# What is the past tense of "cast"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 3, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744 "2014-08-03T23:13:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/1 "2014-08-03T23:13:55Z")
> **[Definition of cast | Dictionary.com](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/cast?s=t)** > > Cast definition, to throw or hurl; fling: The gambler cast the dice. See more. I looked up the word “cast” at [www.dictionary.com](http://www.dictionary.com) cast [kast, kahst] Show IPA verb (used with object), cast, cast·ing. 1. to throw or hurl; fling: The gambler cast the dice. 2. to throw off or away: He cast the advertisement in the wastebasket. 3. to direct (the eye, a glance, etc.), especially in a cursory manner: She cast her eyes down the page. 4. to cause to fall upon something or in a certain direction; send forth: to cast a soft light; to cast a spell; to cast doubts. 5. to draw (lots), as in telling fortunes. There are 5 examples and most are in the past tense. The last two don’t seem to be given any tense. Lately, every time I’ve seen this word used in the past tense, it’s been “casted”. I asked some people and most of them said “casted” was correct. What do you think? Is the past tense of “cast” really “casted”. I don’t know what to think. Might there be a difference between its usage as “to throw” versus its usage in the theatre or movies? ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/2 "2014-08-03T23:21:33Z")
The OED says “casted” was used up until the 16th century, but cast is now recognized as the usual past tense. I’ve seen “casted” used as the past tense only of the verb usage meaning to put people in roles for a play. Even that sounds off to me. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/3 "2014-08-03T23:22:59Z")
If you’re relying on that particular dictionary, check out [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/casted?s=t](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/casted?s=t) ---
**Author:** ![DingoelGringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DingoelGringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DingoelGringo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/4 "2014-08-03T23:23:54Z")
I put castors on the couch. I casted it! ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/5 "2014-08-03T23:36:26Z")
> [@DingoelGringo](#): > > I put castors on the couch. I casted it! I’m not sure I understand. Are you saying that “casted” is a valid word when used in the way you have used it? ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/6 "2014-08-03T23:38:54Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > If you’re relying on that particular dictionary, check out > > [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/casted?s=t](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/casted?s=t) That’s very interesting to see this dictionary claims there is no valid usage of the word “casted”. I’m more interested in knowing what the past tense of “cast” is when used in terms of the theatre or movies. For example, which of these are correct? Lee Marvin was casted in that part. or Lee Marvin was cast in that part. The second one seem more valid to me. What about you? ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/7 "2014-08-03T23:40:15Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > The OED says “casted” was used up until the 16th century, but cast is now recognized as the usual past tense. I’ve seen “casted” used as the past tense only of the verb usage meaning to put people in roles for a play. Even that sounds off to me. By “OED”, did you mean the dictionary found at “[www.dictionary.com](http://www.dictionary.com)”? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/8 "2014-08-03T23:43:16Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > \<\< clipped \>\> > The second one seem more valid to me. What about you? I agree. Look at the alternative source: [casted - Wiktionary, the free dictionary](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/casted) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/9 "2014-08-03T23:49:05Z")
\*Star Trek \*convention. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/10 "2014-08-03T23:58:52Z")
Present: I cast my net. Past: I cast my net. “Casted” is, maybe, what you did when you staffed your TV show, but it’s still poor English. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/11 "2014-08-04T00:06:32Z")
OED generally refers to the Oxford English Dictionary, which offers several examples using “casted” as the past tense from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. But it has no examples from later than that, and says that the only current past tense and past participle is “cast”. It also says that “casten” was an alternative past participle which was found up to the seventeenth century. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/12 "2014-08-04T00:09:44Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > OED generally refers to the Oxford English Dictionary, which offers several examples using “casted” as the past tense from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. But it has no examples from later than that, and says that the only current past tense and past participle is “cast”. It also says that “casten” was an alternative past participle which was found up to the seventeenth century. AHA! Thank you very much UDS. It must be lovely to be so educated. I envy you. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/13 "2014-08-04T00:19:07Z")
I’m not particularly educated. I just have access at work to the Oxford English Dictionary online. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/14 "2014-08-04T00:36:21Z")
In medicine, we use **casted** to mean a patient had a broken limb repaired and set in rigid containment to promote proper bone healing. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/15 "2014-08-04T00:43:52Z")
That’s because you’re using the noun form of _cast_ and then verbing it. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/16 "2014-08-04T00:46:56Z")
“Cast” is the past tense. The third-person singular _present_ tense is “casts”. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/17 "2014-08-04T03:26:36Z")
“Cast” is both the simple past and past participle of “to cast.” “Casted” sounds odd to my ears. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/18 "2014-08-04T03:34:04Z")
_Alea jactaed est_. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/19 "2014-08-04T04:31:59Z")
Full-metal jactaed? ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744/20 "2014-08-04T05:38:14Z")
I’ve had disagreements with people regarding forecast / forecasted. If I explain that we are running low on parts, because we have customer orders for 12,000 units, but we were forecast to sell only 8,000, everyone I work with seems to think I should say, “we were forecasted . . .” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-cast/694744.md?page=2)