cast the first stone

verb

To act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing oneself to be blameless.

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Meanings

verbcast the first stone (third-person singular simple present casts the first stone, present participle casting the first stone, simple past and past participle cast the first stone)

present singular third person casts the first stone · participle present casting the first stone

  1. idiomaticTo act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing oneself to be blameless.
    1 more example

    2007, March 10, Mr Gingrich, on the impeachment proceedings in 1999. Reported in The Guardian I knew I couldn't cast the first stone as I knew I had weaknesses. ... (But) as a leader of the government trying to uphold the rule of law I have no choice but to move forward and say you cannot accept perjury in your highest officials.

Origin

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.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Danish kaste den første sten
  • kaste den første stenact self-righteously
Dutch werpe de eerste steen
  • werpe de eerste steenact self-righteously
Finnish heittää ensimmäinen kivi
  • heittää ensimmäinen kiviact self-righteously
French jeter la pierre
  • jeter la pierreact self-righteously
German den ersten Stein werfen
  • den ersten Stein werfenact self-righteously
Hungarian elsőként/először vet rá követ
  • elsőként/először vet rá követact self-righteously
Portuguese atirar a primeira pedra
  • atirar a primeira pedraact self-righteously
Romanian arunca prima piatră
  • arunca prima piatrăact self-righteously
Spanish tirar la primera piedra
  • tirar la primera piedraact self-righteously
Swedish kasta första stenen
  • kasta första stenenact self-righteously
Cite this entry
APA

cast the first stone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cast%20the%20first%20stone

MLA

“cast the first stone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cast%20the%20first%20stone. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cast the first stone,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cast%20the%20first%20stone.

Source: cast the first stone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.