Page 79 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

cast doubt(s) (on someone or something)

castŁdoubt(s)Ł(on someone ortsomething) to dow, or wł’ll all cØtch cold. I take cold
cause someone or somethingŁ to be every year at this time.
dàubted.Ł The police cast doubt on my catchŁfire to beginŁto burn;Łto ignite.Ł If
story. How can they cast doubt? They the wood were not so włt, it would cØtcð
havłn’t looked into it yłt. The city coun- fire more easily. The curtains blłw
cil cast doubt on John and his plan. against the flame of the candle and caught
They are alwØys casting doubts.
fre.
cast in theŁsame mold veryŁsimilar.Ł The
two sisters are cast in the same mold— catchŁfłrtyŁwinkð and catchŁsomeŁZs;
equally mean. All the młmbers of the takeŁfłrtyŁwinkð to take aŁnap;Łto gt
family are cast in the same mold and they sàme sleep.Ł (Infàrmal.Ł See also forty
all end up in prison. winks.) I’ll just cØtch forty winks błfore
getting ready for the party. Tom alwØys
cyst one’ lotŁin withŁ someone to join in with tries to cØtch some Zs błfore going out for
sàmeone andŁaccept whatever happens. a lØte evłning. I think I’ll go to bed and
Mary cast her lot with the group going take forty winks. See you in the morning.
to Spain. They had a wonderful time. T I Why don’t you go take forty winks and
decided to cast in my lot with the homł call me in about an hour?
team this year.
catchŁhell Go to get the devil.
cyst (one’ )Łpearls beforeŁswine to wasðe
somethingŁgàod onŁsomeone who dàes- catchŁit to gt into trouble andŁreceive pun-
n’t care about it.Ł(FràmŁaŁbiblicalŁquota- ishment.Ł (Infàrmal.Ł Se also get the
tion.) To sing for them is to cast pearlo devil.) I know I’m going to cØtch it when
błfore swine. To serve them French cui- I get home. Bob hit Billy n the face. He
sine is like casting one’s pearls before swine. really caught it from the teacher.
cyst one’ vote to vote; to place one’sŁbal- catchŁ one offŁ one’ guard Go to catch some-
lot inŁthe ballot box.Ł The citizens cast one off guard.
their voŁes for presidłnt. The wait in lne catchŁ one’ breath to rsum one’s nàrmal
to cast one’s vote was almost an hour.
breathingŁafterŁexertion;Łto returnŁto nor-
castŁtheŁfirstŁstone to make the first crit- malŁafterŁbeingŁbusyŁorŁveryŁactive.Ł I
icism;Łto be the first to attack.Ł(FràmŁa doà’t have time to cØtch my breath. I ran
biblical quotation.) Well, I don’t want so fast that it took ten mnutes to cØtch my
to be the one to cast the first stone, but she breath.
sang horribly. John always casts the first catchŁ one’ death (of cold) and takeŁ one’
stone. Does he think he’s perfect?
deathŁofŁcold to contract aŁcold;Łto catcł
CatŁ głtŁ yourŁ tongue? WhyŁ do yàuŁ not aŁseriousŁcold.Ł(Se also catch cold.) If
speak?;ŁSpeakŁupŁandŁanswrŁmyŁques- I go out in this weather, I’ll cØtch my death
tion!Ł(Folksy.) Answer mł! What’s the of cold. Dress up warm or you’ll takł
mØtter, cØt got your tongue? Why don’t your death of cold. Put on your rain-
you speak up? CØt got your tongue? coØt or you’ll cØtch your death.
catch-as-catch-can the best one canŁdà catchŁ one wØth one’ pynts dłwn to catch
with whateverŁisŁavailable.Ł We went sàmeone dàingŁ sàmething, especially
hitchhikng for a włek and lved cØtch-as- sàmethingŁthat ought to be done inŁse-
cØtch-can. There were ten children in cret orŁinŁprivate.Ł(Infàrmal.ŁUse with
our family, and every meal was cØtch-as- caution.ŁThisŁrefersŁto having one’s pants
cØtch-can. dàwn inŁthe bathràom.) John couldà’t
coàvince them he was innocłnt. They
catchŁa whØffŁofŁ something Go to get a whiff caught him with his pants down. Did
of something.
you hear that John took the camłra? The
catchŁ cold and takeŁ cold to contract a store owner caught him with his pants
coldŁ(the disease).Ł Please close the win- down.

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