Search Result for "catch": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (10)

1. a drawback or difficulty that is not readily evident;
- Example: "it sounds good but what's the catch?"
[syn: catch, gimmick]

2. the quantity that was caught;
- Example: "the catch was only 10 fish"
[syn: catch, haul]

3. a person regarded as a good matrimonial prospect;
[syn: catch, match]

4. anything that is caught (especially if it is worth catching);
- Example: "he shared his catch with the others"

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

6. a restraint that checks the motion of something;
- Example: "he used a book as a stop to hold the door open"
[syn: catch, stop]

7. a fastener that fastens or locks a door or window;

8. a cooperative game in which a ball is passed back and forth;
- Example: "he played catch with his son in the backyard"

9. the act of catching an object with the hands;
- Example: "Mays made the catch with his back to the plate"
- Example: "he made a grab for the ball before it landed"
- Example: "Martin's snatch at the bridle failed and the horse raced away"
- Example: "the infielder's snap and throw was a single motion"
[syn: catch, grab, snatch, snap]

10. the act of apprehending (especially apprehending a criminal);
- Example: "the policeman on the beat got credit for the collar"
[syn: apprehension, arrest, catch, collar, pinch, taking into custody]


VERB (29)

1. discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state;
- Example: "She caught her son eating candy"
- Example: "She was caught shoplifting"

2. perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily;
- Example: "I caught the aroma of coffee"
- Example: "He caught the allusion in her glance"
- Example: "ears open to catch every sound"
- Example: "The dog picked up the scent"
- Example: "Catch a glimpse"
[syn: catch, pick up]

3. reach with a blow or hit in a particular spot;
- Example: "the rock caught her in the back of the head"
- Example: "The blow got him in the back"
- Example: "The punch caught him in the stomach"
[syn: get, catch]

4. take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of;
- Example: "Catch the ball!"
- Example: "Grab the elevator door!"
[syn: catch, grab, take hold of]

5. succeed in catching or seizing, especially after a chase;
- Example: "We finally got the suspect"
- Example: "Did you catch the thief?"
[syn: get, catch, capture]

6. to hook or entangle;
- Example: "One foot caught in the stirrup"
[syn: hitch, catch]

7. attract and fix;
- Example: "His look caught her"
- Example: "She caught his eye"
- Example: "Catch the attention of the waiter"
[syn: catch, arrest, get]

8. capture as if by hunting, snaring, or trapping;
- Example: "I caught a rabbit in the trap today"
[syn: capture, catch]

9. reach in time;
- Example: "I have to catch a train at 7 o'clock"

10. get or regain something necessary, usually quickly or briefly;
- Example: "Catch some sleep"
- Example: "catch one's breath"

11. catch up with and possibly overtake;
- Example: "The Rolls Royce caught us near the exit ramp"
[syn: overtake, catch, catch up with]

12. be struck or affected by;
- Example: "catch fire"
- Example: "catch the mood"

13. check oneself during an action;
- Example: "She managed to catch herself before telling her boss what was on her mind"

14. hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers;
- Example: "We overheard the conversation at the next table"
[syn: catch, take in, overhear]

15. see or watch;
- Example: "view a show on television"
- Example: "This program will be seen all over the world"
- Example: "view an exhibition"
- Example: "Catch a show on Broadway"
- Example: "see a movie"
[syn: watch, view, see, catch, take in]

16. cause to become accidentally or suddenly caught, ensnared, or entangled;
- Example: "I caught the hem of my dress in the brambles"

17. detect a blunder or misstep;
- Example: "The reporter tripped up the senator"
[syn: trip up, catch]

18. grasp with the mind or develop an understanding of;
- Example: "did you catch that allusion?"
- Example: "We caught something of his theory in the lecture"
- Example: "don't catch your meaning"
- Example: "did you get it?"
- Example: "She didn't get the joke"
- Example: "I just don't get him"
[syn: catch, get]

19. contract;
- Example: "did you catch a cold?"

20. start burning;
- Example: "The fire caught"

21. perceive by hearing;
- Example: "I didn't catch your name"
- Example: "She didn't get his name when they met the first time"
[syn: catch, get]

22. suffer from the receipt of;
- Example: "She will catch hell for this behavior!"
[syn: catch, get]

23. attract; cause to be enamored;
- Example: "She captured all the men's hearts"
[syn: capture, enamour, trance, catch, becharm, enamor, captivate, beguile, charm, fascinate, bewitch, entrance, enchant]

24. apprehend and reproduce accurately;
- Example: "She really caught the spirit of the place in her drawings"
- Example: "She got the mood just right in her photographs"
[syn: catch, get]

25. take in and retain;
- Example: "We have a big barrel to catch the rainwater"

26. spread or be communicated;
- Example: "The fashion did not catch"

27. be the catcher;
- Example: "Who is catching?"

28. become aware of;
- Example: "he caught her staring out the window"

29. delay or hold up; prevent from proceeding on schedule or as planned;
- Example: "I was caught in traffic and missed the meeting"


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Catch \Catch\, v. i. 1. To attain possession. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Have is have, however men do catch. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. 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] 3. To take hold; as, the bolt does not catch. [1913 Webster] 4. To spread by, or as by, infecting; to communicate. [1913 Webster] Does the sedition catch from man to man? --Addison. [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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Catch \Catch\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Caughtor Catched; p. pr. & vb. n. Catching. Catched is rarely used.] [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.] [1913 Webster] 1. 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] 2. To seize after pursuing; to arrest; as, to catch a thief. "They pursued . . . and caught him." --Judg. i. 6. [1913 Webster] 3. To take captive, as in a snare or net, or on a hook; as, to catch a bird or fish. [1913 Webster] 4. Hence: To insnare; to entangle. "To catch him in his words". --Mark xii. 13. [1913 Webster] 5. To seize with the senses or the mind; to apprehend; as, to catch a melody. "Fiery thoughts . . . whereof I catch the issue." --Tennyson. [1913 Webster] 6. To communicate to; to fasten upon; as, the fire caught the adjoining building. [1913 Webster] 7. To engage and attach; to please; to charm. [1913 Webster] The soothing arts that catch the fair. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 8. To get possession of; to attain. [1913 Webster] Torment myself to catch the English throne. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 9. 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] 10. To come upon unexpectedly or by surprise; to find; as, to catch one in the act of stealing. [1913 Webster] 11. 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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Catch \Catch\, n. 1. Act of seizing; a grasp. --Sir P. Sidney. [1913 Webster] 2. That by which anything is caught or temporarily fastened; as, the catch of a gate. [1913 Webster] 3. 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. [Archaic] --Addison. [1913 Webster] The common and the canon law . . . lie at catch, and wait advantages one againt another. --T. Fuller. [1913 Webster] 4. 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. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 5. Something desirable to be caught, esp. a husband or wife in matrimony. [Colloq.] --Marryat. [1913 Webster] 6. pl. Passing opportunities seized; snatches. [1913 Webster] It has been writ by catches with many intervals. --Locke. [1913 Webster] 7. A slight remembrance; a trace. [1913 Webster] We retain a catch of those pretty stories. --Glanvill. [1913 Webster] 8. (Mus.) A humorous canon or round, so contrived that the singers catch up each other's words. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

catch n 1: a drawback or difficulty that is not readily evident; "it sounds good but what's the catch?" [syn: catch, gimmick] 2: the quantity that was caught; "the catch was only 10 fish" [syn: catch, haul] 3: a person regarded as a good matrimonial prospect [syn: catch, match] 4: anything that is caught (especially if it is worth catching); "he shared his catch with the others" 5: a break or check in the voice (usually a sign of strong emotion) 6: a restraint that checks the motion of something; "he used a book as a stop to hold the door open" [syn: catch, stop] 7: a fastener that fastens or locks a door or window 8: a cooperative game in which a ball is passed back and forth; "he played catch with his son in the backyard" 9: 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 snatch at the bridle failed and the horse raced away"; "the infielder's snap and throw was a single motion" [syn: catch, grab, snatch, snap] 10: the act of apprehending (especially apprehending a criminal); "the policeman on the beat got credit for the collar" [syn: apprehension, arrest, catch, collar, pinch, taking into custody] v 1: 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" 2: 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" [syn: catch, pick up] 3: 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" [syn: get, catch] 4: take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of; "Catch the ball!"; "Grab the elevator door!" [syn: catch, grab, take hold of] 5: succeed in catching or seizing, especially after a chase; "We finally got the suspect"; "Did you catch the thief?" [syn: get, catch, capture] 6: to hook or entangle; "One foot caught in the stirrup" [syn: hitch, catch] [ant: unhitch] 7: attract and fix; "His look caught her"; "She caught his eye"; "Catch the attention of the waiter" [syn: catch, arrest, get] 8: capture as if by hunting, snaring, or trapping; "I caught a rabbit in the trap today" [syn: capture, catch] 9: reach in time; "I have to catch a train at 7 o'clock" 10: get or regain something necessary, usually quickly or briefly; "Catch some sleep"; "catch one's breath" 11: catch up with and possibly overtake; "The Rolls Royce caught us near the exit ramp" [syn: overtake, catch, catch up with] 12: be struck or affected by; "catch fire"; "catch the mood" 13: check oneself during an action; "She managed to catch herself before telling her boss what was on her mind" 14: hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers; "We overheard the conversation at the next table" [syn: catch, take in, overhear] 15: 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" [syn: watch, view, see, catch, take in] 16: cause to become accidentally or suddenly caught, ensnared, or entangled; "I caught the hem of my dress in the brambles" 17: detect a blunder or misstep; "The reporter tripped up the senator" [syn: trip up, catch] 18: grasp with the mind or develop an understanding of; "did you catch that allusion?"; "We caught something of his theory in the lecture"; "don't catch your meaning"; "did you get it?"; "She didn't get the joke"; "I just don't get him" [syn: catch, get] 19: contract; "did you catch a cold?" 20: start burning; "The fire caught" 21: perceive by hearing; "I didn't catch your name"; "She didn't get his name when they met the first time" [syn: catch, get] 22: suffer from the receipt of; "She will catch hell for this behavior!" [syn: catch, get] 23: attract; cause to be enamored; "She captured all the men's hearts" [syn: capture, enamour, trance, catch, becharm, enamor, captivate, beguile, charm, fascinate, bewitch, entrance, enchant] 24: apprehend and reproduce accurately; "She really caught the spirit of the place in her drawings"; "She got the mood just right in her photographs" [syn: catch, get] 25: take in and retain; "We have a big barrel to catch the rainwater" 26: spread or be communicated; "The fashion did not catch" 27: be the catcher; "Who is catching?" 28: become aware of; "he caught her staring out the window" 29: delay or hold up; prevent from proceeding on schedule or as planned; "I was caught in traffic and missed the meeting"