catch

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   The act of seizing or capturing.

   • The catch of the perpetrator was the product of a year of police work.
2. 2

   The act of catching an object in motion, especially a ball.

   • The player made an impressive catch.
   • Nice catch!
3. 3

   The act of noticing, understanding or hearing.

   • Good catch. I never would have remembered that.
   • "In that case," said Jeff, "I just thought of something else we need." He walked over to one of the stations that was selling household goods and bought a can opener. "Nice catch," said Lucy.
4. ›+ 26 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      The game of catching a ball.

      • The kids love to play catch.
   2. 5

      Something which is captured or caught.

      • The fishermen took pictures of their catch.
      • The catch amounted to five tons of swordfish.
   3. 6

      A find, in particular a boyfriend or girlfriend or prospective spouse.

      • Did you see his latest catch?
      • He's a good catch.
   4. 7

      A stopping mechanism, especially a clasp which stops something from opening.

      • She installed a sturdy catch to keep her cabinets closed tight.
   5. 8

      A hesitation in voice, caused by strong emotion.

      • There was a catch in his voice when he spoke his father's name.
   6. 9

      A concealed difficulty, especially in a deal or negotiation.

      • It sounds like a great idea, but what's the catch?
      • Be careful, that's a catch question.
   7. 10

      A crick

      A crick; a sudden muscle pain during unaccustomed positioning when the muscle is in use.

      • I bent over to see under the table and got a catch in my side.
   8. 11

      A fragment of music or poetry.

      • In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.
   9. 12

      A state of readiness to capture or seize

      A state of readiness to capture or seize; an ambush.

      • You lie at the catch again: this is not for edification.
      • The common and the canon law […] lie at catch, and wait advantages one against another.
   10. 13

       A crop which has germinated and begun to grow.

       • There was a good catch of rye and a good fall growth.
   11. 14

       A type of strong boat, usually having two masts

       A type of strong boat, usually having two masts; a ketch.

       • Fourteene miles Northward from the river Powhatan, is the river Pamaunke, which is navigable 60 or 70 myles, but with Catches and small Barkes 30 or 40 myles farther.
   12. 15

       A type of humorous round in which the voices gradually catch up with one another

       A type of humorous round in which the voices gradually catch up with one another; usually sung by men and often having bawdy lyrics.

       • Let us be jocund: will you troll the catch / You taught me but while-ere?
       • One night, I remember, we sang a catch, written (words and music) by Orlo Williams, for three voices.
   13. 16

       The refrain

       The refrain; a line or lines of a song which are repeated from verse to verse.

       • The phrase repeated itself like the catch of a song.
   14. 17

       The act of catching a hit ball before it reaches the ground, resulting in an out.

       • It was he who removed Peter Bowler with the help of a good catch at third slip.
   15. 18

       A player in respect of his catching ability

       A player in respect of his catching ability; particularly one who catches well.

       • […] in the field he is all activity, covers an immense amount of ground, and is a sure catch.
   16. 19

       The first contact of an oar with the water.

       • They are sitting up straighter, breaking their arms at the catch and getting on a terrific amount of power at the catch with each stroke.
   17. 20

       A stoppage of breath, resembling a slight cough.

       • When a Scot pronounces water, better, or bottle—wa’er, be’er, or bo’le—the sound is precisely that of the catch; […].
       • The glottal stop or glottal catch is the sound used in English in the informal words uh-huh 'yes' and uh-uh 'no'.
   18. 21

       Passing opportunities seized

       Passing opportunities seized; snatches.

       • the way it has been writ in, by catches, and many long intervals of interruption
   19. 22

       A slight remembrance

       A slight remembrance; a trace.

       • We retain a catch of those pretty stories.
   20. 23

       To capture, overtake.

       • I hope I catch a fish.
       • He ran but we caught him at the exit.
       • The police caught the robber at a nearby casino.
   21. 24

       To seize hold of.

       • I caught her by the arm and turned her to face me.
       • Her aged Nourse, whose name was Glaucè hight, / Feeling her leape out of her loathed nest, / Betwixt her feeble armes her quickly keight […]
   22. 25

       To intercept.

       • I will throw you the ball, and you catch it.
       • Watch me catch this raisin in my mouth.
   23. 26

       To receive (by being in the way).

       • You're going to catch a beating if they find out.
   24. 27

       To take in with one's senses or intellect.

       • Did you catch his name?
       • Did you catch the way she looked at him?
   25. 28

       To seize attention, interest.

       • No, a far more natural beauty caught him.
   26. 29

       To notice.

       • -You made a typo. -Ah, thanks for catching that.

The neighborhood

• synonymseizureact of capturing
• synonymcaptureact of capturing
• synonymcollaract of capturing
• synonymsnatchact of capturing
• synonymgraspthe act of catching a ball
• synonymhaulquantity captured
• synonymtakequantity captured
• synonymfangseize in motion
• synonymgrabseize in motion
• synonymsnarecapture prey
• synonymhookcapture prey
• antonymdrop
• antonymrelease