cast a pall

present singular third person casts a pall · participle present casting a pall

1. To spoil (something); to cast a feeling of gloom (over something).

   There are some wonderful verbal volleys, but at times the piety is so thick it casts a pall on the humor — like walking out of a funeral and straight into a backyard bounce house.

   2012 June 21, Alessandra Stanley, “So Sayeth the Anchorman”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   1 more example

   It’s not always necessary to say goodbye — and in some cases, it’s better if you don’t. Unless an event is highly intimate, says Taseer, “you cast a pall” when you announce your departure to the group.

   2026 July 7, Rose Courteau, “How to Be a Good Guest at a Dinner Party”, in The New York Times, →ISSN