having some but not all of the characteristics of something.

Officials portrayed the meetings as progress of a sort, although the bargaining has not yet begun.

Usage notes: used after a noun being described, as in the example

• cast pearls before swine
• cast your eye over
• cast your eye over something
• cast your lot with
• cast your lot with someone
• cast your lot with something
• cast your mind back
• cast your net wide
• cast your net wider
• cat and mouse game
• catch 22
• catch as catch can
• catch-as-catch-can
• catch breath
• catch cold
• catch dead to rights
• catch death!
• catch death of cold!
• catch eye
• catch hell
• catch in the act
• catch it
• catch napping
• catch off guard
• catch on the hop