Catch

/kæch/

Meaning & Definition

noun

an act of catching something.

He made a great catch during the baseball game.

a hidden drawback or disadvantage.

The deal seems great, but there's always a catch.

a place where something is caught or held.

The fisherman checked his catch at the end of the day.

verb

to intercept and hold something that is in motion.

I managed to catch the ball before it hit the ground.

to discover or detect (something, such as a mistake or a crime).

The teacher tried to catch the students who were cheating on the test.

to understand or grasp the meaning of something.

Did you catch what the lecturer said about the assignment?

to take advantage of an opportunity.

You should catch the early train to avoid the traffic.

to become infected with (an illness).

I think I might catch a cold if I don't wear my jacket.

Middle English 'cacchen', from Old North French 'cachier' meaning 'to capture'.

catch someone's eye:

to attract someone's attention

catch someone's breath:

to rest or recover breath after exertion

catch 22:

a dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape

catch the drift:

to understand the general meaning

catch the moment:

to capture an experience or memory

to understand

Did you catch what I said?

to meet or connect

Let’s catch up later this evening.

to be in on something

If you want to catch the latest gossip, join us at the café.

to get or obtain something

I’m trying to catch a good deal on a new phone.