'To cast off' definitions:

Definition of 'To cast off'

From: GCIDE
  • Cast \Cast\ (k[.a]st), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cast; p. pr. & vb. n. Casting.] [Cf. Dan. kaste, Icel. & Sw. kasta; perh. akin to L. gerere to bear, carry. E. jest.]
  • 1. To send or drive by force; to throw; to fling; to hurl; to impel. [1913 Webster]
  • Uzziah prepared . . . slings to cast stones. --2 Chron. xxvi. 14. [1913 Webster]
  • Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. --Acts. xii. 8. [1913 Webster]
  • We must be cast upon a certain island. --Acts. xxvii. 26. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To direct or turn, as the eyes. [1913 Webster]
  • How earnestly he cast his eyes upon me! --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To drop; to deposit; as, to cast a ballot. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. To throw down, as in wrestling. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. To throw up, as a mound, or rampart. [1913 Webster]
  • Thine enemies shall cast a trench [bank] about thee. --Luke xix. 48. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. To throw off; to eject; to shed; to lose. [1913 Webster]
  • His filth within being cast. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Neither shall your vine cast her fruit. --Mal. iii. 11 [1913 Webster]
  • The creatures that cast the skin are the snake, the viper, etc. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. To bring forth prematurely; to slink. [1913 Webster]
  • Thy she-goats have not cast their young. --Gen. xxi. 38. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. To throw out or emit; to exhale. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
  • This . . . casts a sulphureous smell. --Woodward. [1913 Webster]
  • 9. To cause to fall; to shed; to reflect; to throw; as, to cast a ray upon a screen; to cast light upon a subject. [1913 Webster]
  • 10. To impose; to bestow; to rest. [1913 Webster]
  • The government I cast upon my brother. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Cast thy burden upon the Lord. --Ps. iv. 22. [1913 Webster]
  • 11. To dismiss; to discard; to cashier. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
  • The state can not with safety cast him. [1913 Webster]
  • 12. To compute; to reckon; to calculate; as, to cast a horoscope. "Let it be cast and paid." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • You cast the event of war, my noble lord. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 13. To contrive; to plan. [Archaic] [1913 Webster]
  • The cloister . . . had, I doubt not, been cast for [an orange-house]. --Sir W. Temple. [1913 Webster]
  • 14. To defeat in a lawsuit; to decide against; to convict; as, to be cast in damages. [1913 Webster]
  • She was cast to be hanged. --Jeffrey. [1913 Webster]
  • Were the case referred to any competent judge, they would inevitably be cast. --Dr. H. More. [1913 Webster]
  • 15. To turn (the balance or scale); to overbalance; hence, to make preponderate; to decide; as, a casting voice. [1913 Webster]
  • How much interest casts the balance in cases dubious! --South. [1913 Webster]
  • 16. To form into a particular shape, by pouring liquid metal or other material into a mold; to fashion; to found; as, to cast bells, stoves, bullets. [1913 Webster]
  • 17. (Print.) To stereotype or electrotype. [1913 Webster]
  • 18. To fix, distribute, or allot, as the parts of a play among actors; also to assign (an actor) for a part. [1913 Webster]
  • Our parts in the other world will be new cast. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
  • To cast anchor (Naut.) See under Anchor.
  • To cast a horoscope, to calculate it.
  • To cast a horse, sheep, or other animal, to throw with the feet upwards, in such a manner as to prevent its rising again.
  • To cast a shoe, to throw off or lose a shoe, said of a horse or ox.
  • To cast aside, to throw or push aside; to neglect; to reject as useless or inconvenient.
  • To cast away. (a) To throw away; to lavish; to waste. "Cast away a life" --Addison. (b) To reject; to let perish. "Cast away his people." --Rom. xi. 1. "Cast one away." --Shak. (c) To wreck. "Cast away and sunk." --Shak.
  • To cast by, to reject; to dismiss or discard; to throw away.
  • To cast down, to throw down; to destroy; to deject or depress, as the mind. "Why art thou cast down. O my soul?" --Ps. xiii. 5.
  • To cast forth, to throw out, or eject, as from an inclosed place; to emit; to send out.
  • To cast in one's lot with, to share the fortunes of.
  • To cast in one's teeth, to upbraid or abuse one for; to twin.
  • To cast lots. See under Lot.
  • To cast off. (a) To discard or reject; to drive away; to put off; to free one's self from. (b) (Hunting) To leave behind, as dogs; also, to set loose, or free, as dogs. --Crabb. (c) (Naut.) To untie, throw off, or let go, as a rope.
  • To cast off copy, (Print.), to estimate how much printed matter a given amount of copy will make, or how large the page must be in order that the copy may make a given number of pages.
  • To cast one's self on or To cast one's self upon to yield or submit one's self unreservedly to, as to the mercy of another.
  • To cast out, to throw out; to eject, as from a house; to cast forth; to expel; to utter.
  • To cast the lead (Naut.), to sound by dropping the lead to the bottom.
  • To cast the water (Med.), to examine the urine for signs of disease. [Obs.].
  • To cast up. (a) To throw up; to raise. (b) To compute; to reckon, as the cost. (c) To vomit. (d) To twit with; to throw in one's teeth. [1913 Webster]