CATCH | English Meaning, Definition, and Pronunciation

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’

intercept and hold (something which has been thrown, propelled, or dropped)

intercept and hold

• she threw the bottle into the air and caught it again

capture (a person or animal that tries or would try to escape)

capture

• we hadn't caught a single rabbit

(of an object) accidentally become entangled or trapped in something

become entangled or trapped

• a button caught in her hair

reach in time and board (a train, bus, or aircraft)

reach in time to board

• they caught the 12.15 from Oxford

engage (a person's interest or imagination)

engage interest

• it was the business scheme that had caught his imagination

strike (someone) on a part of the body

strike someone

• Ben caught him on the chin with an uppercut

contract (an illness) through infection or contagion

contract illness

• he served in Macedonia, where he caught malaria

become ignited and start burning

start burning

• the rafters have caught

an act of catching something, typically a ball.

act of catching

a game in which a ball is thrown back and forth between two or more players.

game

a device for securing something such as a door, window, or box

securing device

• the window catch was rusty

a hidden problem or disadvantage in an apparently ideal situation

hidden problem

• there's a catch in it somewhere

an unevenness in a person's voice caused by emotion

unevenness in person's voice

• there was a catch in Anne's voice

a round, typically one with words arranged to produce a humorous effect.

musical round