catch

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• COUNT in NET: 26 in 26 verses (in OT : 22 in 22 verses) (in NT : 4 in 4 verses)

CIDE DICTIONARY

catch, v. t. [OE. cacchen, OF. cachier, dialectic form of chacier to hunt, F. chasser, fr. (assumend) LL. captiare, for L. capture, V. intens. of capere to take, catch. See Capacious, and cf. Chase, Case a box.].

•  To lay hold on; to seize, especially with the hand; to grasp (anything) in motion, with the effect of holding; as, to catch a ball.  [1913 Webster]
•  To seize after pursuing; to arrest; as, to catch a thief.  Judg. i. 6.  [1913 Webster]
•  To take captive, as in a snare or net, or on a hook; as, to catch a bird or fish.  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence: To insnare; to entangle.  Mark xii. 13.  [1913 Webster]
•  To seize with the senses or the mind; to apprehend; as, to catch a melody.  Tennyson.  [1913 Webster]
•  To communicate to; to fasten upon; as, the fire caught the adjoining building.  [1913 Webster]
•  To engage and attach; to please; to charm.  [1913 Webster]

  "The soothing arts that catch the fair."  [1913 Webster]
•  To get possession of; to attain.  [1913 Webster]

  "Torment myself to catch the English throne."  [1913 Webster]
•  To take or receive; esp. to take by sympathy, contagion, infection, or exposure; as, to catch the spirit of an occasion; to catch the measles or smallpox; to catch cold; the house caught fire.  [1913 Webster]
•  To come upon unexpectedly or by surprise; to find; as, to catch one in the act of stealing.  [1913 Webster]
•  To reach in time; to come up with; as, to catch a train.  [1913 Webster]

To catch fire, to become inflamed or ignited. -- to catch it to get a scolding or beating; to suffer punishment. [Colloq.] -- To catch one's eye, to interrupt captiously while speaking. [Colloq.] “You catch me up so very short.” Dickens. -- To catch up, to snatch; to take up suddenly.

catch, v. i. 

•  To attain possession.  [1913 Webster]

  "Have is have, however men do catch."  [1913 Webster]
•  To be held or impeded by entanglement or a light obstruction; as, a kite catches in a tree; a door catches so as not to open.  [1913 Webster]
•  To take hold; as, the bolt does not catch.  [1913 Webster]
•  To spread by, or as by, infecting; to communicate.  [1913 Webster]

  "Does the sedition catch from man to man?"  [1913 Webster]

To catch at, to attempt to seize; to be eager to get or use. “[To] catch at all opportunities of subverting the state.” Addison. -- To catch up with, to come up with; to overtake.

catch, n. 

•  Act of seizing; a grasp.  Sir P. Sidney.  [1913 Webster]
•  That by which anything is caught or temporarily fastened; as, the catch of a gate.  [1913 Webster]
•  The posture of seizing; a state of preparation to lay hold of, or of watching he opportunity to seize; as, to lie on the catch.  Addison.  [1913 Webster]

  "The common and the canon law . . . lie at catch, and wait advantages one againt another."  [1913 Webster]
•  That which is caught or taken; profit; gain; especially, the whole quantity caught or taken at one time; as, a good catch of fish.  [1913 Webster]

  "Hector shall have a great catch if he knock out either of your brains."  [1913 Webster]
•  Something desirable to be caught, esp. a husband or wife in matrimony.  Marryat.  [1913 Webster]
•  Passing opportunities seized; snatches.  [1913 Webster]

  "It has been writ by catches with many intervals."  [1913 Webster]
•  A slight remembrance; a trace.  [1913 Webster]

  "We retain a catch of those pretty stories."  [1913 Webster]
•  A humorous canon or round, so contrived that the singers catch up each other's words.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

catch, v. & n.
--v. (past and past part. caught)
1 tr. a lay hold of so as to restrain or prevent from escaping; capture in a trap, in one's hands, etc. b (also catch hold of) get into one's hands so as to retain, operate, etc. (caught hold of the handle).
2 tr. detect or surprise (a person, esp. in a wrongful or embarrassing act) (caught me in the act; caught him smoking).
3 tr. a intercept and hold (a moving thing) in the hands etc. (failed to catch the ball; a bowl to catch the drips). b Cricket dismiss (a batsman) by catching the ball before it reaches the ground.
4 tr. a contract (a disease) by infection or contagion. b acquire (a quality or feeling) from another's example (caught her enthusiasm).
5 tr. a reach in time and board (a train, bus, etc.). b be in time to see etc. (a person or thing about to leave or finish) (if you hurry you'll catch them; caught the end of the performance).
6 tr. a apprehend with the senses or the mind (esp. a thing occurring quickly or briefly) (didn't catch what he said). b (of an artist etc.) reproduce faithfully.
7 a intr. become fixed or entangled; be checked (the bolt began to catch). b tr. cause to do this (caught her tights on a nail). c tr. (often foll. by on) hit, deal a blow to (caught him on the nose; caught his elbow on the table).
8 tr. draw the attention of; captivate (caught his eye; caught her fancy).
9 intr. begin to burn.
10 tr. (often foll. by up) reach or overtake (a person etc. ahead).
11 tr. check suddenly (caught his breath).
12 tr. (foll. by at) grasp or try to grasp.
--n.
1 a an act of catching. b Cricket a chance or act of catching the ball.
2 a an amount of a thing caught, esp. of fish. b a thing or person caught or worth catching, esp. in marriage.
3 a a question, trick, etc., intended to deceive, incriminate, etc. b an unexpected or hidden difficulty or disadvantage.
4 a device for fastening a door or window etc.
5 Mus. a round, esp. with words arranged to produce a humorous effect.

Idiom

catch-all (often attrib.) a thing designed to be all-inclusive. catch-as-catch-can a style of wrestling with few holds barred. catch at a straw see STRAW. catch crop a crop grown between two staple crops (in position or time). catch one's death see DEATH. catch fire see FIRE. catch it sl. be punished or in trouble. catch me! etc. (often foll. by pres. part.) colloq. you may be sure I etc. shall not. catch on colloq.
1 (of a practice, fashion, etc.) become popular.
2 (of a person) understand what is meant.
catch out
1 detect in a mistake etc.
2 take unawares; cause to be bewildered or confused.
3 = sense 3b of v. catch-phrase a phrase in frequent use.
catch the sun
1 be in a sunny position.
2 become sunburnt.
catch up
1 a (often foll. by with) reach a person etc. ahead (he caught up in the end; he caught us up; he caught up with us). b (often foll. by with, on) make up arrears (of work etc.) (must catch up with my correspondence).
2 snatch or pick up hurriedly.
3 (often in passive) a involve; entangle (caught up in suspicious dealings). b fasten up (hair caught up in a ribbon).

Derivative

catchable adj.

Etymology

ME f. AF & ONF cachier, OF chacier, ult. f. L captare try to catch

THESAURUS

catch

OD, abash, abduction, absorb, absorb the attention, accept, acquire, acquisition, allure, ambition, anchor, appreciate, apprehend, apprehension, arrest, arrestation, artful dodge, artifice, assimilate, astonishment, attract, baffle, bag, bag of tricks, bait the hook, bamboozle, be brought down, be felled, be seized of, be struck down, be traumatized, be with one, become popular, bewitch, biff, birdlime, blaze, blaze up, blemish, blind, block, blockade, blockbuster, blow, bluff, board, boast, bomb, bombshell, booty, bosey, bottleneck, boundary condition, box, break out, bug, burn, burst into flame, canon, captivate, captive, capture, catch at, catch cold, catch fire, catch flat-footed, catch napping, catch off side, catch off-guard, catch on, catch on fire, catch on to, catch out, catch red-handed, catch tripping, catch up, catch-22, catching, charm, check, chicane, chicanery, chouse, clasp, clause, clip, clout, clutch, collapse, collar, collaring, combust, come by, come down with, come in for, come into, come upon, come with child, comprehend, con, conceive, condition, confound, confuse, conquest, contract, coquette, cordon, corral, coup, crack, crux, curb, curtain, curve, curve-ball, cut off, date, dearest wish, decoy, defect, defection, deficiency, deliver, derive, descry, desideration, desideratum, design, desire, detect, determent, deterrent, device, diamond, difficulty, dig, digest, ding, dirty deal, dirty trick, disadvantage, discern, discover, disturb, dodge, donnee, drag down, dragnet, draw, drawback, earn, earthshaker, embarrass, enchant, encounter, engage, engage the attention, engage the mind, engage the thoughts, engross, engross the mind, engross the thoughts, enmesh, ensnare, ensnarl, entangle, enter into possession, enthrall, entice, entoil, entrap, enweb, erupt, escalator clause, escape clause, escape hatch, espouse, espy, exercise, eye-opener, failing, failure, fascinate, fast deal, fastener, fastening, fathom, fault, faute, feint, fetch, fever, ficelle, figure out, find, fine print, fix, flagrante delicto, flame, flaw, flimflam, flirt, fluster, foible, follow, fool, forbidden fruit, forcible seizure, foul, frailty, fugato, fugue, gain, gambit, gather, gem, get, get an earful, get hold of, get it, get the drift, get the idea, get the picture, gimmick, gin, given, glimmering goal, go into shock, godsend, golden vision, good thing, googly, grab, grab at, grabbing, grapple, grasp, grip, grounds, gull, hang-up, harvest, haul, have, have it taped, hazard, hear, hear of, hear tell of, hit, hitch, hoax, hocus-pocus, hold, hold spellbound, hold the interest, hole, honey, hoodwink, hook, hook in, hooker, hope, hurdle, hypnotize, immerse, imperfection, inadequacy, infirmity, intercept, inveigle, involve, involve the interest, jam, jewel, joker, juggle, jump at, ken, kicker, kidnapping, kink, know, land, lasso, learn, lime, limiting condition, little problem, lodestone, lodge, lure, magnet, make, master, meet with, mesh, mesmerize, monopolize, moor, nab, nabbing, nail, net, nick, nonplus, noose, objection, obligation, obsess, obstacle, obstruction, obstructive, obtain, occupy, occupy the attention, one small difficulty, overdose, overhaul, overhear, overtake, parameter, pass, pearl, perceive, peripeteia, perplex, picking up, pin, pinch, ploy, plum, power grab, prehend, prehension, preoccupy, prerequisite, pride, pride and joy, prize, problem, procure, provision, provisions, proviso, pull down, put out, rattle, reach, read, realize, reap, requisite, restrain, revelation, rift, rondeau, rondino, rondo, rondoletto, root, rope, round, round up, roundelay, rub, run a temperature, running in, ruse, sack, saving clause, savvy, scheme, score, scurvy trick, secure, seduce, see, see through, seize, seize the meaning, seizure, seizure of power, sense, shift, shocker, shortcoming, sicken, sine qua non, sleight, sleight of hand, sleight-of-hand trick, slosh, small print, smite, snag, snare, snarl, snatch, snatch at, snatching, sniggle, sock, something missing, spear, specification, spellbind, spot, spread the toils, staggerer, startler, steady, stick, stick fast, stipulation, stop, stratagem, strike, strike root, string, stumbling block, stumbling stone, stump, subterfuge, succeed, superfetate, surprisal, surprise, surprise ending, surprise package, surprise party, sweet patootie, sweetheart, sweetie, switch, taint, take, take captive, take hold, take hold of, take ill, take in, take prisoner, take root, take up, taking in, taking into custody, tangle, tangle up with, temptation, terms, thunderbolt, thunderclap, trap, treasure, trick, trip, troll, trophy, trouvaille, turn up, twig, ultimatum, understand, vamp, vampire, vulnerable place, weak link, weak point, weakness, wed, whack, whereas, wile, win, wind, windfall, winner, wish

ROGET THESAURUS

catch

Imitation

VB imitate, copy, mirror, reflect, reproduce, repeat, do like, echo, reecho, catch, transcribe, match, parallel, mock, take off, mimic, ape, simulate, impersonate, personate, act, represent, counterfeit, parody, travesty, caricature, lampoon, burlesque, follow in the steps of, tread in the steps, follow in the footsteps of, follow in the wake of, take pattern by, follow suit, follow the example of, walk in the shoes of, take a leaf out of another's book, strike in with, follow suit, take after, model after, emulate.

Connection

N connection, vinculum, link, connective, connection, junction, bond of union, copula, hyphen, intermedium, bracket, bridge, stepping-stone, isthmus, bond, tendon, tendril, fiber, cord, cordage, riband, ribbon, rope, guy, cable, line, halser, hawser, painter, moorings, wire, chain, string, fastener, fastening, tie, ligament, ligature, strap, tackle, rigging, standing rigging, running rigging, traces, harness, yoke, band ribband, bandage, brace, roller, fillet, inkle, with, withe, withy, thong, braid, girder, tiebeam, girth, girdle, cestus, garter, halter, noose, lasso, surcingle, knot, running knot, cabestro, cinch, lariat, legadero, oxreim, suspenders, pin, corking pin, nail, brad, tack, skewer, staple, corrugated fastener, clamp, U-clamp, C-clamp, cramp, cramp iron, ratchet, detent, larigo, pawl, terret, treenail, screw, button, buckle, clasp, hasp, hinge, hank, catch, latch, bolt, latchet, tag, tooth, hook, hook and eye, lock, holdfast, padlock, rivet, anchor, grappling iron, trennel, stake, post, cement, glue, gum, paste, size, wafer, solder, lute, putty, birdlime, mortar, stucco, plaster, grout, viscum, shackle, rein, prop.

Receiving

VB receive, take, acquire, admit, take in, catch, touch, pocket, put into one's pocket, put into one's purse, accept, take off one's hands, be received, come in, come to hand, pass into one's hand, fall into one's hand, go into one's pocket, fall to one's lot, fall to one's share, come to one, fall to one, accrue, have given to one.

Taking

N taking, reception, deglutition, appropriation, prehension, prensation, capture, caption, apprehension, deprehension, abreption, seizure, expropriation, abduction, ablation, subtraction, withdrawal, abstraction, ademption, adrolepsy, dispossession, deprivation, deprivement, bereavement, divestment, disherison, distraint, distress, sequestration, confiscation, eviction, rapacity, rapaciousness, extortion, vampirism, theft, resumption, reprise, reprisal, recovery, clutch, swoop, wrench, grip, haul, take, catch, scramble, taker, captor, subduction, taking, privative, prehensile, predaceous, predal, predatory, predatorial, lupine, rapacious, raptorial, ravenous, parasitic, bereft, at one fell swoop, give an inch and take an ell.

VB take, catch, hook, nab, bag, sack, pocket, put into one's pocket, receive, accept, reap, crop, cull, pluck, gather, draw, appropriate, expropriate, impropriate, assume, possess oneself of, take possession of, commandeer, lay one's hands on, clap one's hands on, help oneself to, make free with, dip one's hands into, lay under contribution, intercept, scramble for, deprive of, take away, carry away, bear away, take off, carry off, bear off, adeem, abstract, hurry off with, run away with, abduct, steal, ravish, seize, pounce upon, spring upon, swoop to, swoop down upon, take by storm, take by assault, snatch, reave, snap up, nip up, whip up, catch up, kidnap, crimp, capture, lay violent hands on, get hold of, lay hold of, take hold of, catch hold of, lay fast hold of, take firm hold of, lay by the heels, take prisoner, fasten upon, grip, grapple, embrace, gripe, clasp, grab, clutch, collar, throttle, take by the throat, claw, clinch, clench, make sure of, catch at, jump at, make a grab at, snap at, snatch at, reach, make a long arm, stretch forth one's hand, take from, take away from, disseize, deduct, retrench, dispossess, ease one of, snatch from one's grasp, tear from, tear away from, wrench from, wrest from, wring from, extort, deprive of, bereave, disinherit, cut off with a shilling, oust, divest, levy, distrain, confiscate, sequester, sequestrate, accroach, usurp, despoil, strip, fleece, shear, displume, impoverish, eat out of house and home, drain, drain to the dregs, gut, dry, exhaust, swallow up, absorb, draw off, suck the blood of, suck like a leech, retake, resume, recover.

Music

N music, concert, strain, tune, air, melody, aria, arietta, piece of music, work, number, opus, sonata, rondo, rondeau, pastorale, cavatina, roulade, fantasia, concerto, overture, symphony, variations, cadenza, cadence, fugue, canon, quodlibet, serenade, notturno, dithyramb, opera, operetta, oratorio, composition, movement, stave, passamezzo, toccata, Vorspiel, instrumental music, full score, minstrelsy, tweedledum and tweedledee, band, orchestra, concerted piece, potpourri, capriccio, vocal music, vocalism, chaunt, chant, psalm, psalmody, hymn, song, canticle, canzonet, cantata, bravura, lay, ballad, ditty, carol, pastoral, recitative, recitativo, solfeggio, Lydian measures, slow music, slow movement, adagio, minuet, siren strains, soft music, lullaby, dump, dirge, pibroch, martial music, march, dance music, waltz, solo, duet, duo, trio, quartet, quartett, septett, part song, descant, glee, madrigal, catch, round, chorus, chorale, antiphon, antiphony, accompaniment, second, bass, score, bourdon, drone, morceau, terzetto, composer, musician, musical, instrumental, vocal, choral, lyric, operatic, harmonious, Wagnerian, adagio, largo, larghetto, andante, andantino, alla capella, maestoso, moderato, allegro, allegretto, spiritoso, vivace, veloce, presto, prestissimo, con brio, capriccioso, scherzo, scherzando, legato, staccato, crescendo, diminuendo, rallentando, affettuoso, obbligato, pizzicato, desto, in notes by distance made more sweet, like the faint exquisite music of a dream, music arose with its voluptuous swell, music is the universal language of mankind, music's golden tongue, the speech of angels, will sing the savageness out of a bear, music hath charms to soothe the savage beast.

Hearing

VB hear, overhear, hark, harken, list, listen, pay attention, take heed, give an ear, lend an ear, bend an ear, catch, catch a sound, prick up one's ears, give ear, give a hearing, give audience to, hang upon the lips of, be all ears, listen with both ears, become audible, meet the ear, fall upon the ear, catch the ear, reach the ear, be heard, ring in the ear.

Qualification

N qualification, limitation, modification, coloring, allowance, grains of allowance, consideration, extenuating circumstances, mitigation, condition, proviso, prerequisite, contingency, stipulation, provision, specification, sine qua non, catch, string, strings attached, exemption, exception, escape clause, salvo, saving clause, discount, restriction, fine print, qualifying, qualified, conditioned, restricted, hedged, conditional, exceptional, hypothetical, contingent, provided, provided that, provided always, if, unless, but, yet, according as, conditionally, admitting, supposing, on the supposition of, with the understanding, even, although, though, for all that, after all, at all events, approximately, in a limited degree (smallness), somewhat, sort of, something like that, to a certain extent, to a degree, in a sense, so to speak, with grains of allowance, cum grano salis, with a grain of salt, exceptis excipiendis, wind and weather permitting, if possible, subject to, conditioned upon, with this proviso, if the good lord is willing and the creeks don't r, catch-, Degrees of Evidence.

Discovery

VB discover, find, determine, evolve, learn, fix upon, pick up, find out, trace out, make out, hunt out, fish out, worm out, ferret out, root out, fathom, bring out, draw out, educe, elicit, bring to light, dig out, grub up, fish up, unearth, disinter, solve, resolve, elucidate, unriddle, unravel, unlock, crack, crack open, pick up, open the lock, find a clue, find clew a to, find the key to the riddle, interpret, disclose, trace, get at, hit it, have it, lay one's finger, lay one's hands upon, spot, get at the truth, arrive at the truth, put the saddle on the right horse, hit the right nail on the head, be near the truth, be warm, get warmer, burn, smoke, scent, sniff, catch a whiff of, smell a rat, open the eyes to, see through, see daylight, see in its true colors, see the cloven foot, detect, catch, catch tripping, pitch upon, fall upon, light upon, hit upon, stumble upon, pop upon, come across, come onto, meet with, meet up with, fall in with, recognize, realize, verify, make certain of, identify, Int, eureka!, aha!, I've got it!.

Intelligibility

VB be intelligible, speak for itself, speak volumes, tell its own tale, lie on the surface, render intelligible, popularize, simplify, clear up, elucidate, understand, comprehend, take, take in, catch, grasp, follow, collect, master, make out, see with half an eye, see daylight, see one's way, enter into the ideas of, come to an understanding.

Deception

N deception, falseness, untruth, imposition, imposture, fraud, deceit, guile, fraudulence, fraudulency, covin, knavery, misrepresentation, bluff, straw-bail, straw bid, spoof, delusion, gullery, juggling, jugglery, slight of hand, legerdemain, prestigiation, prestidigitation, magic, conjuring, conjuration, hocus-pocus, escamoterie, jockeyship, trickery, coggery, chicanery, supercherie, cozenage, circumvention, ingannation, collusion, treachery, practical joke, trick, cheat, wile, blind, feint, plant, bubble, fetch, catch, chicane, juggle, reach, hocus, bite, card sharping, stacked deck, loaded dice, quick shuffle, double dealing, dealing seconds, dealing from the bottom of the deck, artful dodge, swindle, tricks upon travelers, stratagem, confidence trick, fake, hoax, theft, ballot-box stuffing, barney, brace game, bunko game, drop game, gum game, panel game, shell game, thimblerig, skin game, snare, trap, pitfall, decoy, gin, springe, springle, noose, hoot, bait, decoy-duck, tub to the whale, baited trap, guet-a-pens, cobweb, net, meshes, toils, mouse trap, birdlime, dionaea, Venus's flytrap, ambush, trapdoor, sliding panel, false bottom, spring-net, spring net, spring gun, mask, masked battery, mine, flytrap, green goods, panel house, Cornish hug, wolf in sheep's clothing, disguise, disguisement, false colors, masquerade, mummery, borrowed plumes, pattes de velours, mockery, copy, counterfeit, sham, make- believe, forgery, fraud, lie, a delusion a mockery and a snare, hollow mockery, whited sepulcher, painted sepulcher, tinsel, paste, junk jewelry, costume jewelry, false jewelry, synthetic jewels, scagliola, ormolu, German silver, albata, paktong, white metal, Britannia metal, paint, veneer, jerry building, man of straw, illusion, ignis fatuus, mirage, deceived, deceiving, cunning, prestigious, prestigiatory, deceptive, deceptious, deceitful, covinous, delusive, delusory, illusive, illusory, elusive, insidious, ad captandum vulgus, untrue, mock, sham, make-believe, counterfeit, snide, pseudo, spurious, supposititious, so-called, pretended, feigned, trumped up, bogus, scamped, fraudulent, tricky, factitious bastard, surreptitious, illegitimate, contraband, adulterated, sophisticated, unsound, rotten at the core, colorable, disguised, meretricious, tinsel, pinchbeck, plated, catchpenny, Brummagem, artificial, synthetic, ersatz, simulated, under false colors, under the garb of, under cover of, over the left, keep the word of promise to the ear and break it t, fronti nulla fides, ah that deceit should steal such gentle shapes, a quicksand of deceit, decipimur specie recti, falsi crimen, fraus est celare fraudem, lupus in fabula, so smooth, he daubed his vice with show of virtue.

VB deceive, take in, defraud, cheat, jockey, do, cozen, diddle, nab, chouse, play one false, bilk, cully, jilt, bite, pluck, swindle, victimize, abuse, mystify, blind one's eyes, blindfold, hoodwink, throw dust into the eyes, dupe, gull, hoax, fool, befool, bamboozle, flimflam, hornswoggle, trick, impose upon, practice upon, play upon, put upon, palm off on, palm upon, foist upon, snatch a verdict, bluff off, bluff, bunko, four flush, gum, spoof, stuff (a ballot box), circumvent, overreach, outreach, out wit, out maneuver, steal a march upon, give the go-by, to leave in the lurch decoy, waylay, lure, beguile, delude, inveigle, entrap, intrap, ensnare, nick, springe, set a trap, lay a trap, lay a snare for, bait the hook, forelay, spread the toils, lime, trapan, trepan, kidnap, let in, hook in, nousle, nousel, blind a trail, enmesh, immesh, shanghai, catch, catch in a trap, sniggle, entangle, illaqueate, hocus, escamoter, practice on one's credulity, hum, humbug, gammon, stuff up, sell, play a trick upon one, play a practical joke upon one, put something over on one, put one over on, balk, trip up, throw a tub to a whale, fool to the top of one's bent, send on a fool's errand, make game, make a fool of, make an April fool of, make an ass of, trifle with, cajole, flatter, come over, gild the pill, make things pleasant, divert, put a good face upon, dissemble, cog, cog the dice, load the dice, stack the deck, live by one's wits, play at hide and seek, obtain money under false pretenses, conjure, juggle, practice chicanery, deacon, play off, palm off, foist off, fob-off, lie, misinform, mislead, betray, be deceived.