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1. Dictionary

   Catch

   /keCH/

   

   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 ontoreceiveacquiregetcome 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 ontoreceiveacquiregetcome 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 ontoreceiveacquiregetcome into possession ofinterceptOpposite drop
   • ▪ grasp or try to grasp: "his hands caught at her arms as she tried to turn away"
   • 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
   • ▪ (of a person) 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: "the charm bracelet always caught on her clothing"
   • ▪ (of a person) 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 back in a scrunchie"
   • 4. reach in time and board (a train, bus, or aircraft): "they caught the 12:15 from Chicago" 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, program, etc.): "she was hurrying downstairs to catch the news"
   • 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 ontolatch ontomake head or tail offigure outget the pictureget the messagetwigsuss outsuss
   • ▪ succeed in evoking or representing: "the program caught something of the flavor 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, due to contact with flame, 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 amount of fish caught: "a record catch of 6.9 billion pounds of fish" Similar haulnetbagtakeyieldbootyprize
   • ▪ a person considered attractive, successful, or prestigious and so 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 device for securing something such as a door, window, or box: "the window catch was rusty" Similar latchlockfastenerfasteningclasphasphookbarclipboltsnecksnib
   • 3. 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
   • 4. an unevenness in a person's voice caused by emotion: "there was a catch in Anne's voice" Similar tremorunevennessshakeshakinessquiverquiveringwobble
   • 5. 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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2. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › catchCatch - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › catch

   Definitions of catch. verb. take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of. “ Catch the ball!” synonyms: grab, take hold of. see more. verb. succeed in catching or seizing, especially after a chase. “Did you catch the thief?” synonyms: capture, get. see more. verb. capture as if by hunting, snaring, or trapping.

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

   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.

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

   www.thefreedictionary.com › catch

   • Cached

   1. a. To get and hold (something that has been in motion) in a hand, the hands, a container, or an implement: caught the ball in the web of the lacrosse stick. b. To take hold of, especially forcibly or suddenly; grasp: caught me by the arm; caught the reins. c. To stop (oneself) from doing an action: I caught myself before replying. 2. a.

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

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

   • Cached

   to stop someone or something that is moving through the air by getting hold of it: Try to catch the ball. She fell backwards but he caught her in his arms. Fewer examples. She threw an apple to me but I failed to catch it. She jumped up and caught the ball in mid-air. Amazingly, he managed to catch the ball.

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

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   4 days ago · Synonyms: capture, arrest, trap, seize More Synonyms of catch. 2. verb. 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 noun] Synonyms: seize, get, grab, snatch More Synonyms of catch. Catch is also a noun.

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionaryCATCH | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary

   • 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.

8. en.m.wiktionary.org › wiki › catchcatch - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

   en.m.wiktionary.org › wiki › catch

   • Cached

   Apr 10, 2024 · catch ( countable and uncountable, plural catches) ( countable) The act of seizing or capturing . 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 . The player made an impressive catch.