catch

/kætʃ/ verb (past tense and past participle caught)

Definition

GET HOLD [T] › to stop someone or something that is moving through the air by getting hold of it: Try to catch the ball. She fell backwards but he caught her in his arms.

STOP ESCAPING [T] › to find and stop a person or animal who is trying to escape: He ran after his attacker but couldn't catch him. Did you catch many fish today?

CRIMINAL [T] › If the police catch a criminal, they find them and take them away: These terrorists must be caught.

ILLNESS [T] › to get an illness or disease: I think I've caught a cold.

TRANSPORT [T] › to get on a bus, train, etc in order to travel somewhere: You can catch the bus from the top of the hill.

DISCOVER [T] › to discover someone who is doing something wrong or something secret: [+ doing sth] I caught her listening outside the door.informal You won't catch me wearing (= I never wear) a tie.

STICK [I, T] › to stick somewhere, or to make something stick somewhere: My dress caught on the door handle as I was leaving.

COLLECT [T] › to collect something that is falling: I used a bucket to catch the drips.

BE IN TIME [T] › to manage to be in time to see or do something: I only caught the end of the programme.

HEAR [T] › to hear or understand something correctly: I'm sorry. I didn't catch your name.

catch fire › to start burning

be/get caught › to be unable to avoid something unpleasant: I got caught in the rain.

catch the sun UK › to burn your skin in the sun: You've caught the sun on your shoulders.

catch sight of sth › to see something suddenly, often only for a short time: He caught sight of himself in the mirror.

HIT [T] UK › to hit something or someone: The ball flew across the garden, and caught me on the chin. → See also catch sb's eye → See also catch sb off guard

(Definition of catch verb from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)