catch
verb
kætʃ 
kætʃ kɔːt kɔːt hold
1 [transitive] catch something to stop and hold a moving object, especially in your handsShe managed to catch the keys as they fell.‘Throw me over that towel, will you?’ ‘OK. Catch!’The dog caught the stick in its mouth.2 [transitive] catch something to hold a liquid when it fallsThe roof was leaking and I had to use a bucket to catch the drips.3 [transitive] catch somebody/something (+ adverb/preposition) to take hold of somebody/somethingHe caught hold of her arm as she tried to push past him.capture
4 [transitive] catch somebody/something to capture a person or an animal that tries or would try to escapeThe murderer was never caught.Our cat is hopeless at catching mice.How many fish did you catch?somebody doing something
5 [transitive] to find or discover somebody doing something, especially something wrongcatch somebody doing something I caught her smoking in the bathroom.You wouldn't catch me working (= I would never work) on a Sunday!catch yourself doing something She caught herself wondering whether she had made a mistake.catch somebody + adverb/preposition He was caught with bomb-making equipment in his home.Mark walked in and caught them at it (= in the act of doing something wrong).thieves caught in the actYou've caught me at a bad time (= at a time when I am busy).bus/train/plane
6 [transitive] catch something to be in time for a bus, train, plane, etc. and get on itWe caught the 12.15 from Oxford.I must go—I have a train to catch.be in time
7 [transitive] catch somebody/something to be in time to do something, talk to somebody, etcI caught him just as he was leaving the building.I was hoping to catch you at home (= to telephone you at home when you were there).The illness can be treated provided it's caught (= discovered) early enough. (British English) to catch the post (= post letters before the box is emptied) (British English, informal) Bye for now! I'll catch you later (= speak to you again later).see/hear
8 [transitive] catch something (informal, especially North American English) to see or hear something; to attend somethingLet's eat now and maybe we could catch a movie later.happen unexpectedly
9 [transitive] catch somebody to happen unexpectedly and put somebody in a difficult situationHis arrival caught me by surprise.She got caught in a thunderstorm.illness
10 [transitive] to get an illnesscatch something to catch measlescatch something from somebody I think I must have caught this cold from you.become stuck
11 [intransitive, transitive] to become stuck in or on something; to make something become stuckcatch (in/on something) Her dress caught on a nail.catch something (in/on something) He caught his thumb in the door.hit
12 [transitive] to hit somebody/somethingcatch somebody/something + adverb/preposition The stone caught him on the side of the head.catch somebody something + adverb/preposition She caught him a blow on the chin.notice
13 [transitive] catch something to notice something only for a momentShe caught sight of a car in the distance.He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.I caught a look of surprise on her face.He caught a whiff of her perfume.hear/understand
14 [transitive] catch something to hear or understand somethingSorry, I didn't quite catch what you said.interest
15 [transitive] catch somebody's interest, imagination, attention, etc. if something catches your interest, etc, you notice it and feel interested in itshow accurately
16 [transitive] catch something to show or describe something accuratelySynonym
captureThe artist has caught her smile perfectly.light
17 [transitive] catch something if something catches the light or the light catches it, the light shines on it and makes it shine tooThe knife gleamed as it caught the light.the sun
18 [transitive] catch the sun (informal) if you catch the sun, you become red or brown because of spending time in the sunburn
19 [transitive, intransitive] catch (fire) to begin to burnThe wooden rafters caught fire.These logs are wet: they won't catch.in cricket
20 [transitive] catch somebody to make a player unable to continue batting by catching the ball they have hit before it touches the groundIdioms
catch your breath
1 to stop breathing for a moment because of fear, shock, etc.2 to breathe normally again after running or doing some tiring exercisecatch your death (of cold)
(old-fashioned, informal) to catch a very bad coldcatch somebody's eye
to attract somebody's attention
Can you catch the waiter's eye?catch it
(British English) (North American English catch hell, get it) (informal) to be punished or spoken to angrily about somethingIf your dad finds out you'll really catch it!catch somebody napping
(British English) to get an advantage over somebody by doing something when they are not expecting it and not ready for itcatch somebody on the hop
(informal) to surprise somebody by doing something when they are not expecting it and not ready for itcatch somebody red-handed
to catch somebody in the act of doing something wrong or committing a crime
catch somebody with their pants down
(British English also catch somebody with their trousers down) (informal) to arrive or do something when somebody is not expecting it and not ready, especially when they are in an embarrassing situationPhrasal verbs
catch at something
= clutch at somethingcatch on
to become popular or fashionableHe invented a new game, but it never really caught on.catch on (to something)
(informal) to understand somethingHe is very quick to catch on to things.catch somebody out
1 to surprise somebody and put them in a difficult positionMany investors were caught out by the fall in share prices.2 to show that somebody does not know much or is doing something wrongThey tried to catch her out with a difficult question.catch up on something
1 to spend extra time doing something because you have not done it earlierI have a lot of work to catch up on.2 to find out about things that have happenedWe spent the evening catching up on each other's news.be/get caught up in something
to become involved in something, especially when you do not want to beInnocent passers-by got caught up in the riots.catch up (with somebody)
(British English also catch somebody up)1 to reach somebody who is ahead by going fasterGo on ahead. I'll catch up with you.I'll catch you up.2 to reach the same level or standard as somebody who was better or more advancedAfter missing a term through illness he had to work hard to catch up with the others.catch up with somebody
1 to finally start to cause problems for somebody after they have managed to avoid this for some timeShe was terrified that one day her past problems would catch up with her.2 if the police or authorities catch up with somebody, they find and punish them after some timeThe law caught up with him years later when he had moved to Spain.
Usage note: seespot catch glimpseThese words all mean to become aware of somebody/something by using your eyes, especially suddenly or when it is not easy to see them/it.see to become aware of somebody/something by using your eyes: She looked for him but couldn't see him in the crowd. ◇ He could see (that) she had been crying.spot to see or notice somebody/something, especially suddenly or when they are not easy to see or notice: I've just spotted a mistake on the front cover.catch to see or notice something for a moment, but not clearly or completely: She caught sight of a car in the distance. ◇ He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.glimpse (literary) to see somebody/something for a moment, but not clearly or completely: He'd glimpsed her through the window as he passed.to see/spot that/how/what/where/who…to suddenly see/spot/catch/glimpse somebody/something