catch
to seize or capture, especially after pursuit: to catch a criminal; to catch a runaway horse.
to trap or ensnare: to catch a fish.
to intercept and seize; take and hold (something thrown, falling, etc.): 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.).
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: The painting caught his fancy.His speech caught our attention.
to check or restrain suddenly (often used reflexively): She caught her breath in surprise.He caught himself before he said the wrong thing.
to see or attend: to catch a show.
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.
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.
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).
the act of catching.
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 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.
catch at, to grasp at eagerly; accept readily: He caught at the chance to get free tickets.
catch on,
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.
catch out, Chiefly British. to catch or discover (a person) in deceit or an error.
catch up,
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).
Idioms about catch
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. See entry at catch lightning in a bottle.
catch one’s death (of cold). death (def. 14).
Origin of catch
1synonym study For catch
Other words for catch
Opposites for catch
Other words from catch
- catch·a·ble, adjective
- out·catch, verb (used with object), out·caught, out·catch·ing.
- un·catch·a·ble, adjective
Words Nearby catch
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use catch in a sentence
They all immediately dashed out to their car to catch the bad guys.
“The government just wanted to catch the big fish [in the Juarez cartel] and they ignored everything in between,” Lozoya said.
An Informant, a Missing American, and Juarez’s House of Death: Inside the 12-Year Cold Case of David Castro | Bill Conroy | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTFrom a lyrical standpoint, there are precious few that can catch Kendrick.
The 14 Best Songs of 2014: Bobby Shmurda, Future Islands, Drake, and More | Marlow Stern | December 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWith Rick, I think the culture just lags behind great artists much of the time, and it takes time for it to catch up.
Coffee Talk with Ethan Hawke: On ‘Boyhood,’ Jennifer Lawrence, and Bill Clinton’s Urinal Exchange | Marlow Stern | December 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTPhone lines would catch fire from the velocity and ferocity of his words.
David Garth, the Consultant Who Talked Up to Voters | Jeff Greenfield | December 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
While you were admiring the long roll of the wave, a sudden spray would be dashed over you, and make you catch your breath!
Music-Study in Germany | Amy FayIf I could catch Laura's eye—but I suppose it would hardly be decent to go just yet.
Then Squinty would toss the apple up in the air, off his nose, and catch it as it came down.
Squinty the Comical Pig | Richard BarnumBut what if I catch the fish by using a hired boat and a hired net, or by buying worms as bait from some one who has dug them?
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen LeacockWe nearly played our horses out galloping around looking for you—after we'd gone a mile or so, and you didn't catch up.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. Sinclair
British Dictionary definitions for catch
/ (kætʃ) /
(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
(intr often foll by at)
to grasp or attempt to grasp
to take advantage (of), esp eagerly: he caught at the chance
(intr; used passively) informal to make pregnant
catch it informal to be scolded or reprimanded
catch oneself on slang to realize that one's actions are mistaken
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
music a type of round popular in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, having a humorous text that is often indecent or bawdy and hard to articulate: See round (def. 31), canon 1 (def. 7)
Origin of catch
1Derived forms of catch
- catchable, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with catch
In addition to the idioms beginning with catch
- catch as catch can
- catch at
- catch a Tartar
- catch cold
- catch fire
- catch in the act
- catch it
- catch napping
- catch off guard
- catch on
- catch one's breath
- catch one's death (of cold)
- catch red-handed
- catch sight of
- catch someone's eye
- catch some rays
- catch some z's
- catch the drift
- catch up
also see:
- early bird catches the worm
- get (catch) the drift
- takes one to know one (a thief to catch a thief)
Also see undercaught.
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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