catch
Part of speech: noun
verb
Morphological type: simple
Topics: agriculture
ball-games
baseball
business
computing
cricket
engineering
entertainment
games
heading
hobbies
human-sciences
lifestyle
linguistics
mathematics
music
natural-sciences
phonetics
phonology
physical-sciences
rowing
sciences
sports
surfing
Etymology: Etymology tree
Vulgar Latin captus
Proto-Indo-European *-yetider.
Vulgar Latin -io
Vulgar Latin *captiāre
Old French chacierbor.
Anglo-Norman cachierbor.
Middle English cacchen
English catch
From Middle English cacchen, from Anglo-Norman cachier, variant of Old French chacier, from Late Latin captiāre, from Latin captāre, frequentative of capere. Akin to Modern French chasser (from Old French chacier) and Spanish cazar, and thus a doublet of chase. Compare ketch. Via PIE cognate with have. Displaced Middle English fangen ("to catch"; > Modern English fang (verb)), from Old English fōn (“to seize, take”); Middle English lacchen ("to catch" and heavily displaced Modern English latch), from Old English læċċan.
The verb became irregular, possibly under the influence of the semantically similar latch (from Old English læċċan), whose past tense was lahte, lauhte, laught (Old English læhte), until becoming regularised in Modern English.
Inflected forms:
form: catches
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: catches
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: catching
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: caught
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: caught
pos: verb
tags: past
form: no-table-tags
pos: verb
tags: table-tags
form: glossary
pos: verb
tags: inflection-template
form: catch
pos: verb
tags: infinitive
form: catch
pos: verb
tags: first-person
present
singular
form: caught
pos: verb
tags: first-person
past
singular
form: catched
pos: verb
tags: first-person
nonstandard
past
singular
form: catch
pos: verb
tags: present
second-person
singular
form: catchest
pos: verb
tags: archaic
present
second-person
singular
form: caught
pos: verb
tags: past
second-person
singular
form: catched
pos: verb
tags: nonstandard
past
second-person
singular
form: caughtest
pos: verb
tags: archaic
past
second-person
singular
form: catchedst
pos: verb
tags: archaic
past
second-person
singular
form: catches
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: catcheth
pos: verb
tags: archaic
present
singular
third-person
form: caught
pos: verb
tags: past
singular
third-person
form: catched
pos: verb
tags: nonstandard
past
singular
third-person
form: catch
pos: verb
tags: plural
present
form: caught
pos: verb
tags: past
plural
form: catched
pos: verb
tags: nonstandard
past
plural
form: catch
pos: verb
tags: present
subjunctive
form: caught
pos: verb
tags: past
subjunctive
form: catched
pos: verb
tags: nonstandard
past
subjunctive
form: catch
pos: verb
tags: imperative
present
form: -
pos: verb
tags: imperative
past
form: catching
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: caught
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: catched
pos: verb
tags: nonstandard
participle
past
Senses:
gloss: The act of seizing or capturing.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: The catch of the perpetrator was the product of a year of police work.
gloss: The act of catching an object in motion, especially a ball.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: The player made an impressive catch.
Nice catch!
gloss: The act of noticing, understanding or hearing.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: Good catch. I never would have remembered that.
"In that case," said Jeff, "I just thought of something else we need." He walked over to one of the stations that was selling household goods and bought a can opener.
"Nice catch," said Lucy.
gloss: The game of catching a ball.
pos: noun
tags: uncountable
examples: The kids love to play catch.
gloss: Something which is captured or caught.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: The fishermen took pictures of their catch.
The catch amounted to five tons of swordfish.
gloss: A find, in particular a boyfriend or girlfriend or prospective spouse.
pos: noun
tags: broadly
colloquial
countable
examples: Did you see his latest catch?
He's a good catch.
Mr. Alfred O'Shea, a tenorizing youth from Australia, sang several times at Queen's Hall, and may congratulate himself on being one of the ‘catches’ of the season. He sang airs from Italian and French operas, and also a number of Irish ditties—naturally, with a name like that and such an ingratiating McCormackian voice.
"Aaaugh! Just once, I wish I could be considered a catch by men younger than fifty..."
gloss: A stopping mechanism, especially a clasp which stops something from opening.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: She installed a sturdy catch to keep her cabinets closed tight.
gloss: A hesitation in voice, caused by strong emotion.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: There was a catch in his voice when he spoke his father's name.
gloss: A concealed difficulty, especially in a deal or negotiation.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: It sounds like a great idea, but what's the catch?
Be careful, that's a catch question.
gloss: A crick; a sudden muscle pain during unaccustomed positioning when the muscle is in use.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: I bent over to see under the table and got a catch in my side.
gloss: A fragment of music or poetry.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.
"'Fair Enslaver!'" cried Mr. Enderby. "You must know 'Fair Enslaver:' there is not a sweeter catch than that. Come, Miss Ibbotson, begin; your sister will follow, and I—"
But it so happened that Miss Ibbotson had never heard 'Fair Enslaver.'
gloss: A state of readiness to capture or seize; an ambush.
pos: noun
tags: countable
obsolete
uncountable
examples: You lie at the catch again: this is not for edification.
The common and the canon law […] lie at catch, and wait advantages one against another.
gloss: A crop which has germinated and begun to grow.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: There was a good catch of rye and a good fall growth.
gloss: A type of strong boat, usually having two masts; a ketch.
pos: noun
tags: countable
obsolete
uncountable
examples: Fourteene miles Northward from the river Powhatan, is the river Pamaunke, which is navigable 60 or 70 myles, but with Catches and small Barkes 30 or 40 myles farther.
gloss: A type of humorous round in which the voices gradually catch up with one another; usually sung by men and often having bawdy lyrics.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: Let us be jocund: will you troll the catch / You taught me but while-ere?
One night, I remember, we sang a catch, written (words and music) by Orlo Williams, for three voices.
gloss: The refrain; a line or lines of a song which are repeated from verse to verse.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: The phrase repeated itself like the catch of a song.
gloss: The act of catching a hit ball before it reaches the ground, resulting in an out.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: It was he who removed Peter Bowler with the help of a good catch at third slip.
gloss: A player in respect of his catching ability; particularly one who catches well.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: […] in the field he is all activity, covers an immense amount of ground, and is a sure catch.
gloss: The first contact of an oar with the water.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: 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.
gloss: A stoppage of breath, resembling a slight cough.
pos: noun
tags: countable
examples: When a Scot pronounces water, better, or bottle—wa’er, be’er, or bo’le—the sound is precisely that of the catch; […].
The glottal stop or glottal catch is the sound used in English in the informal words uh-huh 'yes' and uh-uh 'no'.
gloss: Passing opportunities seized; snatches.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: the way it has been writ in, by catches, and many long intervals of interruption
gloss: A slight remembrance; a trace.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: We retain a catch of those pretty stories.
gloss: To capture, overtake.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: I hope I catch a fish.
He ran but we caught him at the exit.
The police caught the robber at a nearby casino.
gloss: To capture, overtake.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.
gloss: To capture, overtake.
pos: verb
tags: dated
figuratively
transitive
examples: 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.
"She caught this blanquito guy from El Condado," and you immediately know "My god, all that money."
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[…].
gloss: To capture, overtake.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: If he catches you on the chin, you'll be on the mat.
The visitors started brightly and had an early chance when Valencia's experienced captain David Albeda gifted the ball to Fernando Torres, but the striker was caught by defender Adil Rami as he threatened to shoot.
gloss: To capture, overtake.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: If you leave now you might catch him.
I would love to have dinner but I have to catch a plane.
Allen Gregory DeLongpre: Did anyone catch the Charlie Rose the evening before last. Did you catch it? No, nothing?
For reasons I shan’t bore you with, I got them to induce me at 39 weeks, at 10am, with the epidural going in first, and it was all a dream. […] But it was all over in time for my daughter to catch the Nigeria v Argentina World Cup game that evening, during which she seemed to reckon everything was miles offside.
gloss: To capture, overtake.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: He was caught on video robbing the bank.
He was caught in the act of stealing a biscuit.
Once he caught me gazing lingeringly and eagerly at him. He turned round with that mocking air he assumed when he wanted to hide his feelings.
gloss: To capture, overtake.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: catch the bus
The glare, the flies, while they waited, and he and the stationmaster put their heads together over the time-table, trying to find this other train, which, of course, they wouldn't catch.
After about a kilometer I caught a taxi to Santa Croce.
gloss: To capture, overtake.
pos: verb
tags: rare
transitive
examples: Had Nancy got caught with a child? If so she would destroy her parent's dreams for her.
gloss: To seize hold of.
pos: verb
tags: dated
transitive
examples: I caught her by the arm and turned her to face me.
Her aged Nourse, whose name was Glaucè hight, / Feeling her leape out of her loathed nest, / Betwixt her feeble armes her quickly keight […]
gloss: To seize hold of.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: I have to stop for a moment and catch my breath
I caught some Z's on the train.
gloss: To seize hold of.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: My leg was caught in a tree-root.
So Abſalom took a Pride in his Beauty, and particularly in his long Hair. And Providence ſo orders it, that in his Rebellion againſt his Father [David], vvhen he had loſt the Day, this Hair in his Flight catches on the Bough of a Tree, vvhere Joab found and ſlevv him.
gloss: To seize hold of.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: Be careful your dress doesn't catch on that knob.
His voice caught when he came to his father's name.
Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill.
gloss: To seize hold of.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: Push it in until it catches.
The engine finally caught and roared to life.
gloss: To seize hold of.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: I caught my heel on the threshold.
gloss: To seize hold of.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: He caught at the railing as he fell.
gloss: To seize hold of.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: The Palace of Deiphobus aſcends / In ſmoaky Flames, and catches on his Friends. / Ucalegon burns next; the Seas are bright / VVith ſplendor, not their ovvn; and ſhine vvith Trojan light.
The fire spread slowly until it caught the eaves of the barn.
gloss: To seize hold of.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Stop gathering, in that gradual fashion, and catch the water sharply and decisively.
gloss: To seize hold of.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: The seeds caught and grew.
gloss: To seize hold of.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: If you are surfing a wave through the rocks, make sure you have a clear route before catching the wave.
gloss: To seize hold of.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: When the program catches an exception, this is recorded in the log file.
gloss: To intercept.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: I will throw you the ball, and you catch it.
Watch me catch this raisin in my mouth.
gloss: To intercept.
pos: verb
tags: archaic
transitive
examples: she internally resolved henceforward to catch every opportunity of eyeing the hair and of satisfying herself,[…].
gloss: To intercept.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Townsend hit 29 before he was caught by Wilson.
gloss: To intercept.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
transitive
examples: He caught the last three innings.
gloss: To receive (by being in the way).
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: You're going to catch a beating if they find out.
gloss: To receive (by being in the way).
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: The sunlight caught the leaves and the trees turned to gold.
Her hair was caught by the light breeze.
gloss: To receive (by being in the way).
pos: verb
tags: informal
transitive
examples: Near-synonym: come down with
Everyone seems to be catching the flu this week.
gloss: To receive (by being in the way).
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: Does the sedition catch from man to man?
He accosted Mrs. Browne very civilly, told her his wife was very ill, and said he was sadly troubled to get a white woman to nurse her: "For," said he, "Mrs. Simpson has set it abroad that her fever is catching."
gloss: To receive (by being in the way).
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
transitive
examples: The bucket catches water from the downspout.
The trees caught quickly in the dry wind.
the sails caught and filled, and the boat jumped to life beneath us.
And the Bolshoi Ballet Academy’s account of the Grand Pas Classique from “Paquita” […] exemplified the spectacular czarist ideal of ballet that has long since became widely accepted as “classical ballet.” […] It catches an American athleticism and energetic team spirit that still seem to smash European notions of ballet classicism, as does its dancers’ selfless manner and their practicelike costumes.
gloss: To receive (by being in the way).
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: She finally caught the mood of the occasion.
And the next thing I knew, I had caught feelings for her.
gloss: To receive (by being in the way).
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: He caught a bullet in the back of the head last year.
gloss: To receive (by being in the way).
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: The nets caught well, and Mr. Deeley reported it the best fishing ground he ever tried.
gloss: To receive (by being in the way).
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: Well, if you didn't catch this time, we'll have more fun trying again until you do.
gloss: To take in with one's senses or intellect.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Did you catch his name?
Did you catch the way she looked at him?
“A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;[…]. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.
gloss: To take in with one's senses or intellect.
pos: verb
tags: informal
transitive
examples: I have some free time tonight so I think I'll catch a movie.
Tom Holland: Gong Xi Fa Cai! It's Tom Holland here. // Mark Wahlberg: And I'm Mark Wahlberg. Catch us in Uncharted this Chinese New Year at GSC. // Tom Holland: Gong Xi Fa Cai!
gloss: To take in with one's senses or intellect.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: You've really caught his determination in this sketch.
gloss: To seize attention, interest.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: No, a far more natural beauty caught him.
gloss: To seize attention, interest.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: He managed to catch her attention.
The enormous scarf did catch my eye.
gloss: To notice.
pos: verb
examples: -You made a typo. -Ah, thanks for catching that.
Synonyms: seizure
capture
collar
snatch
grasp
haul
take
fang
grab
snare
hook
Antonyms: drop
release
Derived words: ass catch
body catch
bullet catch
bycatch
by-catch
Catch-22
catchbasin
catch bet
catch-breath
catchbreath
catch crop
catch-dog
catch fence
catchful
catchline
catchmark
catch-meadow
catch of the day
catch plate
catchpoints
catch-rope
catch the ten
catch title
catchwork
catchy
crowd catch
fair catch
glottal catch
safety catch
shoestring catch
time catch
catch step
miscatch
becatch
catchability
catchable
catch a body
catch a break
catch a buzz
catch a case
catch a cold
catch a crab
catch a date
catch a dick
catch a fade
catch a falling knife
catch air
catch-all
catch-allism
catch-all party
catch and kill
catch and kiss
catch and release
catch a packet
catch a ride
catch-as-catch-can
catch as catch can
catch a square
catch a stray
catch a tan
catch a Tartar
catch a wave
catchball
catch big air
catch breath
catch cold
catch colt
catchcry
catchdrain
catch dust
catchee
catch-'em-alive-O
catcher
catchfart
catch feelings
catch fire
catch flies
catchfly
catch hands
catch heat
catch hell
catch hold
catch in 4k
catch in 4K
catch in possession
catch in the act
catch it
catch it in the neck
catch lacking
catchlight
catch me
catchment
catch napping
catch no ball
catch no balls
catch on
catch one's breath
catch one's death
catch one's drift
catch oneself on
catch one's eyes
catch on fire
catch out
catch over
catchpenny
catchphrase
catchpit
catch pit
catch points
catchpole
catch print
catch red-handed
catch redhanded
catch sight of
catch someone at their own game
catch someone napping
catch someone's drift
catch someone's eye
catch someone's fancy
catch someone with their pants down
catch some rays
catch some z's
catchstitch
catch the bus
catch the eye
catch the light
catch the queer
catch the sun
catch the wave
catch up
catch-up effect
catchwater
catchweed
catch wind of
catchword
catch wreck
catch you later
catch you on the flip side
catch Z's
caught behind
caught between two stools
caught in the cookie jar
caught looking
caught on the hop
caught raiding the cookie jar
caught short
caught stealing
caught with one's fingers in the cookie jar
caught with one's pants down
caught with the cookie jar
cony-catch
couldn't catch a cold
dog that caught the car
dog who caught the tire
don't sell the skin till you have caught the bear
first catch your hare
flycatch
forecatch
hard to catch
howcatchem
make someone hard to catch
not be caught dead
outcatch
overcatch
recatch
set a thief to catch a thief
the proverbial dog that caught the car
throw a sprat to catch a mackerel
uncatch
wouldn't be caught dead
you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar
you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar
you can't catch old birds with chaff
you catch more flies with honey than vinegar
you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar
Translations:
lang: Albanian
word: kapje
lang: Bulgarian
word: хващане
roman: hvaštane
lang: Bulgarian
word: улавяне
roman: ulavjane
lang: Danish
word: fangst
lang: Dutch
word: opvangen
lang: Dutch
word: vangen
lang: Esperanto
word: kapto
lang: Estonian
word: püüe
lang: Ewe
word: xe
lang: Finnish
word: koppi
lang: German
word: Fang
lang: Hebrew
word: תפיסה
roman: tfisa
lang: Hungarian
word: elkapás
lang: Indonesian
word: tangkap
lang: Indonesian
word: sambut
lang: Italian
word: presa
lang: Central Kurdish
word: گرتن
roman: girtin
lang: Northern Kurdish
word: girtin
lang: Marathi
word: कॅच
roman: kĕc
lang: Nyunga
word: baraniny
lang: Portuguese
word: pegar
lang: Portuguese
word: apanhadura
lang: Portuguese
word: apanhada
lang: Russian
word: пои́мка
roman: poímka
lang: Russian
word: захва́т
roman: zaxvát
lang: Slovak
word: chytiť
lang: Slovak
word: chytať
lang: Spanish
word: atrapada
lang: Swedish
word: fångst
lang: Albanian
word: zë
lang: Arabic
word: أَمْسَكَ
roman: ʔamsaka
lang: Arabic
word: مَسَكَ
roman: masaka
lang: Arabic
word: مسك
roman: masak, misik
lang: Armenian
word: բռնել
roman: bṙnel
lang: Assamese
word: ধৰা
roman: dhora
lang: Azerbaijani
word: tutmaq
lang: Bashkir
word: тотоу
roman: totow
lang: Bashkir
word: эләктереү
roman: eləkterew
lang: Basque
word: harrapatu
lang: Belarusian
word: лаві́ць
roman: lavícʹ
lang: Belarusian
word: злаві́ць
roman: zlavícʹ
lang: Belarusian
word: залаві́ць
roman: zalavícʹ
lang: Bulgarian
word: хващам
roman: hvaštam
lang: Bulgarian
word: улавям
roman: ulavjam
lang: Burmese
word: ဖမ်း
roman: hpam:
lang: Cebuano
word: dakup
lang: Cherokee
word: ᎦᏂᏱᎭ
roman: ganiyiha
lang: Chinese Cantonese
word: 接
roman: zip³
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 捕
roman: bǔ
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 抓住
roman: zhuāzhù
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 抓
roman: zhuā
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 接住
roman: jiēzhù
lang: Cornish
word: cachya
lang: Czech
word: chytit
lang: Czech
word: chytnout
lang: Danish
word: fange
lang: Finnish
word: pyydystää
lang: Finnish
word: ottaa kiinni
lang: Finnish
word: napata
lang: Finnish
word: siepata
lang: French
word: attraper
lang: Georgian
word: დაჭერა
roman: dač̣era
lang: German
word: fangen
lang: Hebrew
word: תָּפַס
roman: tafás
lang: Hindi
word: पकड़ना
roman: pakaṛnā
lang: Ingrian
word: tavata
lang: Ingrian
word: ottaa kiin
lang: Ingrian
word: tavata kiin
lang: Ingrian
word: pyytää
lang: Ingrian
word: lovittaa
lang: Irish
word: beir ar
lang: Irish
word: ceap
lang: Italian
word: afferrare
lang: Italian
word: prendere
lang: Japanese
word: 捕まえる
roman: tsukamaeru
lang: Japanese
word: 捕る
roman: toru
lang: Korean
word: 잡다
roman: japda
lang: Lithuanian
word: pagauti
lang: Luxembourgish
word: fänken
lang: Marathi
word: पकडणे
roman: pakaḍṇe
lang: Khiamniungan Naga
word: thōhlòuh
lang: Old English
word: fōn
lang: Persian
word: گرفتن
roman: gereftan
lang: Polish
word: łapać
lang: Polish
word: złapać
lang: Polish
word: chwytać
lang: Polish
word: chwycić
lang: Portuguese
word: capturar
lang: Romanian
word: prinde
lang: Russian
word: лови́ть
roman: lovítʹ
lang: Russian
word: пойма́ть
roman: pojmátʹ
lang: Slovene
word: ujeti
lang: Lower Sorbian
word: łojś
lang: Spanish
word: atajar
lang: Spanish
word: cazar
lang: Spanish
word: atrapar
lang: Spanish
word: chapar
lang: Spanish
word: coger
lang: Spanish
word: aparar
lang: Spanish
word: emparar
lang: Spanish
word: abarajar
lang: Spanish
word: barajar
lang: Swahili
word: daka
lang: Swedish
word: fånga
lang: Swedish
word: fatta
lang: Sylheti
word: ꠗꠞꠣ
roman: dóra
lang: Ukrainian
word: лови́ти
roman: lovýty
lang: Ukrainian
word: пійма́ти
roman: pijmáty
lang: Urdu
word: پکڑنا
roman: pakaṛnā
lang: Vietnamese
word: chụp
lang: Vietnamese
word: chộp
lang: Welsh
word: dal
lang: Yiddish
word: כאַפּן
roman: khapn
lang: Bulgarian
word: закачам се
roman: zakačam se
lang: Czech
word: chytit se
lang: Czech
word: chytnout se
lang: Finnish
word: tarttua