be cut adrift
To be detached or cut off from something. Likened to a boat having its mooring cut so that it drifts freely in the water. She was cut adrift after her parents found drugs in her room and kicked her out of the house. Thankfully, the more extreme factions of this political party have been cut adrift over the years. Ever since Al was cut adrift from his job of 25 years, he has no idea how to spend his days.
cast adrift
1. Literally, of a ship or sailors, to float on a body of water without control or anchorage. The team was cast adrift in the Atlantic for 17 days before a rescue party found them. Most of us were cast adrift after that gigantic wave crashed down on the deck. If the crew was cast adrift in that storm, would even the Coast Guard be able to find them?
2. To be let go, freed, or lost. Likened to a ship that drifts without an anchor or moorings to a dock. When I arrived in the country, I found myself cast adrift in a city I didn't know, among people whose language I couldn't speak. With my inheritance money, I was cast adrift to pursue whatever life I fancied. Somehow, my poor little boy was cast adrift on the field trip and left to wander the museum helplessly on his own.
3. To leave someone to float on a body of water without control or anchorage. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "cast" and "adrift." That awful storm cast us adrift in the Atlantic for 17 days before a rescue party found us. Sir, I think we should stay at port. Waves that size are liable to cast us adrift! Do any of the men you found remember what happened to cast them adrift?
4. To let someone go or cause them to be freed or lost; to no longer support someone. Likened to a ship that is left to drift without an anchor or moorings to a dock. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "cast" and "adrift." I think it's about time that we cast the extremists of the party adrift. Her parents cast her adrift after they found drugs in her room. I know I really messed things up for us financially, but we took marriage vows! You can't just cast me adrift like that!
cast loose
Let go, freed, or lost. Likened to a ship that drifts without an anchor or moorings to a dock. When I arrived in the country, I found myself cast loose in a city I didn't know, among people whose language I couldn't speak. With my inheritance money, I was cast loose to pursue whatever life I fancied. Somehow, my poor little boy was cast loose on the field trip and left to wander the museum helplessly on his own.
cut adrift
To abandon or set free. Likened to a boat having its mooring cut so that it drifts freely in the water. I think it's about time that we cut adrift the extremists of the party. With funding dwindling, I bet the department cuts adrift our research project. No amount of money will bribe me into cutting adrift my morals, sir!
run adrift
1. Literally, of a sailing vessel, to float on a body of water without control or anchorage. The boat lost power and ran adrift in the Atlantic for 17 days before a rescue party finally found it.
2. To progress or exist in a wandering or aimless manner. The whole country seems to be running adrift, in my opinion. My imagination began running adrift with the worst possible thoughts of what might have happened.
set adrift
1. Literally, to cause a vessel or its crew to float on a body of water without control or anchorage. (In each usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "set" and "adrift.") The team was set adrift in the Atlantic for 17 days before a rescue party found them. Our best bet is to set the boat adrift and hope the current carries us to shore.
2. By extension, to cause or allow someone or some group to be or progress without direction or restraint. Often used in passive constructions. When I arrived in the country, I found myself set adrift in a city I didn't know, among people whose language I couldn't speak. With my inheritance money, I was set adrift to pursue whatever life I fancied.
3. To dissociate from or no longer support someone or something. I think it's about time that we set adrift the more extreme factions of this political party. Sarah's parents set her adrift after they found drugs in her room.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
cast loose
Also, cast adrift. Let go, freed, as in After Rob was suspended from boarding school, he was cast loose with nowhere to go, or Selling her home meant she was cast adrift with no financial ties or responsibilities. Originally a nautical term for releasing a vessel, this idiom was being used figuratively by the late 1500s.
cut adrift
Separated or detached; freed. For example, The dissenters were cut adrift from the denomination. This expression alludes to cutting the rope of a floating vessel so that it drifts without direction or purpose. The figurative use of adrift dates from the late 1600s.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.