catch it

Idioms

Also, get it. Receive a punishment or scolding, as in If I forget anything on the shopping list, I'll catch it, or I'm really going to get it when I turn in my paper late. [Colloquial; early 1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But the animal put up a fight, and police armed with shields are reported to have spent around an hour trying to catch it.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

And if a spark did catch, it could quickly mirror the inferno that was engulfing Pacific Palisades, or worse.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

No wonder everyone is trying to catch it.

From Slate • Nov. 19, 2025

"Our report underscores the need for more urine testing to catch it early and the need to ensure that patients can afford and access therapy once they are diagnosed."

From Science Daily • Nov. 18, 2025

And they saw the moon’s reflection displayed in a pail of water—never mind that it was daytime—and it wasn’t for sale but “free” for whoever was able to catch it.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023