catch
/kætʃ/
verb
- To capture or seize something that is moving, especially with the hands.
- She can catch a ball with one hand.
- The dog tried to catch the frisbee in midair.
- He reached out to catch the falling glass.
- To get on a train, bus, plane, or other form of transportation in time.
- If you run, you might still catch the train.
- We need to leave now to catch the last bus.
- She caught a flight to New York this morning.
- To see or hear a show, movie, or broadcast.
- I want to catch that new movie at the theater.
- We caught the evening news on TV.
- Did you catch the game last night?
- To become infected with an illness.
- He caught a cold from his coworker.
- Many people catch the flu during winter.
- She tried not to catch the virus.
- To understand or hear something correctly.
- I didn't catch your name—could you repeat it?
- Did you catch what the teacher said?
- He spoke so fast I couldn't catch a word.
- To become stuck or entangled on something.
- The kite caught in the tree branches.
- Her sleeve caught on the doorknob.
- Be careful your shoelaces don't catch on the stairs.
noun
- An act of catching something, especially a ball.
- He made a great catch in the outfield.
- She practiced her catch with a partner.
- The fisherman had a good catch today.
- A hidden problem or disadvantage in something that seems good.
- The apartment is cheap, but the catch is it has no windows.
- There's a catch to this offer—you have to sign a two-year contract.
- The prize sounded too good to be true, and there was a catch.
- A device for fastening or locking something, such as a door or window.
- He fixed the catch on the cabinet door.
- She slid the catch closed to lock the window.
- The catch on the gate is broken.