ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cast around

phr. v..
C1 Advanced Oxford

phr. v.. to look in many different places or try many different ideas to find what you need.

phr. v.. to search widely or haphazardly for something, whether physical, mental, or metaphorical; often used with 'for'.


SIMPLE

He is casting around for a new job.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager began casting around for excuses when the project failed to meet its deadline.

COMPLEX

As the debate intensified, the politician cast around for a historical precedent that might justify his controversial new policy.

Particles
around
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
cast + around + (for) + object
Usage

usually followed by the preposition 'for' and an object.

Teaching tip

explain the fishing metaphor (casting a line in different directions) to help students visualize the scattered, searching nature of the action.

Pitfall

He casted around for his keys.He cast around for his keys.the past tense of 'cast' is 'cast', not 'casted'.

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