catch

discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

• “She caught her son eating candy”
• “She was caught shoplifting”

perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily

• “I caught the aroma of coffee”
• “He caught the allusion in her glance”
• “ears open to catch every sound”
• “The dog picked up the scent”
• “Catch a glimpse”

reach with a blow or hit in a particular spot

• “the rock caught her in the back of the head”
• “The blow got him in the back”
• “The punch caught him in the stomach”

take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of

• “Catch the ball!”
• “Grab the elevator door!”

succeed in catching or seizing, especially after a chase

• “We finally got the suspect”
• “Did you catch the thief?”

to hook or entangle

• “One foot caught in the stirrup”

attract and fix

• “His look caught her”
• “She caught his eye”
• “Catch the attention of the waiter”

capture as if by hunting, snaring, or trapping

• “I caught a rabbit in the trap toady”

reach in time

• “I have to catch a train at 7 o”

get or regain something necessary, usually quickly or briefly

• “Catch some sleep”
• “catch one”

catch up with and possibly overtake

• “The Rolls Royce caught us near the exit ramp”

be struck or affected by

• “catch fire”
• “catch the mood”

check oneself during an action

• “She managed to catch herself before telling her boss what was on her mind”

hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers

• “We overheard the conversation at the next table”

see or watch

• “view a show on television”
• “This program will be seen all over the world”
• “view an exhibition”
• “Catch a show on Broadway”
• “see a movie”

cause to become accidentally or suddenly caught, ensnared, or entangled

• “I caught the hem of my dress in the brambles”

detect a blunder or misstep

• “The reporter tripped up the senator”

grasp with the mind or develop an undersatnding of

• “did you catch that allusion?”
• “We caught something of his theory in the lecture”
• “don”
• “;”
• “;”
• “t get the joke”
• “I just don”

contract

• “did you catch a cold?”

start burning

• “The fire caught”

perceive by hearing

• “I didn”
• “;”
• “t get his name when they met the first time”

suffer from the receipt of

• “She will catch hell for this behavior!”

attract; cause to be enamored

• “She captured all the men”

apprehend and reproduce accurately

• “She really caught the spirit of the place in her drawings”
• “She got the mood just right in her photographs”

take in and retain

• “We have a big barrel to catch the rainwater”

spread or be communicated

• “The fashion did not catch”

be the catcher

• “Who is catching?”

become aware of

• “he caught her staring out the window”

delay or hold up; prevent from proceeding on schedule or as planned

• “I was caught in traffic and missed the meeting”

a hidden drawback

• “it sounds good but what”

the quantity that was caught

• “the catch was only 10 fish”

a person regarded as a good matrimonial prospect

anything that is caught (especially if it is worth catching)

• “he shared his catch with the others”

a break or check in the voice (usually a sign of strong emotion)

a restraint that checks the motion of something

• “he used a book as a stop to hold the door open”

a fastener that fastens or locks a door or window

a cooperative game in which a ball is passed back and forth

• “he played catch with his son in the backyard”

the act of catching an object with the hands

• “Mays made the catch with his back to the plate”
• “he made a grab for the ball before it landed”
• “Martin”
• “;”
• “s snap and throw was a single motion”

the act of apprehending (especially apprehending a criminal)

• “the policeman on the beat got credit for the collar”