catch

[[t]kætʃ[/t]]

v. caught, catch•ing, n. adj.

1) to seize or capture, esp. after pursuit:

to catch a thief[/ex]

2) to trap or ensnare:

to catch fish[/ex]

3) to take and hold (something thrown, falling, etc.):

to catch the ball[/ex]

4) to surprise or detect, as in some action:

I caught them cheating[/ex]

5) to receive, incur, or contract:

to catch a cold[/ex]

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

7) to lay hold of; clasp:

He caught her in an embrace[/ex]

8) to grip, hook, or entangle:

The closing door caught my arm[/ex]

9) to allow to become gripped, hooked, snagged, or entangled:

He caught his coat on a nail[/ex]

10) to attract or arrest:

to catch our attention[/ex]

11) to check or restrain suddenly (often used reflexively)

12) to see or attend:

to catch a show[/ex]

13) to strike; hit:

The blow caught him on the head[/ex]

14) to become inspired by or aware of:

to catch the spirit[/ex]

15) to fasten with or as if with a catch

16) to deceive:

No one was caught by his sugary words[/ex]

17) to attract the attention of; charm:

caught by his winning smile[/ex]

18) to grasp with the intellect; comprehend:

I caught the meaning[/ex]

19) to hear clearly

20) to record; capture:

The painting caught her expression[/ex]

21) to become gripped, hooked, or entangled

22) to take hold:

The lock won't catch[/ex]

23) spo to play the position of catcher in baseball

24) to become lighted; ignite

25) phv catch at, to grasp at eagerly; accept readily

26) dial. phv catch on

a) to become popular

b) to fathom the meaning; understand

27) phv catch out, to catch or discover in deceit or an error

28) phv catch up

a) to overtake someone or something moving (often fol. by with or to)

b) to lift up or snatch suddenly

c) to do enough so that one is no longer behind:

to catch up on one's work[/ex]

d) to involve or interest intensely (usu. in the passive):

caught up in the moment[/ex]

29) the act of catching

30) anything that catches, esp. a device for checking motion, as a latch on a door

31) any tricky or concealed drawback:

There must be a catch somewhere[/ex]

32) a slight, momentary break or crack in the voice

33) something caught, as a quantity of fish

34) a person or thing worth getting, esp. a person regarded as a desirable matrimonial prospect

35) gam a game in which a ball is thrown from one person to another

36) a fragment:

catches of a song[/ex]

37) spo the catching and holding of a batted or thrown ball before it touches the ground

38) mad a musical round for male voices with the words in overlapping parts contrived to produce humorous or bawdy effects

39) catchy 3)

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- catch it

Etymology: 1175–1225; ME cacchen to chase, capture < ONF cachier < VL *captiāre, for L captāre to grasp at, seek out, try to catch, freq. of capere to take catch′a•ble, adj.