cast the first stone

English

Etymology

From the Bible John 8.7 where Jesus tells the accusers of a woman of adultery, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

cast 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)

1. (idiomatic) To act self-righteously in accusing another person, believing oneself to be blameless.
   • 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.

Translations

act self-righteously

• Danish: kaste den første sten
• Dutch: werpe de eerste steen
• Finnish: heittää ensimmäinen kivi
• French: jeter la pierre (fr)
• Galician: tirar a primeira pedra (gl)
• German: den ersten Stein werfen
• Hungarian: elsőként/először vet rá követ
• Portuguese: atirar a primeira pedra
• Romanian: arunca prima piatră
• Spanish: tirar la primera piedra (es)

See also

• people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones