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cast-off

adjective
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\ ˈkast-ˌȯf How to pronounce cast-off (audio) \

Definition of cast-off

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: thrown away or aside

cast off

verb
cast off; casting off; casts off

Definition of cast off (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : loose cast off a hunting dog
2 : unfasten cast off a boat
3 : to remove (a stitch) from a knitting needle in such a way as to prevent unraveling

intransitive verb

1 : to unfasten or untie a boat or a line
2 : to turn one's partner in a square dance and pass around the outside of the set and back
3 : to finish a knitted fabric by casting off all stitches
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Other Words from cast-off

Adjective

castoff noun

Examples of cast-off in a Sentence

Verb once she became rich and didn't need them anymore, she cast off all her old friends like so much junk
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Their fateful journey began on Aug. 15, when their 17-ton wooden boat with 19 men on board cast off from Kimchaek on the east coast of North Korea, South Korean officials said. — New York Times, "2 North Koreans Tried to Defect. Did Seoul Send Them to Their Deaths?," 18 Dec. 2019 Their parents received a video that day — later shared with the media — showing them casting off into the river. — Robert Moore, ProPublica, "Inside the Cell Where a Sick 16-Year-Old Boy Died in Border Patrol Care," 8 Dec. 2019 In the 1950s, after moving to its current location, the business cast off appliances, and music became the focus. — Kieran Nicholson, The Denver Post, "Rockley Music Center preps for its final note at Lakewood location," 16 Dec. 2019 The crew managed to cast off before losing the ship, but a large construction crane collapsed onto the deck, resulting in significant damage. — NBC News, "Major fire breaks out on unlucky Russian aircraft carrier," 12 Dec. 2019 That was the season in which Stephen Curry revealed the extent of his imagination, casting off 3-pointers from far beyond the line. — Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, "Warriors’ nostalgia: When it seemed they would never lose," 6 Dec. 2019 The defense also argued that the blood could have been cast off by Dr. Neulander himself. — CBS News, "Accident or murder? Investigating the death of Leslie Neulander," 16 Nov. 2019 On Friday, the crew of the Bell Shimada, a 208-foot research vessel operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will cast off from its home port in Newport on the central Oregon coast. — oregonlive, "Return of The Blob: Oregon researchers investigate latest marine heatwave that could hurt Pacific ecosystems," 20 Sep. 2019 Instead of a thin, scratchy pillow cast off from a field hospital, two plump pillows — and two velvety comforters. — John Kelly, Washington Post, "If it’s Monday, this must be Luxembourg: Notes from my recent trip," 30 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cast-off.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of cast-off

Adjective

1613, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1575, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

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Time Traveler for cast-off

Time Traveler

The first known use of cast-off was in 1575

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Statistics for cast-off

Cite this Entry

“Cast-off.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/castoff. Accessed 19 January 2020.

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More Definitions for cast-off

cast-off

adjective
How to pronounce cast off (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of cast-off

: thrown or given away

See the full definition for cast-off in the English Language Learners Dictionary

castoff

noun
cast·​off | \ ˈkast-ˌȯf \

Kids Definition of castoff

: a person or thing that has been thrown aside or rejected

cast-off

adjective
\ ˈkast-ˌȯf \

Kids Definition of cast-off

: thrown away or aside She wore cast-off clothes.

More from Merriam-Webster on cast-off

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with cast-off

Spanish Central: Translation of cast-off

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