cast about

From cast (“to try”) +‎ about, perhaps dissimulated from becast (“to cast about, plot”). Compare also Old English costian (“to try, examine”). More at cast, costen.

cast about (third-person singular simple present casts about, present participle casting about, simple past and past participle cast about)

1. (intransitive) To try to find; look around; search.

   The hounds cast about for the fox's trail.

2. (transitive) To plan; plot; contrive.