensional shape)

Sense 4

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The visual appearance of something or someone

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

cast; shape; form

Context example:

the delicate cast of his features

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

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

Sense 5

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

plaster bandage; plaster cast; cast

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

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Object formed by a mold

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

casting; cast

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

copy (a secondary representation of an original)

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)

Sense 7

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The act of throwing dice

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

cast; roll

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)

Sense 8

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

casting; cast

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 9

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A violent throw

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

hurl; cast

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

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

• CAST (adjective)

Sense 1

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

(of molten metal or glass) formed by pouring or pressing into a mold

Similar:

formed (having or given a form or shape)

• CAST (verb)

Sense 1

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Put or send forth

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

cast; contrive; throw; project

Context examples:

She threw the flashlight beam into the corner / The setting sun threw long shadows / cast a spell / cast a warm light

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

Sense 2

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Deposit

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context examples:

cast a vote / cast a ballot

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

give (convey or reveal information)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

He cast a young woman in the role of Desdemona

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...:

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

film (record in film)

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

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

Sense 4

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Throw forcefully

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

hurl; hurtle; cast

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

throw (project through the air)

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

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)

Sense 5

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

Who cast this beautiful movie?

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))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue cast the movie

Sense 6

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

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

Context examples:

The gypsies roamed the woods / roving vagabonds / the wandering Jew / The cattle roam across the prairie / the laborers drift from one town to the next / They rolled from town to town

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

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

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 7

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

mould; mold; cast

Context example:

cast a bronze sculpture

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"):

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

recast; remold; remould (cast again)

press; press out (press from a plastic)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

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

Sense 8

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Get rid of

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

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

Context examples:

he shed his image as a pushy boss / shed your clothes

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 9

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Choose at random

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

cast; draw

Context examples:

draw a card / cast lots

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

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 10

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Formulate in a particular style or language

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

redact; couch; put; frame; cast

Context examples:

I wouldn't put it that way / She cast her request in very polite language

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

Sense 11

cast [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

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

Context examples:

After drinking too much, the students vomited / He purged continuously / The patient regurgitated the food we gave him last night

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

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s