cast away
Idioms-
Also, cast aside . Discard, reject, as in He picked a book, then cast it aside , or She cast away all thoughts of returning home . [Early 1400s]
-
Squander, waste, as in She cast away a fortune on jewelry . Shakespeare used this idiom in King John (2:1): “France, hast thou yet more blood to cast away?” [Early 1500s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He makes a plea to be cast away on an island in the South Pacific, "where you can swim, maybe fashion a hook and fish".
From BBC • Oct. 12, 2022
But he’s been seemingly cast away at Penske, where the tight bond between Newgarden and McLaughlin has made Power the odd driver out of the cool club on a three-car team.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 8, 2022
So relax your shoulders, unclench your jaw, cast away any negative misconceptions that you shouldn't have dessert for breakfast, and cut yourself a slice of this rustic Apple galette.
From Salon • Apr. 2, 2022
“Donkeys have been completely cast away from society,” said King, who never married and adopted a child in 2006.
From Washington Post • Dec. 2, 2021
Could I recall the moments I have careless cast away, I could but hope to spend them in a wiser way, and warm myself in light that rivals light of day.’
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.