cast (redirected from being cast down)

be cast in a different mould

be cast in the same mould - if two people are cast in the same mould, they have the same type of character. She's cast in a very different mold from her sister. You'd never know they were from the same family.

See also: different, mould

be cast in the same mould

if two people are cast in the same mould, they have the same type of character. Jack is cast in the same mould as his father - intelligent, kind, but stubborn.

See also: mould, same

cast a pall on/over something

if an unpleasant event or piece of news casts a pall on something, it spoils it. News of her sudden death cast a pall on the awards ceremony.

See also: over, pall

cast aspersions on someone/something (formal)

to criticize someone or someone's character. His opponents cast aspersions on his patriotism.

cast your mind back

to try to remember something. Cast your mind back to the first time we met Tony. Can you remember who he was with? (usually + to)

See also: back, mind

cast your net wide/wider

to think about a large number of things or people when choosing the thing or person that you want. If we don't get many interesting candidates this time round we may have to cast our net a little wider.

See also: net, wide

cast pearls before swine (literary)

to offer something valuable to someone who does not understand that it is valuable. Giving him advice is just casting pearls before swine. He doesn't listen.

See also: before, pearl

cast-iron

a cast-iron promise or arrangement is one that can be trusted completely. No new business comes with a cast-iron guarantee of success. (always before noun)

cast/run your/an eye over something

to look at something quickly without looking at the details. Would you mind casting an eye over my essay and giving me your comments?

See also: eye, over, run

the die is cast

something that you say when a decision has been made or something has happened which will cause a situation to develop in a particular way. From the moment the first shot was fired, the die was cast and war became inevitable.

See also: die

throw in your lot with someone

to join a person or group and accept that whatever happens to them will also happen to you. He's understandably reluctant to throw in his lot with a struggling young company who might not exist in a year's time.

See also: lot, throw

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cast a pall over something

to spoil something. Her illness cast a pall over the awards ceremony.

Etymology: from the literal meaning of a pall (= something, such as smoke or fog or dust in the air, that makes the sky dark)

See also: over, pall

cast about (for something)

to try to find something. She spent years casting about for a career before she opened her own restaurant.

Etymology: based on the idea of someone who fishes by casting (= throwing) a line or net in first one pool of water and then another

See also: about

cast aspersions on someone/something

to say that someone's character or work is bad. When the exhibit of his paintings opened, some critics cast aspersions on both his art and character.

cast doubt on something

to cause uncertainty about something. New DNA evidence has cast doubt on the guilty verdict.

See also: doubt

cast your lot with someone/something

to choose to share in whatever happens to another person or a group. If I'm going to cast my lot with this team, I'm going to try to make them as good as possible any way I can.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of cast your lot (= to throw dice or other objects as a way of deciding what will happen)

See also: lot

cast off something

to get rid of something. Shirts and ties were being cast off in favor of informal clothes for business.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of cast off (= to unfasten the ropes holding a ship)

the die is cast

a decision is made that cannot be changed. When the first shot was fired, the die was cast and a revolution began.

Etymology: based on the idea that after you cast (= throw) a die (= small square block with a number on each side) you cannot control its movement

See also: die