Idiom
cast of thousands
Meaning
A large number of people in one place or carrying out one action.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“The parade featured a cast of thousands.”
“The director hired a cast of thousands to make the battle scene look realistic.”
“The historical epic was famous for its massive production, which required a cast of thousands to fill the screen during the final act.”
Examples
simple
“The parade featured a cast of thousands.”
contextual
“The director hired a cast of thousands to make the battle scene look realistic.”
complex
“The historical epic was famous for its massive production, which required a cast of thousands to fill the screen during the final act.”
Origin
The phrase was originally used in a literal sense, though even its earliest applications were noted as embellished. While the expression began as a description of large-scale theatrical or cinematic productions, the modern usage has been extended beyond the acting profession.
Key words
Related idioms
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