Etymology

cast the first stone

Today it means: To act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing oneself to be blameless. Full definition →

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The story

From the Bible John 8:7, where Jesus tells the accusers of a woman of adultery that "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her". All accusers did not do so, and Jesus forgave the woman's sin.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.