Type

English grammar questions, answered by Alan

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pdh0224
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Type

Post by pdh0224 »

Dear teacher,

He starred in more than a half-dozen HBO comedy specials and appeared on NBC's "Tonight Show" more than 70 times. In movie roles he sometimes found himself cast against type. He was a nouveau-riche boor who tries to buy a country club in "Caddyshack" (1980) and a wealthy businessman who matriculates at his son's college in "Back to School" (1986). In a rare dramatic appearance, he played a belligerent, abusive father in Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers" (1994).

Q : The part "(being) cast against type" is odd to me because "type" mean particular interests or qualities of his own and is a countable noun. Why is it used as an uncountable noun?


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Alan
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Post by Alan »

'Cast against type' is a fixed expression meaning 'given a role which differed considerably from his/her normal or typical role (or 'type')'.
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