catch
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Etymology
From Old Norman French, from Late Latin captiare (ultimately from Latin captare). Akin to Modern French chasser, Spanish cazar.
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
catch (countable and uncountable; plural catches)
- (countable) The act of seizing or capturing. syn.
- The catch of the perpetrator was the product of a year of police work.
- (countable) The act of catching an object in motion, especially a ball. syn. transl.
- The player made an impressive catch.
- Nice catch!
- (countable) The act of noticing, understanding or hearing. syn. transl.
- Good catch. I never would have remembered that.
- (uncountable) The game of catching a ball. transl.
- The kids love to play catch.
- (countable) A find, in particular a boyfriend or girlfriend or prospective spouse. syn. transl.
- Did you see his latest catch?
- He's a good catch.
- (countable) Something which is captured or caught. transl.
- The fishermen took pictures of their catch.
- (uncountable) The amount which is caught, especially of fish. syn.
- The catch amounted to five tons of swordfish.
- (countable) A stopping mechanism, especially a clasp which stops something from opening. syn. transl.
- She installed a sturdy catch to keep her cabinets closed tight.
- (countable) A hesitation in voice, caused by strong emotion.
- There was a catch in his voice when he spoke his father's name.
- (countable, sometimes noun adjunct) A concealed difficulty, especially in a deal or negotiation.
- It sounds like a great idea, but what's the catch?
- Be careful, that's a catch question.
- (countable) A crick; a sudden muscle pain during unaccustomed positioning when the muscle is in use.
- I bent over to see under the table and got a catch in my side.
- (countable) A fragment of music or poetry. syn.
- 1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, “The Tutor's Daughter”, in Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion[1], page 266:
- In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.
- 1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, “The Tutor's Daughter”, in Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion[1], page 266:
- (obsolete) A state of readiness to capture or seize; an ambush.
- 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress, Part I Section 3:
- You lie at the catch again: this is not for edification.
- 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress, Part I Section 3:
- (countable, agriculture) A crop which has germinated and begun to grow.
- 1905, Eighth Biennial Report of the Board of Horticulture of the State of Oregon[2], page 204:
- There was a good catch of rye and a good fall growth.
- 1905, Eighth Biennial Report of the Board of Horticulture of the State of Oregon[2], page 204:
- (countable, music) A type of humorous round in which the voices gradually catch up with one another; usually sung by men and often having bawdy lyrics.
- 1966, Allen Tate, T. S. Eliot: The Man and His Work[3], page 76:
- One night, I remember, we sang a catch, written (words and music) by Orlo Williams, for three voices.
- 1966, Allen Tate, T. S. Eliot: The Man and His Work[3], page 76:
- (countable, music) The refrain; a line or lines of a song which are repeated from verse to verse. syn.
- 2003, Robert Hugh Benson, Come Rack! Come Rope![4], page 268:
- The phrase repeated itself like the catch of a song.
- 2003, Robert Hugh Benson, Come Rack! Come Rope![4], page 268:
- (countable, cricket) The act of catching a hit ball before it reaches the ground, resulting in an out.
- 1997 May 10, Henry Blofeld, “Cricket: Rose and Burns revive Somerset”, The Independent:
- It was he who removed Peter Bowler with the help of a good catch at third slip.
- 1997 May 10, Henry Blofeld, “Cricket: Rose and Burns revive Somerset”, The Independent:
- (countable, cricket) A player in respect of his catching ability; particularly one who catches well.
- 1894 September 16, “To Meet Lord Hawke's Team”, The New York Times, page 21:
- […] in the field he is all activity, covers an immense amount of ground, and is a sure catch.
- 1894 September 16, “To Meet Lord Hawke's Team”, The New York Times, page 21:
- (countable, rowing) The first contact of an oar with the water.
- 1935 June 7, Robert F. Kelley, “California Crews Impress at Debut”, The New York Times, page 29:
- They are sitting up straighter, breaking their arms at the catch and getting on a terrific amount of power at the catch with each stroke.
- 1935 June 7, Robert F. Kelley, “California Crews Impress at Debut”, The New York Times, page 29:
- (countable, phonetics) A stoppage of breath, resembling a slight cough.
- 2006, Mitsugu Sakihara et al., Okinawan-English Wordbook[5], ISBN 0824831020:
- The glottal stop or glottal catch is the sound used in English in the informal words uh-huh 'yes' and uh-uh 'no'.
- 2006, Mitsugu Sakihara et al., Okinawan-English Wordbook[5], ISBN 0824831020:
[edit] Synonyms
- (act of capturing def.): seizure, capture, collar, snatch
- (catching a ball def. transl.): grasp, snatch
- (act of noticing def. transl.): observation
- (a find def. transl.): prize, find; conquest, beau
- (quantity captured def.): haul, take
- (stopping mechanism def. transl.): stop, chock; clasp, latch
- snag, problem; trick, gimmick, hitch
- (fragment of music def.): snatch, fragment; snippet, bit
- (refrain def.): chorus, refrain, burden
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
a hidden difficulty, especially in a deal or negotiation
that which is captured def.
[edit] Verb
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Infinitive |
Third person singular |
Simple past |
Past participle |
Present participle |
to catch (third-person singular simple present catches, present participle catching, simple past and past participle caught)
- (transitive) To seize a moving object, with the hands or otherwise. syn. transl.
- I will throw you the ball, and you catch it.
- Watch me catch this raisin in my mouth.
- (transitive) To capture or snare, especially an animal. syn.
- I hope I catch a fish.
- (transitive) To seize after a pursuit. syn.
- He ran but we caught him at the exit.
- The police caught the robber at a nearby casino.
- (transitive) To grasp mentally: perceive and understand. transl.
- Did you catch his name?
- Did you catch the way she looked at him?
- (transitive) To attract and hold.
- He managed to catch her attention.
- (transitive) To charm or entrance.
- 2004, Catherine Asaro, The Moon's Shadow[6], ISBN 076534324X, page 40:
- No, a far more natural beauty caught him.
- 2004, Catherine Asaro, The Moon's Shadow[6], ISBN 076534324X, page 40:
- (transitive) To discover, to surprise in the act.
- He was caught on video robbing the bank.
- He was caught in the act of stealing a biscuit.
- (transitive) To seize (an opportunity). transl.
- 1811, Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility, Chapter 18:
- […] she internally resolved henceforward to catch every opportunity of eyeing the hair and of satisfying herself, […]
- 1811, Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility, Chapter 18:
- (transitive) To take in; to watch or listen to (an entertainment).
- I have some free time tonight so I think I'll catch a movie.
- (transitive) To be in time for; to reach in time (especially, in time to leave).
- I would love to have dinner but I have to catch a plane.
- (transitive) To travel by means of.
- 1987, A.J. Quinnell, In the Name of the Father[7], ISBN 0453005713, page 111:
- After about a kilometer I caught a taxi to Santa Croce.
- 1987, A.J. Quinnell, In the Name of the Father[7], ISBN 0453005713, page 111:
- (transitive) To spread or be conveyed to.
- The fire spread slowly until it caught the eaves of the barn.
- (transitive) To be infected by.
- Everyone seems to be catching the flu this week.
- (transitive) To be affected by; to join in.
- She finally caught the mood of the occasion.
- (transitive) To regain something necessary, such as breath or sleep.
- I have to stop for a moment and catch my breath.
- I caught some Z's on the train.
- (transitive) To overtake or catch up to.
- We didn't catch the van until the next exit.
- (transitive) To receive and retain.
- The bucket catches water from the downspout.
- (transitive) To have something be held back or impeded.
- I caught my heel on the threshold.
- (transitive) To suffer from; to receive.
- You're going to catch a beating if they find out.
- We caught a run of bad luck this year.
- (transitive) To reproduce or echo a spirit or idea faithfully.
- You've really caught his determination in this sketch.
- (intransitive) To engage, stick, or latch. transl.
- Push it in until it catches.
- (intransitive) To make a grasping or snatching motion.
- He caught at the railing as he fell.
- (intransitive) To catch fire; to ignite.
- The trees caught quickly in the dry wind.
- (intransitive) To be held back or impeded.
- Be careful your dress doesn't catch on that knob.
- (intransitive) To hesitate, as if momentarily stuck.
- His voice caught when he came to his father's name.
- I was about to say something unpleasant, but I managed to catch myself.
- (intransitive, rare) To spread by contagion.
- The plague caught there, and left half the town dead.
- (intransitive) To serve well or poorly for catching, especially for catching fish.
- 1877, Annual Report of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture[8], page 135:
- The nets caught well, and Mr. Deeley reported it the best fishing ground he ever tried.
- 1877, Annual Report of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture[8], page 135:
- (transitive) To hit someone in a specific place.
- If he catches you on the chin, you'll be on the mat.
- (transitive) To be hit by something. syn.
- He caught a bullet in the back of the head last year.
- (transitive) To touch or be touched by, especially wind or light.
- The sunlight caught the leaves and the trees turned to gold.
- (transitive) To entrap or trip up a person, especially deceptively.
- 1611, Authorized King James Version, Mark 12:13 :
- And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.
- 1611, Authorized King James Version, Mark 12:13 :
- (transitive, rare) To become pregnant.
- 2002, Orpha Caton, Shadow on the Creek[9], page 102-103:
- Had Nancy got caught with a child? If so she would destroy her parent's dreams for her.
- 2002, Orpha Caton, Shadow on the Creek[9], page 102-103:
- (transitive, dated) To marry or enter into a similar relationship with a man.
- 1933, Sinclair Lewis, Ann Vickers[10], page 108:
- The public […] said that Miss Bogardus was a suffragist because she had never caught a man; that she wanted something, but it wasn't the vote.
- 2006, Michael Collier and Georgia Machemer, Medea[11], ISBN 0195145666, page 23:
- As for Aspasia, concubinage with Pericles brought her as much honor as she could hope to claim in Athens. […] from the moment she caught her man, this influential, unconventional woman became a lightning rod […]
- 1933, Sinclair Lewis, Ann Vickers[10], page 108:
- (transitive, computing) To handle an exception. transl.
- When the program catches an exception, this is recorded in the log file.
- (transitive, baseball) To play a specific period of time as the catcher.
- He caught the last three innings.
- (transitive, cricket) To end a player's innings by catching a hit ball before the first bounce.
- Townsend hit 29 before he was caught by Wilson.
- (transitive, rowing) To lower one's oars into the water at the beginning of the stroke.
- 1906, Arthur W. Stevens, Practical Rowing with Scull and Sweep[12], page 63:
- Stop gathering, in that gradual fashion, and catch the water sharply and decisively.
- 1906, Arthur W. Stevens, Practical Rowing with Scull and Sweep[12], page 63:
- (transitive, surfing) To contact a wave in such a way that one can ride it back to shore.
- 2001, John Lull, Sea Kayaking Safety & Rescue[13], ISBN 0899972748, page 203:
- If you are surfing a wave through the rocks, make sure you have a clear route before catching the wave.
- 2001, John Lull, Sea Kayaking Safety & Rescue[13], ISBN 0899972748, page 203:
- (transitive, US, dialectal) To deliver or assist in the delivery of a baby.
- 1994, Chris Offutt, “Aunt Granny Lith”, in The Vintage Book of American Short Stories[14], ISBN 0679745130, page 391:
- The last granny-woman in these pans. She caught three hundred babies on this creek.
- 1994, Chris Offutt, “Aunt Granny Lith”, in The Vintage Book of American Short Stories[14], ISBN 0679745130, page 391:
- (intransitive, agriculture) To germinate and set down roots.
- The seeds caught and grew.
- (intransitive, automotive, of an engine) To turn over.
- The engine finally caught and roared to life.
- (intransitive, sailing, of sails) To receive wind; to be blown on.
- 2003, Jerry Dennis, The Living Great Lakes[15], ISBN 0312251939, page 63:
- […] the sails caught and filled, and the boat jumped to life beneath us.
- 2003, Jerry Dennis, The Living Great Lakes[15], ISBN 0312251939, page 63:
[edit] Synonyms
- (seize in motion def.): snatch, grab
- (capture prey def.): capture, take; snare, hook
- (pursue and seize def.): take down, collar, apprehend, arrest
- (be hit def.): take, get
[edit] Antonyms
[edit] Derived terms
Terms derived from the verb "to catch"
[edit] Translations
to seize an object, especially in the hands def.
to perceive and understand def.
to reach in time to leave def.
to engage, stick, or grasp def.
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
[edit] Dictionary notes
- For a survey of treatments of this word in various major dictionaries, see Appendix:Dictionary notes/catch.
[edit] French
[edit] Etymology
From English
[edit] Noun
catch m (usually uncountable)
[edit] Derived terms
Categories: Late Latin derivations | English nouns | English countable nouns | English uncountable nouns | Obsolete | Agriculture | Music | Cricket | Rowing | Phonetics | English verbs | Rare | Dated | Computing | Baseball | Surfing | American English | Dialectal | Automotive | Nautical | English irregular verbs | fr:English derivations | French nouns | French uncountable nouns | French masculine nouns | fr:Sports