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1. Dictionary

   catch

   /katʃ/

   verb

   • 1. intercept and hold (something which has been thrown, propelled, or dropped): "she threw the bottle into the air and caught it again" Similar seizegrabsnatchseize/grab/take hold oflay (one's) hands onget one's hands ongraspgripclutchclenchfasten onpluckholdhang on toreceiveacquiregetcome into possession ofinterceptOpposite drop
   • ▪ intercept the fall of (someone): "he fell forwards and Linda caught him" Similar seizegrabsnatchseize/grab/take hold oflay (one's) hands onget one's hands ongraspgripclutchclenchfasten onpluckholdhang on toreceiveacquiregetcome into possession ofinterceptOpposite drop
   • ▪ seize or take hold of: "he caught hold of her arm as she tried to push past him" Similar seizegrabsnatchseize/grab/take hold oflay (one's) hands onget one's hands ongraspgripclutchclenchfasten onpluckholdhang on toreceiveacquiregetcome into possession ofinterceptOpposite drop
   • ▪ grasp or try to grasp: "his hands caught at her arms as she tried to turn away"
   • ▪ dismiss (a batter) by catching the ball before it touches the ground: "I was caught on the square-leg boundary for 96"
   • 2. capture (a person or animal that tries or would try to escape): "we hadn't caught a single rabbit" Similar captureseizeapprehendtakearrestlay hold oftake prisonertake captivetake into custodyhaul intrapsnareensnarenethookreel inlandbeachbaginformal:nabcollarrun inbustpull indofeel someone's collarpinchnickOpposite release
   • ▪ succeed in reaching a person who is ahead of one.
   • ▪ unexpectedly find oneself in (an unwelcome situation): "my sister was caught in a thunderstorm"
   • ▪ surprise (someone) in an incriminating situation or in the act of doing something wrong: "he was caught with bomb-making equipment in his home" Similar discoverdetectfindcome upon/acrossstumble onchance onlight onbring to lightturn upexposefind outunmasksurprisetake by surprisecatch unawarescatch off guardcatch red-handedcatch in the actcatch outburst in on
   • ▪ come upon (someone) unexpectedly: "unexpected snow caught us by surprise"
   • 3. (of an object) accidentally become entangled or trapped in something: "a button caught in her hair"
   • ▪ have (a part of one's body or clothing) become entangled or trapped in something: "she caught her foot in the bedspread" Similar become trappedbecome stuckstickbecome wedgedbecome entangledbecome snarled upbecome snaggedsnag
   • ▪ fix or fasten in place: "her hair was caught up in a bright scarf"
   • 4. reach in time and board (a train, bus, or aircraft): "they caught the 12.15 from Oxford" Similar be in time forreach in timemakeget toboardget onentergo on boardgo aboardstep aboardmountascendembarkinformal:hop onjump onformal:embusentrainemplaneOpposite missalight
   • ▪ reach or be in a place in time to see (a person, performance, programme, etc.): "she was hurrying downstairs to catch the news"
   • ▪ attend or watch (a performance): informal North American "we'll get some burgers and catch a movie"
   • 5. engage (a person's interest or imagination): "it was the business scheme that had caught his imagination" Similar engagecaptureattractdrawgaingrabarrestseizeholdwinabsorbengrossrivetgripcaptivatebewitch
   • ▪ perceive fleetingly: "she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror" Similar perceivenoticeobservediscerndetectnotebecome aware ofmake outspotseeinformal:clockOpposite miss
   • ▪ hear or understand (something said), especially with effort: "he bellowed something Jess couldn't catch" Similar hearperceiverecognizediscernmake outunderstandcomprehendgrasptake infathompuzzle outapprehendget to the bottom ofunraveldecipherfollowkeep up withinformal:getget the drift ofget the hang ofcatch on tolatch on tomake head or tail offigure outget the pictureget the messagetwigsuss outsuss
   • ▪ succeed in evoking or representing: "the programme caught something of the flavour of Minoan culture" Similar evokeconjure upsuggestsummon upcall to mindrecallexpressreproducerepresentshowencapsulatecapturerecordfilmphotographdrawpaint
   • 6. strike (someone) on a part of the body: "Ben caught him on the chin with an uppercut" Similar hitstrikeslapsmackcrackbangconnect withcontactOpposite miss
   • ▪ accidentally strike (a part of one's body) against something: "she fell and caught her head on the corner of the hearth"
   • 7. contract (an illness) through infection or contagion: "he served in Macedonia, where he caught malaria" Similar become infected withcontractgettakebecome ill/sick withfall ill/sick withbe taken ill withshow symptoms ofsuccumb todevelopgo/come down withsicken forfall victim tobe struck down withbe stricken withgo down withinformal:take ill withtake sick withOpposite shake offescape
   • 8. become ignited and start burning: "the rafters have caught" Similar ignitebecome ignitedburnstart burningflamecatch/take fireburst into flamesflame upkindleOpposite go out
   • ▪ (of an engine) fire and start running: "the generator caught immediately" Similar startstart runningfirebegin workinggofunctionoperateOpposite stop

   noun

   • 1. an act of catching something, typically a ball.
   • ▪ an act of catching the ball to dismiss a batter: "he took a brilliant catch at deep square leg"
   • ▪ an amount of fish caught: "the UK's North Sea haddock catch" Similar haulnetbagtakeyieldbootyprize
   • ▪ a person considered desirable as a partner or spouse: informal "I mistakenly thought he would be a good catch" Similar eligible man/womanprospectmarriage prospectmatchsuitable husband/wife/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: "the window catch was rusty" Similar latchlockfastenerfasteningclasphasphookbarclipboltsnecksnib
   • 4. a hidden problem or disadvantage in an apparently ideal situation: "there's a catch in it somewhere" Similar snagdisadvantagedrawbackstumbling blockhitchfly in the ointmentjoker in the packpitfallcomplicationproblemhiccuphindrancedifficultysetbackhurdledownsideminustraptricksnarewiledodgedisbenefitinformal:ploycon
   • 5. an unevenness in a person's voice caused by emotion: "there was a catch in Anne's voice" Similar tremorunevennessshakeshakinessquiverquiveringwobble
   • 6. a round, typically one with words arranged to produce a humorous effect.

   Word Origin Middle English (also in the sense ‘chase’): from Anglo-Norman French and Old Northern French cachier, variant of Old French chacier, based on Latin captare ‘try to catch’, from capere ‘take’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. catchable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 12

   • C

     3

   • A

     1

   • T

     1

   • C

     3

   • H

     4

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   More definitions, origin and scrabble points

2. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishCATCH | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   catch verb (DISCOVER) B2 [ T ] to discover, see, or realize something, especially someone doing something wrong: [ + -ing verb ] He caught her read ing his old love letters. If the virus is caught (= discovered) in time, most patients can be successfully treated. catch someone's attention, imagination, interest, etc.

3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › catchCatch Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › catch

   • Cached

   How to use catch in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Catch. to capture or seize especially after pursuit; to take or entangle in or as if in a snare; deceive…

4. www.dictionary.com › browse › catchCATCH Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › catch

   • Cached

   Catch definition: to seize or capture, especially after pursuit. See examples of CATCH used in a sentence.

5. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishcatch verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

   • Cached

   Definition of catch verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

6. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishCATCH definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   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.

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishCATCH | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

   • Cached

   CATCH definition: 1. to stop someone or something that is moving through the air by getting hold of it: 2. to find…. Learn more.

8. www.thefreedictionary.com › catchCatch - definition of catch by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › catch

   • Cached

   Define catch. catch synonyms, catch pronunciation, catch translation, English dictionary definition of catch. seize or capture; trap or ensnare; contract, as a cold; a game where a ball is thrown from one person to another Not to be confused with: ketch – a sailing...