catch

[ kach ]
See synonyms for catch on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),caught, catch·ing.
  1. to seize or capture, especially after pursuit: to catch a criminal; to catch a runaway horse.

  2. to trap or ensnare: to catch a fish.

  1. to intercept and seize; take and hold (something thrown, falling, etc.): to catch a ball; a barrel to catch rain.

  2. to come upon suddenly; surprise or detect, as in some action: I caught him stealing the pumpkin.

  3. to receive, incur, or contract: to catch a cold.

  4. to be in time to get aboard (a train, boat, etc.).

  5. to lay hold of; grasp; clasp: He caught her in a warm embrace.

  6. to grip, hook, or entangle: The sharp branches caught his clothing.

  7. to allow (something) to become gripped, hooked, snagged, or entangled: He caught his coat on a nail.

  8. to attract or arrest: The painting caught his fancy.His speech caught our attention.

  9. to check or restrain suddenly (often used reflexively): She caught her breath in surprise.He caught himself before he said the wrong thing.

  10. to see or attend: to catch a show.

  11. to strike; hit: The blow caught him on the head.

  12. to become inspired by or aware of: I caught the spirit of the occasion.

  13. to fasten with or as if with a catch: to catch the clasp on a necklace.

  14. to deceive: No one was caught by his sugary words.

  15. to attract the attention of; captivate; charm: She was caught by his smile and good nature.

  16. to grasp with the intellect; comprehend: She failed to catch his meaning.

  17. to hear clearly: We caught only snatches of their conversation.

  18. to apprehend and record; capture: The painting caught her expression perfectly.

  19. 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),caught, catch·ing.
  1. to become gripped, hooked, or entangled: Her foot caught in the net.

  2. to overtake someone or something moving (usually followed by up, up with, or up to).

  1. to take hold: The door lock doesn't catch.

  2. Baseball. to play the position of catcher: He catches for the Yankees.

  3. to become lighted; take fire; ignite: The kindling caught instantly.

  4. to become established, as a crop or plant, after germination and sprouting.

noun
  1. the act of catching.

  2. anything that catches, especially a device for checking motion, as a latch on a door.

  1. any tricky or concealed drawback: It seems so easy that there must be a catch somewhere.

  2. a slight, momentary break or crack in the voice.

  3. that which is caught, as a quantity of fish: The fisherman brought home a large catch.

  4. a person or thing worth getting, especially a person regarded as a desirable matrimonial prospect: My mother thinks Pat would be quite a catch.

  5. a game in which a ball is thrown from one person to another: to play catch; to have a catch.

  6. a fragment: catches of a song.

  7. Music. a round, especially one in which the words are so arranged as to produce ludicrous effects.

  8. Sports. the catching and holding of a batted or thrown ball before it touches the ground.

  9. Rowing. the first part of the stroke, consisting of the placing of the oar into the water.

  10. Agriculture. the establishment of a crop from seed: a catch of clover.

adjective
Verb Phrases
  1. catch at, to grasp at eagerly; accept readily: He caught at the chance to get free tickets.

  2. 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.

  1. catch out, Chiefly British. to catch or discover (a person) in deceit or an error.

  2. 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

  1. 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.

  2. catch a turn, Nautical. to wind a rope around a bitt, capstan, etc., for one full turn.

  1. catch it, Informal. to receive a reprimand or punishment: He'll catch it from his mother for tearing his good trousers again.

  2. catch lightning in a bottle. See entry at catch lightning in a bottle.

  3. catch one’s death (of cold). death (def. 14).

Origin of catch

1
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English cacchen “to chase, capture,” from Old North French cachier, from unattested Vulgar Latin captiāre, for Latin captāre “to grasp at, seek out, try to catch,” frequentative of capere “to take”

synonym study For catch

7. Catch, clutch, grasp, seize imply taking hold suddenly of something. To catch may be to reach after and get: He caught my hand. To clutch is to take firm hold of (often out of fear or nervousness), and retain: The child clutched her mother's hand. To grasp also suggests both getting and keeping hold of, with a connotation of eagerness and alertness, rather than fear (literally or figuratively): to grasp someone's hand in welcome; to grasp an idea. To seize implies the use of force or energy in taking hold of suddenly (literally or figuratively): to seize a criminal; to seize an opportunity.

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use catch in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for catch

catch

/ (kætʃ) /


verbcatches, catching or caught
  1. (tr) to take hold of so as to retain or restrain: he caught the ball

  2. (tr) to take, seize, or capture, esp after pursuit

  1. (tr) to ensnare or deceive, as by trickery

  2. (tr) to surprise or detect in an act: he caught the dog rifling the larder

  3. (tr) to reach with a blow: the stone caught him on the side of the head

  4. (tr) to overtake or reach in time to board: if we hurry we should catch the next bus

  5. (tr) to see or hear; attend: I didn't catch the Ibsen play

  6. (tr) to be infected with: to catch a cold

  7. to hook or entangle or become hooked or entangled: her dress caught on a nail

  8. to fasten or be fastened with or as if with a latch or other device

  9. (tr) to attract or arrest: she tried to catch his eye

  10. (tr) to comprehend: I didn't catch his meaning

  11. (tr) to hear accurately: I didn't catch what you said

  12. (tr) to captivate or charm

  13. (tr) to perceive and reproduce accurately: the painter managed to catch his model's beauty

  14. (tr) to hold back or restrain: he caught his breath in surprise

  15. (intr) to become alight: the fire won't catch

  16. (tr) cricket to dismiss (a batsman) by intercepting and holding a ball struck by him before it touches the ground

  17. (intr often foll by at)

    • to grasp or attempt to grasp

    • to take advantage (of), esp eagerly: he caught at the chance

  18. (intr; used passively) informal to make pregnant

  19. catch it informal to be scolded or reprimanded

  20. catch oneself on slang to realize that one's actions are mistaken

noun
  1. the act of catching or grasping

  2. a device that catches and fastens, such as a latch

  1. anything that is caught, esp something worth catching

  2. the amount or number caught

  3. informal a person regarded as an eligible matrimonial prospect

  4. a check or break in the voice

  5. a break in a mechanism

  6. informal

    • a concealed, unexpected, or unforeseen drawback or handicap

    • (as modifier): a catch question

  7. a game in which a ball is thrown from one player to another

  8. cricket the catching of a ball struck by a batsman before it touches the ground, resulting in him being out

  9. 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

1
C13 cacchen to pursue, from Old Northern French cachier, from Latin captāre to snatch, from capere to seize

Derived 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

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.