Obs. exc. Sc. [a. F. casser to break, annul, cashier, the form of which can be derived only from L. quassāre to dash or break in pieces, which appears also to have in later times annexed the senses of L. cassāre to bring to nought, annul, f. cassus empty, void, vain. The latter would have given, in F., chasser. Also in form CASH; see QUASH, and cf. CASHIER, also CAST v.]
1. To make void, annul, quash. (Now chiefly in Sc. Law.)
1460. Capgrave, Chron., 153. Whan this eleccion came to the Pope, he cassed it.
1509–10. Act 1 Hen. VIII., xix. Preamb., His lettres patentes … cassed and made voyde.
1559–66. Hist. Estate Scot., in Misc. Wodrow Soc. (1844), 57. That court wes cast.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 57. That brieve is nulle, and may be cassen.
1687. Royal Proclam., 12 Feb., in Lond. Gaz., No. 2221/4. We … Do therefore, with Advice and Consent aforesaid, Cass, Annul and Discharge all Oaths whatsoever.
c. 1700. in Sc. Pasquils (1868), 185. Young Stairs … the King entic’d To cass the laws.
1851. Orig. Paroch. Scot., I. 333. Pope Benedict XIII. … had cassed and annulled all annexations of churches.
2. To discharge, dismiss; disband, cashier.
(In this sense the pa. pple. cassed was completely confused with cast from CAST v. 27.)
1550. [see CASSING below].
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw., 200. When he casseth any gouernor of his prouince.
a. 1676. Beaum. & Fl., Valentin., II. iii. Pontius, you are cast.
1622–62. Heylin, Cosmogr., III. (1673), 136/1. Constantine the Great had cassed the Prætorian Souldiers.
1709. Strype, Ann. Ref., Introd. § 2. 20. To discharge and casse many others.
Hence Cassed ppl. a., Cassing vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1550. Prol. 4 Edw. VI., in N. & Q., 11 Oct. (1856), 287. Vntill the daie of their cassyng and dismission.
1611. Cotgr., Malandrin, a cassed souldior.
1638. in Sc. Pasquils (1868), 32. Cassing acts of Parlament.
1844. G. Outram, Lyrics (1874), 14. An evendown cassin’ o’ the bargain.
