Enter a word or phrase in any language 👆
Language:
Translation and analysis of words by ChatGPT artificial intelligence
On this page you can get a detailed analysis of a word or phrase, produced by the best artificial intelligence technology to date:
- how the word is used
- frequency of use
- it is used more often in oral or written speech
- word translation options
- usage examples (several phrases with translation)
- etymology
What (who) is Catch - definition
WIKIMEDIA DISAMBIGUATION PAGE
Catches; Catch (disambiguation); Catch!; Catch (song); One-handed catch; One-handed; One-handed touchdown catch; Catch (album); Catch club
catch
¦ verb (past and past participle caught)
1. intercept and hold (something which has been thrown, propelled, or dropped).
seize or take hold of.
Cricket dismiss (a batsman) by catching the ball before it touches the ground.
2. capture (a person or animal that tries or would try to escape).
(also catch up or catch someone up) succeed in reaching (a person who is ahead of one).
surprise (someone) in an awkward or incriminating situation.
3. accidentally become entangled or trapped in something.
have (a part of one's body or clothing) become entangled or trapped in something.
4. reach in time and board (a train, bus, or aircraft).
reach or be in a place in time to see (a person, performance, etc.).
5. (be caught (up) in) become involved in (something, especially an unwelcome situation).
6. engage (a person's interest or imagination).
perceive fleetingly.
hear or understand (something said), especially with effort.
succeed in evoking or representing.
7. strike (someone) on a part of the body.
accidentally strike (a part of one's body) against something.
8. contract (an illness) through infection or contagion.
9. become ignited and start burning.
¦ noun
1. an act or instance of catching.
an amount of fish caught.
informal a person considered desirable as a partner or spouse.
2. a game in which a ball is thrown back and forth between two or more players.
3. a device for securing something such as a door, window, or box.
4. a hidden problem or disadvantage.
5. an unevenness in a person's voice caused by emotion.
6. Music a round, typically one with words arranged to produce a humorous effect.
Phrases
catch someone's eye
1. be noticed by someone.
2. attract someone's attention by making eye contact.
catch the light shine or glint in the light.
catch sight of suddenly notice; glimpse.
catch the sun
1. be in a sunny position.
2. Brit. become tanned or sunburned.
play catch-up N. Amer. try to equal a competitor in a sport or game.
Phrasal verbs
catch on informal
1. (of a practice or fashion) become popular.
2. understand what is meant or how to do something.
catch someone out Brit.
1. detect that someone has done something wrong.
2. put someone in a difficult situation for which they are unprepared.
catch up do work or other tasks which one should have done earlier.
catch up with
1. exchange news with (someone whom one has not seen for some time).
2. begin to have a damaging effect on.
Derivatives
catchable adjective
Origin
ME: from Anglo-Norman Fr. and Old North. Fr. cachier, var. of OFr. chacier, based on L. captare 'try to catch'.
catch
(catches, catching, caught)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
If you catch a person or animal, you capture them after chasing them, or by using a trap, net, or other device.
Police say they are confident of catching the gunman...
Where did you catch the fish?...
I wondered if it was an animal caught in a trap.
= capture
VERB: V n, V n, V-ed
2.
If you catch an object that is moving through the air, you seize it with your hands.
I jumped up to catch a ball and fell over.
VERB: V n
•
Catch is also a noun.
He missed the catch and the match was lost.
N-COUNT
3.
If you catch a part of someone's body, you take or seize it with your hand, often in order to stop them going somewhere.
Liz caught his arm...
He knelt beside her and caught her hand in both of his...
Garrido caught her by the wrist.
= seize
VERB: V n, V n prep, V n prep
4.
If one thing catches another, it hits it accidentally or manages to hit it.
The stinging slap almost caught his face...
I may have caught him with my elbow but it was just an accident...
He caught her on the side of her head with his other fist.
VERB: V n, V n with n, V n on n
5.
If something catches on or in an object or if an object catches something, it accidentally becomes attached to the object or stuck in it.
Her ankle caught on a root, and she almost lost her balance...
A man caught his foot in the lawnmower.
VERB: V prep, V n prep
6.
When you catch a bus, train, or plane, you get on it in order to travel somewhere.
We were in plenty of time for Anthony to catch the ferry...
He caught a taxi to Harrods.
= get
VERB: V n, V n prep
7.
If you catch someone doing something wrong, you see or find them doing it.
He caught a youth breaking into a car...
Three years ago my wife and I divorced. I caught her with her boss.
VERB: V n -ing, V n prep
8.
If you catch yourself doing something, especially something surprising, you suddenly become aware that you are doing it.
I caught myself feeling almost sorry for poor Mr Laurence.
= find
VERB: V pron-refl -ing
9.
If you catch something or catch a glimpse of it, you notice it or manage to see it briefly.
As she turned back she caught the puzzled look on her mother's face...
He caught a glimpse of the man's face in a shop window.
VERB: V n, V n
10.
If you catch something that someone has said, you manage to hear it.
I do not believe I caught your name...
The men out in the corridor were trying to catch what they said.
VERB: V n, V wh
11.
If you catch a TV or radio programme or an event, you manage to see or listen to it.
Bill turns on the radio to catch the local news...
VERB: V n
12.
If you catch someone, you manage to contact or meet them to talk to them, especially when they are just about to go somewhere else.
I dialled Elizabeth's number thinking I might catch her before she left for work...
Hello, Dolph. Glad I caught you.
VERB: V n, V n
13.
If something or someone catches you by surprise or at a bad time, you were not expecting them or do not feel able to deal with them.
She looked as if the photographer had caught her by surprise...
I'm sorry but I just cannot say anything. You've caught me at a bad time...
The sheer number of spectators has caught everyone unprepared.
VERB: V n prep, V n prep, V n adj
14.
If something catches your attention or your eye, you notice it or become interested in it.
My shoes caught his attention...
A quick movement across the aisle caught his eye.
VERB: V n, V n
15.
If you are caught in a storm or other unpleasant situation, it happens when you cannot avoid its effects.
When he was fishing off the island he was caught in a storm and almost drowned...
Visitors to the area were caught between police and the rioters.
V-PASSIVE: be/get V-ed prep, be/get V-ed prep
16.
If you are caught between two alternatives or two people, you do not know which one to choose or follow.
The Jordanian leader is caught between both sides in the dispute...
She was caught between envy and admiration.
V-PASSIVE: be V-ed between pl-n, be V-ed between pl-n
17.
If you catch a cold or a disease, you become ill with it.
The more stress you are under, the more likely you are to catch a cold.
VERB: V n
18.
To catch liquids or small pieces that fall from somewhere means to collect them in a container.
...a specially designed breadboard with a tray to catch the crumbs.
= collect
VERB: V n
19.
If something catches the light or if the light catches it, it reflects the light and looks bright or shiny.
They saw the ship's guns, catching the light of the moon...
Often a fox goes across the road in front of me and I just catch it in the headlights.
VERB: V n, V n in n
20.
A catch on a window, door, or container is a device that fastens it.
She fiddled with the catch of her bag...
N-COUNT
21.
A catch is a hidden problem or difficulty in a plan or an offer that seems surprisingly good.
The catch is that you work for your supper, and the food and accommodation can be very basic...
= snag
N-COUNT: usu sing
22.
When people have been fishing, their catch is the total number of fish that they have caught.
The catch included one fish over 18 pounds.
N-COUNT
23.
Catch is a game in which children throw a ball to each other.
N-UNCOUNT
24.
Catch is a game in which one child chases other children and tries to touch or catch one of them.
= tag
N-UNCOUNT
25.
see also catching
26.
You can say things such as 'You wouldn't catch me doing that' to emphasize that you would never do a particular thing. (INFORMAL)
You wouldn't catch me in there, I can tell you.
PHRASE: PHR -ing, PHR prep/adv [emphasis]
27.
to be caught short: see short
Catch
·vi To attain possession.
II. Catch ·noun Act of seizing; a grasp.
III. Catch ·noun A slight remembrance; a trace.
IV. Catch ·noun Passing opportunities seized; snatches.
V. Catch ·vi To take hold; as, the bolt does not catch.
VI. Catch ·vt Hence: To insnare; to Entangle.
VII. Catch ·vt To get possession of; to Attain.
VIII. Catch ·vt To reach in time; to come up with; as, to catch a train.
IX. Catch ·noun Something desirable to be caught, ·esp. a husband or wife in matrimony.
X. Catch ·vi To spread by, or as by, infecting; to Communicate.
XI. Catch ·vt To communicate to; to fasten upon; as, the fire caught the adjoining building.
XIII. Catch ·noun That by which anything is caught or temporarily fastened; as, the catch of a gate.
XIV. Catch ·vt To take captive, as in a snare or net, or on a hook; as, to catch a bird or fish.
XV. Catch ·noun A humorous canon or round, so contrived that the singers catch up each other's words.
XVIII. Catch ·noun The posture of seizing; a state of preparation to lay hold of, or of watching he opportunity to seize; as, to lie on the catch.
XIX. Catch ·vi To be held or impeded by entanglement or a light obstruction; as, a kite catches in a tree; a door catches so as not to open.
XX. Catch ·noun That which is caught or taken; profit; gain; especially, the whole quantity caught or taken at one time; as, a good catch of fish.
XXI. Catch ·vt To lay hold on; to seize, especially with the hand; to grasp (anything) in motion, with the effect of holding; as, to catch a ball.
XXII. Catch ·vt To come upon unexpectedly or by surprise; to Find; as, to catch one in the act of Stealing.
XXIII. Catch ·vt To take or receive; ·esp. to take by sympathy, contagion, infection, or exposure; as, to catch the spirit of an occasion; to catch the measles or smallpox; to catch cold; the house caught fire.
Examples of use of Catch
1. Never before have we seen such a free–for–all of catch–as–catch–can.
2. We are ending the catch and release program and moving to a catch and return program.
3. "We catch more – they produce more – then we catch more," says Alvarez.
4. "It is now for Northern Ireland‘s politicians to catch up and catch up fast.
5. If they can‘t catch this many dogs in this small area of England how will they catch the ones remaining?