cast doubt on

cast doubt on (someone or something)

To cause someone or something to be viewed with doubt, skepticism, or uncertainty. I considered Walt for the promotion, but his constant lateness soon cast doubt on that decision. Such a significant error really cast doubt on all of the experiment's results.

See also: cast, doubt, on

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

cast doubt on

Cause something or someone to be questioned. For example, The prosecutor cast doubt on the wife's alibi. This idiom uses cast in the sense of "throw," a usage dating from the early 1200s.

See also: cast, doubt, on

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.