English Meaning & Definitions
To release a boat or ship from its moorings; to set sail or depart.
- โThe captain gave the order to cast off just as the tide began to rise.โ
- โWe cast off from the harbor and headed out into the open sea.โ
To discard, reject, or get rid of someone or something as no longer useful or wanted.
- โShe decided to cast off her old habits and start fresh.โ
- โThe company cast off its failing subsidiaries to cut financial losses.โ
Something that has been rejected, discarded, or abandoned.
- โShe wore hand-me-downs and cast-offs from her older siblings.โ
- โThe thrift store was filled with wonderful cast-offs looking for a new home.โ
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for โcast offโ.
Derived from the verb 'cast' (meaning to throw, hurl, or shed) combined with the directional adverb 'off'. Originally used in nautical contexts to describe the physical act of throwing a rope or line off a mooring post to untie a vessel from a dock. Over time, the phrase expanded metaphorically to mean discarding unwanted items, people, or garments.
Imagine a fisherman 'casting' his fishing rod and line 'off' into the water, cutting ties with the dock.
Frequently Asked Questions About โcast offโ
1. What is the meaning of โcast offโ in English?
In English, cast off (verb) is defined as: โTo release a boat or ship from its moorings; to set sail or depart.โ.
2. How do you use โcast offโ in a sentence?
โThe captain gave the order to cast off just as the tide began to rise.โ
3. What are English synonyms of โcast offโ?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of โcast offโ?
Derived from the verb 'cast' (meaning to throw, hurl, or shed) combined with the directional adverb 'off'. Originally used in nautical contexts to describe the physical act of throwing a rope or line off a mooring post to untie a vessel from a dock. Over time, the phrase expanded metaphorically to mean discarding unwanted items, people, or garments.
๐ฌ๐งMore English Words to English
View all English words โThe base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.