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catch
[ kach ]
verb (used with object)
- to seize or capture, especially after pursuit: to catch a runaway horse.
to catch a criminal;
to catch a runaway horse.
Antonyms: release
- to trap or ensnare:
to catch a fish.
- to intercept and seize; take and hold (something thrown, falling, etc.): a barrel to catch rain.
to catch a ball;
a barrel to catch rain.
- to come upon suddenly; surprise or detect, as in some action:
I caught him stealing the pumpkin.
- to receive, incur, or contract:
to catch a cold.
- to be in time to get aboard (a train, boat, etc.).
He caught her in a warm embrace.
Antonyms: release
- to grip, hook, or entangle:
The sharp branches caught his clothing.
- to allow (something) to become gripped, hooked, snagged, or entangled:
He caught his coat on a nail.
- to attract or arrest: His speech caught our attention.
The painting caught his fancy.
His speech caught our attention.
- to check or restrain suddenly (often used reflexively): He caught himself before he said the wrong thing.
She caught her breath in surprise.
He caught himself before he said the wrong thing.
- to see or attend:
to catch a show.
The blow caught him on the head.
- to become inspired by or aware of:
I caught the spirit of the occasion.
- to fasten with or as if with a catch:
to catch the clasp on a necklace.
- to deceive:
No one was caught by his sugary words.
She was caught by his smile and good nature.
- to grasp with the intellect; comprehend:
She failed to catch his meaning.
- to hear clearly:
We caught only snatches of their conversation.
- to apprehend and record; capture:
The painting caught her expression perfectly.
- South Midland and Southern U.S. to assist at the birth of:
The town doctor caught more than four hundred children before he retired.
verb (used without object)
- to become gripped, hooked, or entangled:
Her foot caught in the net.
- to overtake someone or something moving (usually followed by up, up with, or up to ).
- to take hold:
The door lock doesn't catch.
- Baseball. to play the position of catcher:
He catches for the Yankees.
The kindling caught instantly.
- to become established, as a crop or plant, after germination and sprouting.
noun
- the act of catching.
Synonyms: arrest, apprehension, capture
- anything that catches, especially a device for checking motion, as a latch on a door.
- any tricky or concealed drawback:
It seems so easy that there must be a catch somewhere.
- a slight, momentary break or crack in the voice.
- that which is caught, as a quantity of fish:
The fisherman brought home a large catch.
- a person or thing worth getting, especially a person regarded as a desirable matrimonial prospect:
My mother thinks Pat would be quite a catch.
- a game in which a ball is thrown from one person to another: to have a catch.
to play catch;
to have a catch.
- a fragment:
catches of a song.
- Music. a round, especially one in which the words are so arranged as to produce ludicrous effects.
- Sports. the catching and holding of a batted or thrown ball before it touches the ground.
- Rowing. the first part of the stroke, consisting of the placing of the oar into the water.
- Agriculture. the establishment of a crop from seed:
a catch of clover.
adjective
verb phrase
- Chiefly British. to catch or discover (a person) in deceit or an error.
- to become popular:
That new song is beginning to catch on.
- to grasp mentally; understand:
You'd think he'd catch on that he's boring us.
- New England. (in cooking) to scorch or burn slightly; sear:
A pot roast is better if allowed to catch on.
- to lift or snatch suddenly:
Leaves were caught up in the wind.
- to bring or get up to date (often followed by on or with ):
to catch up on one's reading.
- to come up to or overtake (something or someone) (usually followed by with ):
to catch up with the leader in a race.
- to become involved or entangled with:
caught up in the excitement of the crowd.
- to point out to (a person) minor errors, untruths, etc. (usually followed by on ):
We caught the teacher up on a number of factual details.
- Falconry. to capture for further training (a hawk that has been flown at hack).
- South Midland and Southern U.S. to harness (a horse or mule).
- to grasp at eagerly; accept readily:
He caught at the chance to get free tickets.
catch
/ kætʃ /
verb
- tr to take hold of so as to retain or restrain
he caught the ball
- tr to take, seize, or capture, esp after pursuit
- tr to ensnare or deceive, as by trickery
- tr to surprise or detect in an act
he caught the dog rifling the larder
- tr to reach with a blow
the stone caught him on the side of the head
- tr to overtake or reach in time to board
if we hurry we should catch the next bus
- tr to see or hear; attend
I didn't catch the Ibsen play
- tr to be infected with
to catch a cold
- to hook or entangle or become hooked or entangled
her dress caught on a nail
- to fasten or be fastened with or as if with a latch or other device
- tr to attract or arrest
she tried to catch his eye
- tr to comprehend
I didn't catch his meaning
- tr to hear accurately
I didn't catch what you said
- tr to captivate or charm
- tr to perceive and reproduce accurately
the painter managed to catch his model's beauty
- tr to hold back or restrain
he caught his breath in surprise
- intr to become alight
the fire won't catch
- tr cricket to dismiss (a batsman) by intercepting and holding a ball struck by him before it touches the ground
- introften foll byat
- to grasp or attempt to grasp
- to take advantage (of), esp eagerly
he caught at the chance
- informal.intr; used passively to make pregnant
- catch it informal.to be scolded or reprimanded
- catch oneself on slang.to realize that one's actions are mistaken
noun
- the act of catching or grasping
- a device that catches and fastens, such as a latch
- anything that is caught, esp something worth catching
- the amount or number caught
- informal.a person regarded as an eligible matrimonial prospect
- a check or break in the voice
- a break in a mechanism
- informal.
- a concealed, unexpected, or unforeseen drawback or handicap
- ( as modifier )
a catch question
- a game in which a ball is thrown from one player to another
- cricket the catching of a ball struck by a batsman before it touches the ground, resulting in him being out
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Derived Forms
- ˈcatchable, adjective
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Other Words From
- catch·a·ble adjective
- out·catch verb (used with object) outcaught outcatching
- un·catch·a·ble adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of catch1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of catch1
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Idioms and Phrases
- catch a crab, (in rowing) to bungle a stroke by failing to get the oar into the water at the beginning or by failing to withdraw it properly at the end.
- catch a turn, Nautical. to wind a rope around a bitt, capstan, etc., for one full turn.
- catch it, Informal. to receive a reprimand or punishment:
He'll catch it from his mother for tearing his good trousers again.
- catch lightning in a bottle. catch lightning in a bottle.
- catch one’s death (of cold). death ( def 14 ).
More idioms and phrases containing catch
- early bird catches the worm
- get (catch) the drift
- takes one to know one (a thief to catch a thief)
- caught
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Synonym Study
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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