cast adrift

cast adrift

1. Literally, of a ship or sailors, to float on a body of water without control or anchorage. The team was cast adrift in the Atlantic for 17 days before a rescue party found them.
2. To be let go, freed, or lost. Likened to a ship that drifts without an anchor or moorings to a dock. When I arrived in the country, I found myself cast adrift in a city I didn't know, among people whose language I couldn't speak. With my inheritance money, I was cast adrift to pursue whatever life I fancied.
3. To leave someone to float on a body of water without control or anchorage. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "cast" and "adrift." That awful storm cast us adrift in the Atlantic for 17 days before a rescue party found us.
4. To let someone go or cause them to be freed or lost; to no longer support someone. Likened to a ship that is left to drift without an anchor or moorings to a dock. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "cast" and "adrift." I think it's about time that we cast the extremists of the party adrift. Her parents cut her adrift after they found drugs in her room.
See also: adrift, cast
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

cast (or cut) someone adrift

1 leave someone in a boat or other craft which has nothing to secure or guide it. 2 abandon or isolate someone.
2 1998 Oldie The various dissenting movements…should be cut adrift and left to their own devices.
See also: adrift, cast, someone
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • cast someone adrift
  • set adrift
  • run adrift
  • clear the deck
  • clear the deck(s)
  • clear the decks
  • literally
  • loan
  • float a loan
  • scuttlebutt
References in periodicals archive
One win and nine losses in their opening 10 La Liga games saw them rooted to the bottom of the table and cast adrift.
Small steps on road to recovery for Alaves
Cast adrift after a mutiny with enough rations for only a few days sailing, a sextant, some declination tables, a pocket watch and some carpenter's tools, who knows what was in his mind as he pointed the launch towards Tofua, 35 miles away from where he was dropped?
Dying of thirst: in the Timor Sea
Thousands will die doing so as leaking boats are cast adrift by people traffickers and plucked from the sea, if they are lucky, by the coastguards of Europe.
A human response; RECORD View
In addition to returning to the place he once called home, Peter is on a rescue mission, since the station is under threat of being cast adrift on a huge iceberg.
TV CHOICE
The Cherries moved on to 32 points following the midweek home win against Southampton, putting them eight clear of Sunderland, Norwich and Newcastle with Aston Villa cast adrift at the foot of the table.
Cherries not safe yet, says the boss
As for the rest, they were cast adrift, with lining up third on the grid, but almost 1.4secs o the pace.
LEW LEADS WAY FOR OZ OPENER; FORMULA ONE
As is, there are some talented people here cast adrift in an utterly tired setting, of which little positive can be said except, "Hey, it's slightly less nasty than 'Stalker.'"
CSI: Cyber
But it didn't work and even seasoned panellist and personal favourite Colin Murphy was cast adrift on a sea of lukewarm laughter.
HEY HO, THIS IS A NO-NO; ON THE BOX
They are cast adrift when their craft, orbiting 372 miles above Earth, is destroyed by a storm of debris.
Stars shine in space; Flims
PC Neil Cookson said: Some time overnight between Sunday May 5 and Monday May 6, thieves stole at least three outboard motors from boats moored at the harbour and cast adrift other marine craft.
Boat motor thefts at Nefyn harbour
Many of the 5,300 armed forces personnel soon to be cast adrift would have been interested in good quality jobs on Tyneside.
Opportunities passed them by
The 19-year-old actor was stunned to land the lead role in Ang Lee's big screen adaptation of Yann Martel's best-selling book as he had never acted before and was especially terrified about playing the role of a shipwrecked boy, cast adrift on the ocean.
Suraj Sharma learnt swimming for 'Life Of Pi'
Now the actor finds himself cast adrift once again - this time on an outward bound course with three other blokes that he can't stand.
BEST THEATRE
bind me to this world Suddenly snapped And I was cast adrift in a vast
Forgetting