catchcatch1 /kætʃ/ ●●● verb (past tense and past participle caught /kɔt/ ) 
1
HOLD [intransitive, transitive] to get hold of and stop something that is moving through the air ANT drop: 
He caught the ball and started to run.2FIND somebody/something [transitive] a)to stop a person or animal that is running away: “You can’t catch me!” she yelled over her shoulder. b)to find a criminal and put him/her somewhere so that s/he cannot escape: The police have caught the man suspected of the murder. c)to get a fish or animal by using a trap, net, or hook: Did you catch any fish?THESAURUScapture – to catch someone in order to keep him/her as a prisoner: A French soldier was captured in the battle.arrest – if the police arrest someone, the person is taken away because the police think s/he has done something illegal: He was arrested and charged with murder.apprehend formal – if the police apprehend someone they think has done something illegal, they catch him/her: The two men were later apprehended after robbing another store.corner – to move closer to a person or an animal so that he, she, or it cannot escape: Once the dog was cornered, he began to growl.trap – to catch an animal in a trap: These animals used to be trapped for their fur.3SEE somebody DOING something [transitive] to see someone doing something wrong or illegal: I caught him looking through my letters. A store detective caught him red-handed (=saw him stealing).4GET SICK [transitive] to get an illness: Put your coat on or you’ll catch a cold.5catch a train/plane/bus to get on a train, etc. in order to travel somewhere: I should be able to catch the 12:05 train.6NOT BE TOO LATE [transitive] to not be too late to do something, talk to someone, etc. ANT miss: If you hurry, you might catch her before she leaves.7GET STUCK [intransitive, transitive] to become stuck on or in something by mistake: His shirt caught on the fence and tore.8catch somebody by surprise/catch somebody off guard to do something or happen in an unexpected way, so that someone is not ready to deal with it9SEE/SMELL [transitive] to see or smell something for a moment: I suddenly caught sight of Luisa in the crowd. Yuck – did you catch a whiff of (=did you smell) his aftershave?10catch somebody’s eye a)to attract someone’s attention and make him/her look at something: A photograph on his desk caught my eye. b)to look at someone at the same moment that s/he is looking at you: Every time she caught his eye, she would look away embarrassed.11be caught in/without etc. something to be in a situation that is difficult because you cannot easily get out of it, or because you do not have what you need: We got caught in the storm.12catch (on) fire to start burning, especially accidentally13catch your breath to begin breathing normally again after you have been running or exercising14catch somebody’s attention/interest/imagination to make someone feel interested in something: a story that will catch children’s imaginations15STOP PROBLEM/DISEASE [transitive] to discover a problem, especially a disease, and stop it from developing: It’s a type of cancer that can be cured, if it is caught early.SPOKEN PHRASES16not catch something to not hear or understand something clearly: I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.17you won’t catch me doing something used in order to say you would never do something: You won’t catch me ironing his shirts.18Catch you later! used in order to say goodbyecatch on phrasal verb1to begin to understand something: It may take time for some of the children to catch on.2to become popular: The idea never caught on in this country.catch up phrasal verb1to reach a person or vehicle that was in front of you by going faster than him, her, or it: I had to run to catch up with her.2to reach the same standard or level as other people: If you miss class, it can be difficult to catch up.3be/get caught up in something to be or become involved in something, especially without wanting to: young people who get caught up in crimecatch up on phrasal verb to do something that needs to be done that you have not had time to do in the past: I need to catch up on some work.
1HOLD [intransitive, transitive] to get hold of and stop something that is moving through the air ANT drop: He caught the ball and started to run.2FIND somebody/something [transitive] a)to stop a person or animal that is running away: “You can’t catch me!” she yelled over her shoulder. b)to find a criminal and put him/her somewhere so that s/he cannot escape: The police have caught the man suspected of the murder. c)to get a fish or animal by using a trap, net, or hook: Did you catch any fish?THESAURUScapture – to catch someone in order to keep him/her as a prisoner: A French soldier was captured in the battle.arrest – if the police arrest someone, the person is taken away because the police think s/he has done something illegal: He was arrested and charged with murder.apprehend formal – if the police apprehend someone they think has done something illegal, they catch him/her: The two men were later apprehended after robbing another store.corner – to move closer to a person or an animal so that he, she, or it cannot escape: Once the dog was cornered, he began to growl.trap – to catch an animal in a trap: These animals used to be trapped for their fur.3SEE somebody DOING something [transitive] to see someone doing something wrong or illegal: I caught him looking through my letters. A store detective caught him red-handed (=saw him stealing).4GET SICK [transitive] to get an illness: Put your coat on or you’ll catch a cold.5catch a train/plane/bus to get on a train, etc. in order to travel somewhere: I should be able to catch the 12:05 train.6NOT BE TOO LATE [transitive] to not be too late to do something, talk to someone, etc. ANT miss: If you hurry, you might catch her before she leaves.7GET STUCK [intransitive, transitive] to become stuck on or in something by mistake: His shirt caught on the fence and tore.8catch somebody by surprise/catch somebody off guard to do something or happen in an unexpected way, so that someone is not ready to deal with it9SEE/SMELL [transitive] to see or smell something for a moment: I suddenly caught sight of Luisa in the crowd. Yuck – did you catch a whiff of (=did you smell) his aftershave?10catch somebody’s eye a)to attract someone’s attention and make him/her look at something: A photograph on his desk caught my eye. b)to look at someone at the same moment that s/he is looking at you: Every time she caught his eye, she would look away embarrassed.11be caught in/without etc. something to be in a situation that is difficult because you cannot easily get out of it, or because you do not have what you need: We got caught in the storm.12catch (on) fire to start burning, especially accidentally13catch your breath to begin breathing normally again after you have been running or exercising14catch somebody’s attention/interest/imagination to make someone feel interested in something: a story that will catch children’s imaginations15STOP PROBLEM/DISEASE [transitive] to discover a problem, especially a disease, and stop it from developing: It’s a type of cancer that can be cured, if it is caught early.SPOKEN PHRASES16not catch something to not hear or understand something clearly: I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.17you won’t catch me doing something used in order to say you would never do something: You won’t catch me ironing his shirts.18Catch you later! used in order to say goodbyecatch on phrasal verb1to begin to understand something: It may take time for some of the children to catch on.2to become popular: The idea never caught on in this country.catch up phrasal verb1to reach a person or vehicle that was in front of you by going faster than him, her, or it: I had to run to catch up with her.2to reach the same standard or level as other people: If you miss class, it can be difficult to catch up.3be/get caught up in something to be or become involved in something, especially without wanting to: young people who get caught up in crimecatch up on phrasal verb to do something that needs to be done that you have not had time to do in the past: I need to catch up on some work.
