catchv.

Brit.

/katʃ/, U.S.

/kɛtʃ/,

/kætʃ/

Inflections: Past tense and past participle caught Brit.

/kɔːt/, U.S.

/kɔt/,

/kɑt/;

Forms: 1. Present stem.

α. early Middle English kec (imperative), Middle English cacces (3rd singular indicative), Middle English cachche, Middle English cachie (south-eastern), Middle English cacþ (3rd singular indicative), Middle English cahch- (inflected form), Middle English caicche, Middle English cayche, Middle English ceche, Middle English kacche, Middle English kach, Middle English kachche, Middle English kakþe (3rd singular indicative, perhaps transmission error), Middle English kecch, Middle English kecche, Middle English keche, Middle English kyche, Middle English–1500s cacche, Middle English–1500s kache, Middle English–1500s katche, Middle English–1500s ketche, Middle English–1600s cach, Middle English–1600s cache, Middle English–1600s catche, late Middle English casche, late Middle English– catch, 1500s cath, 1500s keatch, 1500s–1600s katch, 1500s–1700s cetch, 1500s–1700s ketch, 1800s cotch (Irish English), 1800s kotch (Irish English); English regional 1800s cetch, 1800s keetch, 1800s kitch, 1800s– cotch, 1800s– ketch; U.S. regional 1600s caitch, 1800s– cotch, 1800s– ketch, 1800s– kotch; Scottish pre-1700 cach, pre-1700 cache, pre-1700 catche, pre-1700 kach, pre-1700 kaiche, pre-1700 katche, pre-1700 1700s– catch, 1900s– cooch (Fife), 1900s– cotch; also Caribbean 1900s– ketch.

β. Scottish pre-1700 caucht, pre-1700 cawch, pre-1700 cawcht.

2. Past tense.

α. early Middle English keihte, early Middle English keyte, Middle English caghte, Middle English caȝt, Middle English caȝte, Middle English cahte, Middle English caufte, Middle English cauȝhte, Middle English cauȝt, Middle English cauȝte, Middle English cauȝtte, Middle English cauhte, Middle English caut, Middle English caute, Middle English cauth, Middle English cauwght, Middle English cawhte, Middle English cawte, Middle English coght (north-west midlands, in a late copy), Middle English kaght, Middle English kaghte, Middle English kagte, Middle English kaȝt, Middle English kaȝte, Middle English kahte, Middle English kaught, Middle English kaughte, Middle English kauȝt, Middle English kauȝte, Middle English kauhte, Middle English kaute, Middle English kauth, Middle English kawghte, Middle English kawȝte, Middle English kecche, Middle English keȝte, Middle English keiȝt, Middle English–1500s caughte, Middle English–1500s cauht, Middle English–1500s cawght, Middle English–1500s cawghte, Middle English–1600s caght, Middle English– caught, 1500s keight, 1500s–1600s cought, 1600s cawth, 1800s keetch (English regional (Cheshire)); Scottish pre-1700 kauch, pre-1700 1700s– caught, pre-1700 1800s cacht, pre-1700 1800s– caucht, 1800s caght, 1800s caht, 1800s cawcht, 2000s– cocht; N.E.D. (1889) also records the forms Middle English cought, Middle English kaufte.

β. Middle English cacchid, Middle English cacchit (in a late copy), Middle English cached, Middle English cachit (in a late copy), Middle English kacched, Middle English kacchid, Middle English katched, Middle English kecched, Middle English– catched (now regional and nonstandard), 1500s–1700s catcht, 1600s catch't, 1600s catchd, 1600s cetch'd, 1600s 1900s (Irish English (northern))– ketched; English regional 1800s catch'd, 1800s cetched, 1800s cotch'd, 1800s cotched, 1800s cotcht, 1800s ketch'd, 1800s ketcht, 1800s kitch'd, 1800s kitched, 1800s–1900s catch't, 1800s–1900s catcht, 1800s– ketched; U.S. regional 1800s cotch'd, 1800s–1900s cotcht, 1800s–1900s ketcht, 1800s–1900s kotched, 1800s– cotched, 1800s– ketched, 1900s– kitcht; also Scottish pre-1700 cachit, pre-1700 catchd, pre-1700 1900s– catchit, 1700s catch't, 1700s– catcht, 1900s– coocht (Fife).

γ. 1800s cotch (English regional and Irish English (Wexford)); U.S. regional 1700s– cotch, 1800s– kotch, 1900s ketch, 1900s– catch; Scottish pre-1700 cawch, 1800s– cotch, 1900s– coutch.

3. Past participle.

α. early Middle English icacht, early Middle English icaist, early Middle English ikeiht, early Middle English kahht ( Ormulum, in prefixed forms), early Middle English kehte, Middle English caȝt, Middle English caht, Middle English caiht, Middle English cauȝt, Middle English cauȝte, Middle English cauht, Middle English cauth, Middle English cawht, Middle English chaut (perhaps transmission error), Middle English icaht, Middle English icauȝt, Middle English icauȝte, Middle English ikauȝt, Middle English ikaut, Middle English kaght, Middle English kaȝt, Middle English kaughte, Middle English kauht, Middle English kawȝte, Middle English kawht, Middle English keghet, Middle English keȝte, Middle English keyt, Middle English kiȝt, Middle English kiht, Middle English kouȝt, Middle English kyth, Middle English ycaght, Middle English ycaȝt, Middle English ycaht, Middle English ycauȝt, Middle English ycauȝte, Middle English ycauȝth, Middle English ycauȝtt, Middle English ykauȝt, Middle English–1500s caut, Middle English–1500s cawght, Middle English–1500s cawghte, Middle English–1500s coughte, Middle English (1500s poetic) icaught, Middle English–1500s kaught, Middle English (1500s poetic) ycaught, Middle English–1600s caght, Middle English–1600s caughte, Middle English– caught, 1500s catht, 1500s cawte, 1500s ycought, 1500s–1600s cought, 1600s cavght, 1800s cowt (English regional Yorkshire); Scottish pre-1700 kaucht, pre-1700 kawcht, pre-1700 1700s– caught, pre-1700 1800s– caucht, pre-1700 1900s cacht, 1900s caacght (Shetland); N.E.D. (1889) also records the forms Middle English cought, Middle English kight.

β. early Middle English kæchedd ( Ormulum, in prefixed forms), Middle English cacched, Middle English cacchid, Middle English cacchit (in a late copy), Middle English cacchyd, Middle English cachede, Middle English cachet, Middle English cachid, Middle English icacchyd, Middle English kacchid, Middle English kachyd, Middle English ycached, Middle English–1600s cached, Middle English–1600s katched, 1500s cacchide, 1500s catchid, 1500s–1600s cacht, 1500s–1600s catchte, 1500s–1600s ketched, 1500s–1600s ketcht, 1500s–1700s catcht, 1500s– catched (now regional and nonstandard), 1600s catch't, 1600s catchd; English regional 1800s catch'd, 1800s catch't, 1800s cotch'd, 1800s cotched, 1800s cotcht, 1800s ketched, 1800s ketcht, 1800s kitched, 1800s kitcht, 1800s–1900s catcht; U.S. regional 1700s cetched, 1800s cotch'd, 1800s ketch'd, 1800s–1900s cotched, 1800s–1900s cotcht, 1800s–1900s kotched, 1800s– ketched, 1900s ketcht, 1900s– kitcht; also Scottish pre-1700 cached, pre-1700 cacheit, pre-1700 cachid, pre-1700 cachit, pre-1700 cachitt, pre-1700 kachit, pre-1700 1700s– catcht, pre-1700 1900s– catchit.

γ. 1800s kotch (Irish English), 1800s– cotch (English regional and Irish English); U.S. regional 1700s– cotch, 1800s– kotch, 1900s– catch, 1900s– kutch; Scottish pre-1700 kauch, 1800s cotch.

δ. 1800s catchen (English regional (Yorkshire)), 1800s cotchen (Scottish), 1900s– caughten (U.S. regional).

Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymons: French cacher, chacer.

Etymology: < Anglo-Norman cacher, Anglo-Norman and Old French (northern) cachier (Middle French (northern) cachier , French regional (Picardy) cacher ), variant of Anglo-Norman chacer, Anglo-Norman and Old French chacier to hunt, pursue, to seek possession of (see chase v.¹). Compare becatch v. and chacche v.Anglo-Norman forms. Anglo-Norman cacher , Anglo-Norman and Old French (northern) cachier show distinctive northern French phonological developments of the initial consonant and the medial consonant cluster of the etymon, post-classical Latin *captiare ; the central French developments of the same sounds led to the Old French type chacier , which largely superseded the northern form type even in Anglo-Norman, and which is reflected in English by chase v.¹ Compare also Anglo-Norman chacher , chachier (see chacche v.), and caser , cacer , which show features of both types. Sense development. The French word is reflected in Old English by the early borrowing of a northern Old French variant of the compound chacepol (see discussion at catchpole n.¹), and was probably borrowed in its own right as early as the 12th cent. Prefixed derivatives are also already attested from the beginning; compare becatch v., and (with y- prefix) icacchen to capture (c1275, only in the past tense). In English, the original sense was probably ‘to hunt, chase’, as in French (see branch IV.), but in this sense it was superseded by the parallel borrowing chase v.¹ (disappearing in the early modern period). By contrast, catch v. was apparently associated from an early date with the older latch v.¹, with which it shows very considerable semantic overlap; in Middle English the two words often vary with one another in different manuscripts of texts (compare the variation cited at quot. c1230 at sense 4b), and catch v. eventually superseded latch v.¹ in most senses. Compare also catch n.², which appears in collocation with latch n.¹ in early use. Form development. catch v. was also formally assimilated to latch v.¹ (and probably also to other verbs with final /tʃ/, as teach v., reach v.¹, seech variant of seek v., thench variant of think v.², thinch variant of think v.², etc.) in the (now standard) formation of its past tense and past participle forms as caught (see Forms 2α. and 3α. ). The expected past tense and past participle form catched is also attested from the Middle English period and survives in regional varieties of English (compare Forms 2β. and 3β. ). The β. forms of the present tense are in turn influenced by the past tense and past participle type caught . Occasional regional past participle forms ending in -en (see Forms 3δ. forms) show association with the past participles of strong verbs (compare -en suffix⁶). The (erroneous) form chaut at α. forms could alternatively be interpreted as showing chacche v.

I. To capture, grip, entangle, and related senses.For senses relating to catching something thrown or dropped, see branch VII.

a. transitive. To grip, trap, or entangle (a person or thing); to hold fast to, preventing or hindering movement. Chiefly in passive.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > types or manners of hindrance > hinder in specific manner [verb (transitive)] > by catching or gripping

catchc1225

wrapc1412

heel1887

c1225 (?c1200) St. Katherine (Royal) (1981) l. 908 Þing þet ha [sc. the wheels] kahten [a1250 Titus cahten], þe oðer [wheels] walden drahen..hit duneward.

a1450 ( tr. Vegetius De Re Militari (Douce) (1988) 173 Þei cacche þe hede bytwene þese blades and, for þe teeth ben scharpe, þei holdeþ that þei caccheþ.

1566 W. Painter Palace of Pleasure I. xlvii. f. 322^v Her fete and handes were caught in suche captiuitie that she could neyther run away nor yet defend herselfe.

1598 E. Guilpin Satyra Quarta 31 in Skialetheia A poore flye..Was caught in curled meshes of her haire.

1611 Bible (King James) Gen. xxii. 13 A Ramme caught in a thicket by his hornes.

c1660 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1644 (1955) II. 254 A Chayre, which Catches fast any who but sitts downe in it, so, as not to be able to stirr out.

1694 tr. F. Martens Voy. Spitzbergen 40 in Narbrough's Acct. Several Late Voy. They [sc. the Ice-fields] crowd upon one another, not without great danger of the Ships, which are often catcht between, and broken by them.

1734 tr. C. Rollin Rom. Hist. III. 402 His arms were catched in the trunk of the trees.

1798 Weekly Mag. 26 May 118/2 Joseph Willis was caught by a plank across his legs..which held him fast for half an hour.

1898 H. E. Hamblen Gen. Manager's Story 32 I was caught between the corners of the cars..and heard my ribs cave in.

1931 Pop. Mech. June 891/2 The sealing ship caught in the ice..moves forward with it.

1968 Brazil (Indiana) Daily Times 29 Apr. 3/2 The single-engine plane..struck a tree and was caught among its branches 40 feet off the ground.

2002 Jrnl. Value Inq. 36 534 His long hair got caught in the machine.

b. transitive. Of a nail, hook, branch, etc.: to become momentarily or permanently attached to (a person who or thing which is moving past). Also: to make contact with or brush against (a person or thing).intransitive in quot. a1500 with through.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > types or manners of hindrance > hinder in specific manner [verb (transitive)] > by catching or gripping > of a hook-like object

catcha1500

a1500 (?c1450) Merlin iii. 53 A sharp planke of the brigge caught thourgh his garment, so that his legges and his reynes hengen above the water.

1596 T. Lodge Wits Miserie 59 He neuer walks abroad but in suspition, if a butchers hook do but catch him by the sleeue, he cries out, At whose sute?

1637 C. Fitzgeffry Compassion towards Captives 15 Every naile or bramble that catcheth him by the coate he conceives to be a catch-pole.

1694 Moxon's Mech. Exercises (ed. 2) 160 The tops of these Brads will not catch (as the Heads of Nails would) the Thrums of the Mops when the Floor is washing.

1739 tr. C. Rollin Anc. Hist. (ed. 2) VI. 79 His robe being catched by a bramble.

1791 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse §250 Our stone vessels were liable to be catched by the keel in going out from the Jetty Head in Mill Bay.

1868 E. E. A. Ross Violet Keith iv. 37 The gentleman..was on the point of leaving a second time, when one of the brass clasps of my trunk..caught his sack.

1880 W. Black White Wings II. i. 15 The back sweep of the oars sometimes caught the waves.

1905 J. M. Thomson Bush Boys N.Z. 36 A wretched creeper of the bramble species with a superabundance of barb-like hooks that catch and tear one most grievously.

1954 Holland (Mich.) Evening Sentinel 22 Nov. 1/4 A branch caught his glove causing his 30-30 Winchester rifle to discharge, shooting off the toe next to the big toe.

2006 L. St. John White Giraffe 169 As she entered, a nail caught her T-shirt sleeve and ripped a small hole in it.

c. intransitive. To become trapped, entangled, or attached. Chiefly with preposition, as in, on, etc.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > absence of movement > [verb (intransitive)] > cease to move or become motionless > be arrested or intercepted in progress

steek?a1400

sticka1450

lodge1611

intercept1612

catch1620

clog1633

jam1706

rake1725

fasten1744

set1756

hitch1897

seize1917

1620 T. Shelton tr. M. de Cervantes 2nd Pt. Don Quixote xxx. 198 As hee was lighting from Dapple, one of his feet caught vpon a halter of the packe-saddle.

1693 A. Pitfield tr. S. de La Loubère New Hist. Relation Kingdom Siam II. 155 Having one day thrown his Line, the Hook catch'd on a Tree fallen into the water.

1724 D. Defoe Tour Great Brit. I. ii. 23 The Lap of his Coat catching in a Block, was drawn so hard in by the running of the Rope in the Block, that it held the Man fast.

1796 T. Lindsey Let. 4 Jan. (2012) II. 367 As he was entring in his foot catched upon the carpet, which threw him down with such violence, that he dislocated his thigh bone.

1871 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues I. 82 The scythe end caught in the rigging.

1892 Ballou's Monthly Mag. Mar. 241/2 My jacket caught in a branch and tore like the dickens.

1909 Supreme Court Reporter (U.S.) 29 137/2 I had my hand on the feed board..and my hand caught and went right up with it.

1967 Princeton Alumni Weekly 18 Apr. 23/1 Once in a while the rope catches in trees, so he has to swing around to disentangle it.

2014 S. Khan Escape ix. 60 A twig caught in her hair and tugged.

d. transitive. Of a person: to attach, trap, or entangle (a body part, item of clothing, etc.) on or in something by accident. Chiefly with in or on.

ΚΠ

1773 Hadleigh Grove I. vi. 179 He pursued me, but catching his foot in a bramble, fell at his full length upon the ground.

1865 Sharpe's London Mag. Apr. 208/1 Having caught her hair in the branches of a tree.

1898 H. Avery Soldiers of Queen ii. 28 A quarter mile walking race..ended, to the great delight of the spectators, in Garston nearly tearing his nightshirt off his back by catching it on a broken bedstead.

1920 Northwestern Reporter 175 83/1 They started the elevator, and he caught his foot as he was getting in, and he could not help himself. He said he called to the elevator boy and said, ‘Stop, I am caught’.

1949 F. Towers Tea with Mr. Rochester 90 Katherine turned to flee, caught her foot in a root, and fell sprawling all her length.

1987 R. Altman Amer. Film Musical 161/2 In The Gay Divorcee, Astaire comes to the rescue of an embarrassed Rogers who has caught her dress while closing a trunk.

2003 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 9 Nov. v. 14/2 I'd caught a ski tip on a buried sapling and landed with a muffled thud.

2. transitive. figurative. To lead or entice (a person) into an undesirable situation, esp. by means of trickery or deception; to deceive, dupe. Frequently in passive in later use.Cf. to catch out 3b at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > snare, trap, entanglement > entrap, ensnare [verb (transitive)]

shrenchc897

beswike971

betrapa1000

bewindOE

undernimc1175

undertakec1175

bisayc1200

beguile?c1225

catchc1225

beginc1250

biwilea1275

tele?a1300

enginec1300

lime13..

umwrithea1340

engrin1340

oblige1340

belimec1350

enlacec1374

girnc1375

encumber138.

gnarec1380

enwrap1382

briguea1387

snarl1387

upbroid1387

trap1390

entrikea1393

englue1393

gildera1400

aguilec1400

betraisec1400

embrygec1400

snare1401

lacea1425

maska1425

begluec1430

marl1440

supprise?c1450

to prey ona1500

attrap1524

circumvene1526

entangle1526

tangle1526

entrap1531

mesh1532

embrake1542

crawl1548

illaqueate1548

intricate1548

inveigle1551

circumvent1553

felter1567

besnare1571

in trick1572

ensnare1576

overcatch1577

underfong1579

salt1580

entoil1581

comprehend1584

windlassa1586

folda1592

solicit1592

toil1592

bait1600

beset1600

engage1603

benet1604

imbrier1605

ambush1611

inknot1611

enmesha1616

trammela1616

fool1620

pinion1621

aucupate1630

fang1637

surprise1642

underreacha1652

trepan1656

ensnarl1658

stalk1659

irretiate1660

coil1748

nail1766

net1803

to rope in1840

mousetrap1870

spider1891

c1225 (?c1200) St. Katherine (Royal) (1981) l. 117 Þe feont..mong alle his crokinde creftes, wið neauer an ne keccheð he creftluker cang men..þen þet he makeð men..to makien swucche mawmez..of stan.

c1330 (?c1300) Speculum Guy (Auch.) (1898) l. 882 Deþ is gilour swiþe strong..sodeyneliche þu miht be caiht.

c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 1 Cor. iii. 19 I schal catche wyse men in her fell wysdom.

a1464 J. Capgrave Abbreuiacion of Cron. (Cambr. Gg.4.12) (1983) 147 Oþir lordis he cacchid or caute with fayre wordes.

1550 H. Latimer Moste Faithfull Serm. before Kynges Maiestye sig. Aii^v To catche him in his worde, that they myghte enforce some what agaynste hym.

1654 O. Cromwell Speech 4 Sept. in Writings & Speeches (1945) (modernized text) III. 437 For few have been catched with the former mistakes.

1699 R. Bentley Diss. Epist. Phalaris (new ed.) 283 To see how Error is propagated, even Petavius too was caught here.

1706 Fashionable Lover v. 58 I've heard the little Arts and Tricks you us'd to catch me.

1867 Northern Monthly Mag. July 233 No wonder the young and unwary were caught; and many a guileless heart was pledged to the undeveloped cause.

1887 Manch. Guardian 8 Mar. 8/4 With a dollar only minted in London (or England) someone would be ‘caught’.

1977 Yale French Stud. No. 55/56 186 The psychoanalytic reader is..the reader who would not be caught, who would not be made a dupe.

2011 Legal Newsline (Nexis) 22 Nov. Even sophisticated consumers can be caught by deceptive advertising.

a. transitive. To capture (a person who or animal which tries or would try to escape); to trap; to take (a person) captive; to apprehend. Also figurative and in figurative contexts.intransitive in quot. a1616.

ΚΠ

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 217 Capite nobis uulpes paruulas..kec [c1230 Corpus Cambr. keche, a1250 Titus kech] us..þe ȝeunge foxes.

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 15725 Ȝif he me mihte cacchen [c1300 Otho cache] he me wolde quellen.

c1330 Simonie (Auch.) (1991) l. 457 Pride haþ in his paunter kauht þe heie and þe lowe.

a1350 in R. H. Robbins Hist. Poems 14th & 15th Cent. (1959) 9 He may scape & we aren euer caht.

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vii. l. 4945 As the Tigre his time awaiteth In hope forto cacche his preie.

c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Melibeus (Hengwrt) (2003) §211 He..setteth a Net biforn his feet to cacchen hym.

1486 Bk. St. Albans sig. eviii Theys houndes all Bayen and cryen when thay hym ceche shall.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 209 He purpast hym priuely..at his comyng to kacche hym olyue.

1593 Tell-Trothes New-yeares Gift (1876) 35 The siliest creatures are seldome catcht in ordinary trappes.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) ii. iii. 61 Some dogs will catch well.

1642 D. Rogers Naaman 375 He had fished all night and catcht nothing.

a1715 Bp. G. Burnet Hist. Own Time (1724) I. 368 He was early catched by the Jesuits, and bred many years among them.

1716 W. Trail Let. 11 Apr. in R. Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 143 He catched four or five of the rebels that were lurking in Angus.

1866 Notes & Queries 3rd Ser. 9 498/1 True amphibians, catching their prey in the water.

1895 Argosy Sept. 508/2 So you've caught the young burglar, have you?

1951 R. Campbell Light on Dark Horse ii. 36 As boys we used to catch snakes for the Zoo, for pocket money.

1967 Nation's Business Dec. 75 For every family taking the bankruptcy road, probably another dozen are caught in the debt trap.

2001 Smithsonian Dec. 28/3 He shows me how easy it is to catch fish at night, barehanded.

b. transitive. In board games and card games: to take (another player's piece, card, etc.) during play. Cf. capture v. 2.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > board game > chess > [verb (transitive)] > tactics

to shut up1474

to take upc1475

neck1597

catch1674

to discover check1688

attack1735

retreat1744

fork1745

pin1745

retake1750

guard1761

interpose1761

castle1764

retract1777

to take (a pawn) en passant1818

capture1820

decline1847

cook1851

undouble1868

unpin1878

counter1890

fidate1910

sacrifice1915

fianchetto1927

1674 C. Cotton Compl. Gamester v. 70 If you intend to catch [printed cath] the Queen with a Knight, imagine that the adverse King stands in his own place unremoved.

1735 J. Bertin Noble Game of Chess 38 (heading) The Queen's Gambet, which gives a Pawn, with a design to catch her adversary's Queen's Rook.

1868 W. B. Dick Mod. Pocket Hoyle 31 They argue, that by holding up the Ace, Queen suit, they stand a better chance of catching the King.

1879 A. W. Drayson Art Pract. Whist iv. 73 If you led the king, you might catch your partner's knave or ten, if not the ace.

1960 Carleton (Ottawa) 4 Mar. 7/3 He..caught the jack and king with his ace.

1985 tr. K. Yoshinori Graded Go Probl. for Beginners I. 198 If Black makes any other move, such as 1, White plays 2 and catches five black stones.

2009 Washington Post (Nexis) 26 Feb. (Extras section) 5 [They] gazed intently, each counting how many moves it might take to catch the other's rook and call checkmate.

a. transitive. To take hold of and snatch away (something); to take away suddenly; to grab. Frequently with from or out of. Also figurative and in figurative contexts. Now rare.Cf. to catch away 2 at Phrasal verbs 1, to catch off 1 at Phrasal verbs 1, to catch up 2a at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold [verb (transitive)] > lay hold of or grasp > suddenly or forcibly > and take away

catchc1230

to catch offc1400

c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 167 Ha walden kecchen of þe al þet tu hefdest..& as ofte as þe dogge of helle kecheð [a1250 Nero keccheð] ei god from þe, smit him.

a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1872) IV. 443 (MED) At þe laste, wyfes cauȝte [L. rapiebant] mete of hir housbondes mouþ.

c1400 (?c1380) Patience l. 485 I keuered me a cumfort þat now is caȝt fro me.

a1450 York Plays (1885) 329 (MED) My comforth was caught fro me clene..I was past all my powre.

c1525 Vox populi 91 in W. C. Hazlitt Early Eng. Poems & Lives Saints (1862) III. 271 All men..Which can ketche any lande Out of the poore mans hande.

1556 N. Grimald tr. Cicero Thre Bks. Duties iii. f. 117 If euerieone of vs catche to himself the commodities of other.

1606 P. Holland tr. Suetonius Hist. Twelve Caesars 212 An Aegle caught out of his hands the inwards of the beasts, [and] caried them away.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost xii. 88 Upstart Passions catch the Government From Reason.

1786 T. Boyce Harold iv. 56 Thy peaceful hands must catch the reins of empire, And shield awhile..The weak defenceless realm.

1852 J. F. Romaunt Island Home (1853) xxii. 207 Catching a club from the hands of a bystander, he rushed forward to renew the attack.

1864 Ld. Tennyson Enoch Arden in Enoch Arden, etc. 14 He..hastily caught His bundle..and went his way.

1908 W. T. Wilson For Love Lady Margaret xvi. 246 Fate, that old master, with a jerk caught the reins from my hands and mounted the box.

1970 J. L. Briggs Never in Anger ii. 99 Catching his snow knife out of the wall by the door as he passed, he ducked out.

†b. intransitive. To make a sudden snatching or grasping movement in an attempt, or as if in an attempt, to take hold of something; to snatch or clutch at something. In early use with toward. Also figurative. Obsolete (rare in later use).Cf. to catch at —— 1 at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold or grip [verb (intransitive)] > lay hold > seek to

gripe971

catchc1230

rap1669

nab1794

claw1852

c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 54 Hweðer þe cat of helle cahte [?c1225 Cleo. clachte, a1250 Nero claurede, a1250 Titus lahte] eauer towart hire.

a1250 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Nero) (1952) 147 Ase ofte ase eni keccheð [c1230 Corpus Cambr. lecheð] touward ðe & binimeð þe þine mete, nultu ase ofte smi-ten.

1553 J. Brende tr. Q. Curtius Rufus Hist. iv. f. 56^v How much more easly do our handes catche, then holde styll.

1581 C. Thimelthorpe Short Inuentory Certayne Idle Inuentions sig. h4^v Zeuxes..layd both his handes vppon it at both sides, catchinge to take holde of the sheete.

1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 105 How she [sc. a cat] beggeth, playeth, leapeth, looketh, catcheth.

1641 R. Carpenter Experience, Hist., & Divinitie v. xviii. 315 Catching and scraping for mony.

1749 T. Short Gen. Chronol. Hist. Air II. 271 Constant picking or gathering the Bed cloaths with the Fingers, or catching in the Air, as at Flies.

1909 Jrnl.-Rec. Med. (Atlanta) Oct. 382 Mrs. H.,..falling on her knees catching with her hands not letting the hip strike anything at all, broke the neck of femur.

†c. intransitive. figurative. To criticize. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > criticism > criticize [verb (intransitive)] > captiously

apeluchier1340

pinchc1387

pick-fault1544

carp1548

cavil1548

snag1554

nibblea1591

catch1628

momize1654

niggle1796

nag1828

to pick on ——1864

snark1882

knock1892

nitpick1962

1628 J. Earle Micro-cosmogr. xxiii. sig. E6 Hee comes..not to learne, but to catch.

a. transitive. To take hold of and detain or restrain (a person), esp. suddenly or forcibly; to seize and hold on to (a person or thing); to grasp.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold [verb (transitive)] > lay hold of or grasp > suddenly or forcibly

catcha1250

titc1330

beclapc1386

clutch1393

clitcha1400

cleekc1440

cletch1612

click1651

get1831

to seize hold of1839

a1250 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Nero) (1952) 44 Hweðer þe cat of helle..cauhte [?c1225 Cleo. lachte] mid his cleafres hire heorte heaued?

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1965) Tobit vi. 4 Þe aungil seide to hym, cacche his fyn & drawȝ it to þee.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) l. 18379 Oure lord bi þe hond adam cauȝt.

a1450 St. Edith (Faust.) (1883) l. 4122 (MED) After he dude go And anon by þe harme his sustre dude cayche.

1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement iii. f. ccclxv I snappe at a thyng to catche it with my tethe.

1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene iii. ii. sig. Dd3 Betwixt her feeble armes her quickly keight.

1611 Bible (King James) Matt. xiv. 31 Iesus stretched foorth his hand, and caught him.

1676 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Iliads ii. 23 The Serpent catcht her by the wing.

1743 Child's New Play-thing (ed. 2) 104 He catched her in his Arms, and wish'd himself with her in some desert Place alone.

1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield II. ii. 44 I..caught the dear forlorn wretch in my arms.

1842 Ld. Tennyson Day-dream in Poems (new ed.) II. 151 The page has caught her hand in his.

1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days ii. v. 327 He may throw him if he catches him fairly above the waist.

1921 Canad. Mag. Aug. 333/1 He caught her strongly, and lifted her from the saddle, and held her close.

1958 F. E. Ward Cowboy at Work x. 60 Once the calf is down, the rastler catches its top foreleg and holds it down.

2003 I. Zabytko When Luba leaves Home 124 Another man caught me by the waist.

†b. transitive. Without implication of force: to take hold of (something); to take; to pick up. Obsolete.figurative in quots. 1605, a1631.See also to catch hold at Phrases 6, to catch up 2a at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > possession > taking > take [verb (transitive)]

nimeOE

haveeOE

atleada1000

latchc1000

take?a1160

takec1175

hentc1300

catcha1382

privea1387

nighc1400

betakec1420

fonc1425

prend1447

win1515

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Prov. xxxi. 19 Hir fingris caȝten the spindle.

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1959) Exod. xxxii. 20 Catching þe calf þat they hadde maade: he brennte & grond it all to dost.

a1500 (?a1390) J. Mirk Festial (Gough) (1905) 104 (MED) He kaght a lofe and..cast at þys begger.

1558 T. Phaer tr. Virgil Seuen First Bks. Eneidos vii. U.j^v Another caught a clubbe, with heauy knobbes.

1605 W. Camden Remaines i. 18 So they called parchment which wee have catcht from the Latine Pergamenum.

a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1954) VII. 296 And so the Roman Church hath catched a Trans, and others a Con, and a Sub, and an In, and varied their poetry into a Transubstantiation, and a Consubstantiation, and the rest.

1661 J. Bramhall Serm. Dublin 38 Go Souldiers, catch your swords, and make the cradles swim with blood.

1792 Massachusetts Spy 1 Mar. 3/1 [He] caught a fire-dog, which he threw with such force that he knocked down one of the ruffians.

1854 Rep. Supreme Court Tennessee 2 21 The prisoner caught the rolling-pin and struck Scott several blows with it.

†6. transitive. To capture (a castle, ship, town, etc.); to take by force. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > armed hostility > victory > make victorious [verb (transitive)] > capture or acquire by conquest

i-wina1000

wina1122

fang?c1200

catchc1275

conquer1297

geta1400

stealc1400

conquer1475

conquest1485

conques1488

evict1560

carry1579

intake1646

constrain1700

capture1796

the mind > possession > taking > seizing > catching or capture > catch or capture [verb (transitive)]

i-lecchec1000

fang1016

hentOE

takeOE

alatchlOE

catchc1275

wina1300

to take ina1387

attain1393

geta1400

overhent?a1400

restay?a1400

seizea1400

tachec1400

arrest1481

carrya1500

collara1535

snap1568

overgo1581

surprise1592

nibble1608

incaptivate1611

nicka1640

cop1704

chop1726

nail1735

to give a person the foot1767

capture1796

hooka1800

sniba1801

net1803

nib1819

prehend1831

corral1860

rope1877

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 2269 Monie scipen he þer cahte.

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 370) (1850) 4 Kings xiv. 7 And he cauȝte [a1425 L.V. took] the place, that hatte Petra, in bateyl.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 25 To cache a castell þat was kene holdyn.

1583 R. Greene Mamillia 5 His beauty is not it that moueth me, nor his wit y^e captayne which shall catch the castle.

1630 T. May Contin. Lucan i. sig. B3^v Had but one more of Caesars Ships beene caught Th' Aegyptian fleet a fatall prey had sought.

1654 Vindiciæ Veritatis 59 Running to Hereford and up and down to other places, to catch Towns and plunder them.

†a. transitive. To attach (something); to secure (something) to something else. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > fact or action of being joined or joining > attachment > attach or affix [verb (transitive)]

fastenOE

fasta1225

tachec1315

to-seta1340

catcha1350

affichea1382

to put ona1382

tacka1387

to put to1396

adjoina1400

attach?a1400

bend1399

spyndec1400

to-tachc1400

affixc1448

complexc1470

setc1480

attouch1483

found?1541

obligate1547

patch1549

alligate1563

dight1572

inyoke1595

infixa1616

wreathe1643

adlige1650

adhibit1651

oblige1656

adent1658

to bring to1681

engage1766

superfix1766

to lap on1867

accrete1870

a1350 Recipe Painting in Archæol. Jrnl. (1844) 1 65 Hit wol moysten aȝeyn, ant thenne hit wol cachen the foyl fast and stike wel the betere.

c1475 ( Surg. Treat. in MS Wellcome 564 f. 16 (MED) Þe nayl is meneli hard..If he were riȝt neische, he ne schulde not haue strenkþe to holden faste þat þing þat he mai cacche.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 19 Þai..Kaste ancres..Cogges with cablis cachyn to londe.

b. transitive. To hold and fix in place (one's hair, a part of a garment, etc.); to fasten. Chiefly in passive. Frequently with back or up.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > fastening > fasten [verb (transitive)] > back or up

buckle1460

catch1622

1622 L. Digges tr. G. de Céspedes y Meneses Gerardo i. iii. 206 Her haire was caught and shut vp in a Net of Gold, a Cawle.

1806 La Belle Assemblée Oct. 57/1 A flowing border of deep lace, caught up in front with a pearl ornament.

1843 Godey's Lady's Bk. Sept. 144/1 Pelerine cape..gathered and caught with a band over the shoulders.

1882 Frank Leslie's Pleasant Hours 33 412/2 A broad band of gold crossed her head, and caught back her hair as in the pictures of the old crowned queens.

1903 Smart Set 9 110/1 A diaphanous white gown, caught at the throat by a diamond sunburst.

1977 Crescent-News (Defiance, Ohio) 16 May 12/4 A gown of shrimp chiffon detailed with teardrop sleeves..and a hemline flounce caught up in the back to form ruffles.

2013 J. Echols Star Crossed xvi. 317 She'd caught her hair back in a long, loose ponytail.

8. transitive. To captivate, charm, or delight (a person). In later use chiefly in passive.Cf. sense 10 and take v. 8b.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > will > motivation > attraction, allurement, or enticement > attract, allure, or entice [verb (transitive)] > fascinate or enchant

enchantc1374

charmc1380

catchc1405

witch1499

bewitch1526

captive1528

allure?1532

captivate1535

disarm1553

enthral1562

sirenize1592

enamour1600

infascinate1687

fascinate1742

capture1796

besiren1861

c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Physician's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 127 So was he caught with beautee of this mayde.

1541 T. Paynell tr. Felicius Conspiracie of Catiline i. sig. Bii Catiline caught with the loue of Aureliie Orestilla,..slewe his owne wyfe.

1623 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Henry VIII ii. iii. 77 Beauty and Honour in her are so mingled, That they haue caught the King.

a1658 A. Farindon LXXX Serm. (1672) II. xxxvii. 1028 A shame it is..that we should read of Joseph's Chastity, and be caught with every smile.

1700 J. Dryden Chaucer's Palamon & Arcite iii, in Fables 61 The soothing Arts that catch the Fair.

1771 ‘Junius’ Stat Nominis Umbra (1772) II. lxi. 288 A concession merely to catch the people.

1818 S. E. Ferrier Marriage III. v. 79 There was Adelaide so sweet..the poor gull was caught, and is now..as much in love as it is in the nature of a stupid man to be.

1850 R. Browning Christmas-eve & Easter-day xxxiii.142 She still each method tries To catch me.

1931 Times 6 Oct. 7/5 (advt.) Not one who goes to its pages for entertainment or instruction can fail to be caught by its charm.

2009 New Straits Times (Malaysia) (Nexis) 26 Nov. I was caught by the beauty of the language, something I did not appreciate during my school days.

a. transitive. To discover or surprise (a person) in a particular state or act, esp. one regarded as objectionable or reprehensible. Chiefly with in or at, or with present participle. Also reflexive: to discover oneself doing something unexpected or unwelcome.See also catch me (also him, her, etc.)! at Phrases 10b, you won't catch me (also him, her, etc.) —— at Phrases 10a, to catch out 3a at Phrasal verbs 1, to catch someone in the act at act n. Phrases 1.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > expectation > surprise, unexpectedness > surprise, astonish [verb (transitive)] > take by surprise

oppressa1382

susprisea1400

swikec1400

supprisec1405

catchc1425

to take (a person) at advantage(s)1523

to take (also rarely catch, find) a person tardy1530

to take tarde1547

to take (a person) short1553

to catch (also take) (a person) nappinga1576

preoccupate1582

surprise?1592

overcomea1616

to take (or catch)‥unawaresa1616

to take at a surprise1691

to catch (also take) on the hop1868

to catch (a person) bending1910

wrong-foot1957

c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) ii. l. 3285 And eke Fortune..And vnkynde to þe Troyan blood..With blynde a-waites to cache hem in a traunce.

1483 Mirk's Festial (Caxton) sig. piij^v In his deth bed he sawe the fende sittyng and spyeng yf he myght haue caught hym in his ende with ony defaute.

1586 E. Hoby tr. M. Coignet Polit. Disc. Trueth xxviii. 130 He caught him in a lye, & told him that Rome the mother of truth could not permit a lyar to possesse a kingdom.

1612 B. Jonson Alchemist v. iii. sig. L4 What shall I doe? I am catch'd .

1683 A. Oldys London Jilt II. 38 You may well fear the Effects of my just Anger, if ever I catch you in a Fault.

1732 tr. A. F. Prévost d'Exiles Life Mr. Cleveland (new ed.) I. 148 I used to catch my self, as it were, with my eyes gazing languishingly upon her, when I wou'd immediately cast 'em on the ground.

1791 J. Boswell in Life Johnson anno 1772 I. 360 [Johnson:] I never catched Mallet in a Scotch accent.

1864 Ladies' Compan. 26 58/1 Jist let me catch him stealing the cream on my tea-tray again, an I'll hang him as high as the door-post.

1883 ‘G. Lloyd’ Ebb & Flow II. xxvi. 94 I used to catch myself saying ‘Where's Frank?’

1914 Delineator Mar. 26/1 I felt instinctively that she wasn't ready to write...The master had snubbed her unmercifully when he first caught her at it.

1951 L. Casper in H. Brickell O. Henry Prize Stories of 1951 50 He remembered catching himself many times sitting dully at the supper table.

2011 P. A. Francke Memory True Sopranos 98 If we catch you lying three times, we're going to lock you up.

b. transitive (in passive). With complement expressing state of mind or circumstances, and frequently with get. To find oneself unexpectedly in an uncomfortable or unwelcome situation.Cf. to catch out 3b at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΚΠ

1835 ‘Aristides’ Mod. Tyranny 13 All the companions of the once prudent prince, who ought not to have been caught in such a predicament.

1863 J. S. Hittell Resources Calif. 254 The pipemen must stand far off, for fear that they will be caught in the avalanche.

1889 Standard 20 Mar. 6/1 The creditors of some of the unfortunate brokers who have been caught in the French collapse had offered a composition.

1908 Daily Northwestern (Oshkosh, Wisconsin) 17 Dec. 12/3 Don't get caught in the last minute Christmas rush.

1928 Times 25 June 18/1 (advt.) When caught in traffic, note the quick pick-up without change of gear.

1955 G. Greene Quiet Amer. i. iv. 60 They must have been caught in a cross-fire, trying to get back.

2010 Star Tribune (Minneapolis) (Nexis) 20 Apr. (Business section) 1 d It's a very well-operated business that got caught in..some bad economic times.

10. transitive. To secure (a husband, wife, or partner); to attract (someone, especially one who is wealthy or otherwise desirable) as a spouse or partner. Cf. catch n.² 6b.

ΚΠ

c1450 C. d'Orleans Poems (1941) 83 (MED) Als wele is him this day that hath him kaught A valentyne that louyth him.

1665 R. Brathwait Comment Two Tales Chaucer 65 Her old Husband must no sooner be dispatch'd, than a new one must be catch'd.

1788 tr. C. M. Dupaty Trav. Italy lxiii. 188 The girls employ their early youth in practising, under the eyes of their mothers, the lessons they have received from them, on the art of catching a husband.

1857 J. Kavanagh Hobbies ii. 24 I say, man, if you can catch a wife with money, do—but let her be rich—never mind the rest.

1866 Galaxy 15 Sept. 146 That all her great aspirations had been attributed to..a desire to catch Jim Lake... She was utterly indifferent to Jim Lake.

1964 J. A. Kaplan Alligator Man 13 He thinks I'm just jealous... Because I'm too unattractive to catch a husband.

1997 R. J. Gunn Without a Doubt 17 ‘That isn't the way to catch a boyfriend.’ ‘I'm not trying to catch a boyfriend.’

2012 R. Parameswaran I am Executioner 79 It is tricky maneuvers to catch a wife at my age, also being one time divorced.

11.

(a) transitive. Of a blow, a missile, a person, etc.: to strike (a person) on, under, etc., a particular part of the body; to hit.For similar uses with the blow, beating, etc., as object see sense 19.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > impact > striking > striking on specific part of the body > strike on specific part of body [verb (transitive)]

lay1530

catch1583

1583 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Serm. on Deuteronomie clvi. 965 Wee must not thinke to escape the scourges of God..wee shall euer bee caught by the backe, if God bee against vs.

1827 Morning Chron. 17 Oct. The blow caught him under the ear with terrific force.

1834 Gentleman's Mag. Dec. 587/2 One figure, in the act of catching the Saint with the hot iron under the right ear, is particularly expressive.

1882 Times 15 May 9/6 Before reaching the door a projectile caught him on the side of the head.

1946 C. Bush Case Second Chance (1948) ix. 111 What he did was to catch me clean in the wind with a short-arm jab that doubled me up.

1969 W. Gass Pedersen Kid i. i. 4 When his arm came up I ducked away but it caught me on the side of the neck.

2002 S. Holmes B-More Careful xx. 216 The first blow from his fists caught her directly on the temple.

(b) transitive. With direct and indirect object: to give (a person) (a blow, smack, etc.). Chiefly with on, across, etc., specifying the part of the body struck.

ΚΠ

1825 Bell's Life in London 17 July 230/3 Brown..stopped him cleverly, and caught him a terrific smack on his right eye.

1889 Bird o' Freedom 7 Aug. 3 An absinthe tumbler which caught him a nasty crack across the dial.

1922 Forest & Stream Aug. 344/1 The boom caught me a good one on the pate.

1988 G. Patterson Burning your Own iii. viii. 239 She launched out an open hand and caught him a crack at the side of the head.

2011 D. Jackson Defender of Rome (2012) v. 54 The third [thrust] caught him a glancing blow on the inner thigh.

b. transitive. To knock (a part of the body, oneself) against an object or surface by accident. Chiefly with on.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > impact > striking > strike [verb (transitive)] > succeed in striking

hentOE

hitc1275

atreachc1330

reacha1400

attain1477

attaint1523

nail1785

catch1820

1820 Boston Recorder 7 Oct. 164/3 Catching his foot against some part of the vessel, he was precipitated overboard.

1857 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 6 June 473/1 She caught her toe when going up stairs.

1917 G. R. Noyes tr. A. Ostrovsky It's Family Affair iii. ii. in Plays 268 Get along, get along, my darling; don't catch yourself on the sides of the doorway.

1945 W. Wilcox Everything is Quite All Right 90 Seems to me I'm always catching myself on that table.

1962 S. Corbett Cutlass Island iv. 30 ‘Watch out, Harv!’ warned Skip, but it was too late. Harvey had already caught his toe on a wooden stake.

2010 L. Kagen Tomorrow River xxx. 291 She tips sideways, catches her head on the sharp edge of the bedside table, and collapses onto the floor.

12. transitive. Of rain, a storm, etc.: to come upon (a person or thing), esp. unexpectedly, and in a way which causes inconvenience or danger. Chiefly in passive.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > bad weather > [verb (transitive)] > of bad weather: overtake a person

catch1600

1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. xxi. 426 They were driven to..pitch their camp in that verie place where they were so suddainely caught and overtaken by tempest.

1657 E. Revett Poems 17 (title) Vpon a Gentlewoman caught in a shower of Haile.

1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 317. ¶9 Caught in a Shower..Returned home and dryed my self.

1791 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse §234 The stone vessels, if catched by a storm..retreat into Weymouth Harbour.

1823 Ld. Byron Let. 14 Dec. (1981) XI. 79 Yesterday I was caught in the rain and ‘I ache etc.’.

1882 S. M. Heckford Lady Trader in Transvaal xvi. 152 As we saw that a storm was brewing we pushed along briskly, but it caught us just as we touched the top of the randt.

1935 J. Lindsay Runaway 9 The Batavians, caught in bad weather, had had to throw some of their cargo overboard.

1963 Times 9 Aug. 8/5 They began the return journey, but next day a blizzard caught them on an island in the Robinson group.

2015 A. Ragsdale Crossing River xv. 105 I had gone..to a Cambridge grocery store to buy snacks and got caught in a downpour carrying them home.

13.

a. intransitive. Of a lock or other mechanism, or a part of this: to engage; to move into position so as to operate correctly. Sometimes with on or upon. Also transitive: to engage with (something).

ΚΠ

1659 J. Leak tr. I. de Caus New Inventions Water-works 18 After the said Wheel D hath catcht the first Tooth of F, it shall continue to the ninth.

1727 A. Motte Treat. Mech. Powers ii. 114 As its Teeth go round they catch successively upon those of the Pinion B.

1788 tr. H. Decremps Conjurer Unmasked (ed. 2) xxiv. 53 The Caddies are made with a copper flap, which has a hinge at the bottom, and opens against the front, where it catches under the bolt of the lock.

1823 Times 3 May 3/7 The thieves..pulled to the door, the spring of the lock caught, they thus accidentally shut themselves out.

1847 Boy's Own Bk. (Amer. ed. 6) 108 A notch..must be cut in one end of it, to catch the lower end of No. 2.

1889 Eng. Mechanic & World of Sci. 8 Nov. 219/1 The pinion catches on a projecting part of the axle, and is made to revolve along with the flywheel.

1921 Pop Sci. Monthly Nov. 48/2 To reset the device it is necessary only to push the doors shut and see that the spring lock catches.

1971 R. Langley Elem. Teacher's Treasury Sci. Lesson Plans iii. iii. 107 Allow the children to examine the egg beater... The big wheel catches the smaller wheel and turns the blades.

2010 D. Fesperman Layover in Dubai (2011) xv. 196 Sharaf pulled the door shut, but the lock wouldn't catch.

†b. transitive (in passive). Fastened or held with a catch. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > industry > working with tools or equipment > fastening > fasten [verb (transitive)] > with catch

catch1881

1881 W. W. Greener Gun & its Devel. 160 The Vernier is..catched under the sliding bar.

14. transitive (reflexive). To curb one's impulse to say or do a particular thing; to check oneself in the act of saying or doing something regarded as foolish or careless.Cf. to catch up 4 at Phrasal verbs 1, to take up 11a at take v. Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > speech > interruption > interrupt (speech) [verb (transitive)] > interrupt (a person)

to fang upa1400

interrupt1413

interpel1541

catch1670

to take up1885

to draw up1905

1670 C. Cotton tr. G. Girard Hist. Life Duke of Espernon iii. xii. 623 Not that I do (he presently caught himself) in the least confess those wherewith they have charg'd my Son.

1694 Jrnl. G. Fox 277 Catching himself, and looking aside, he said; Heark! I am using the word [Sirrah] again; and so check'd himself.

1726 in W. Penn Coll. Wks. I. App. 233 Saying one Day thus..he immediately catch'd himself, and fell into this Reflection.

1792 Frederica (new ed.) II. xxiii. 10 There had been a woman in the house..ever since the lady—she was going to say, died—but catching herself, said—quitted it.

1861 Ladies' Compan. & Monthly Mag. 2nd ser. 20 3/1 I was at the old perchancing work again, and my brain was reeling..but I caught myself, and would no more of it.

1899 S. P. Brooks Bivouac of Life 42 ‘Why, yes; Miss B——’ but she caught herself before any name was uttered.

1952 J. Thompson Killer inside Me viii. 49 It was a crazy idea, of course, and it was gone in a moment. But I started a little before I could catch myself.

1982 A. Tyler Dinner at Homesick Restaurant i. 11 Once Pearl almost..said. ‘Emmaline Listen. I feel so horrible, Emmaline.’ But, fortunately, she caught herself.

2013 E. Pass ACID viii. 61 Then I catch myself and take a deep breath. ‘Screw this,’ I say. ‘I'm going for a run.’

15. transitive (in passive, frequently with get). colloquial. To become pregnant; spec. to have an unplanned pregnancy.Cf. to catch out 3c at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

the world > life > biology > biological processes > procreation or reproduction > conception > conceive [verb (intransitive)]

trima1325

conceivec1375

greatenc1390

to fall with child (also bairn)a1464

impregnate1711

start1846

catch1858

fall1891

click1936

to be caught out1957

to fall for ——1957

big1982

1858 Queen Victoria Let. 15 June in Dearest Child (1964) 115 The pride of giving life to an immortal soul is very fine..perfectly furious as I was to be caught.

1898 H. Kingsford in Eng. Dial. Dict. I. (at cited word) I'm ketched again.

1919 M. C. Stopes Let. to Working Mothers 4 Very often it happens that you get ‘caught’, and you know that the baby that you feared might come has really begun.

1955 ‘C. Brown’ Lost Girls xiii. 142 She's been caught..she's about five months gone.

2008 M. Fontain Are you having Sex for Fun & Babies? Introd. 7 Even adults are oftentimes engaged in having unprotected sex secretly until they get caught. It's cheaper to buy protection.

16. intransitive. Of the voice: to falter, esp. as a result of strong emotion; to be produced in a halting or stuttering manner; to be interrupted or checked.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > speech > defective or inarticulate speech > speak inarticulately or with a defect [verb (intransitive)] > stammer or speak hesitantly

stammerc1000

wlaffe1025

stotec1325

humc1374

mafflea1387

stut1388

rattlea1398

famble14..

mammera1425

drotec1440

falterc1440

stackerc1440

hem1470

wallowa1475

tattle1481

mant1506

happer1519

trip1526

hobblea1529

hack1553

stagger1565

faffle1570

stutter1570

hem and hawk1588

ha1604

hammer1619

titubate1623

haw1632

fork1652

hacker1652

lispc1680

hesitate1706

balbutiate1731

haffle1790

hotter1828

stutter1831

ah1853

catch1889

1889 Albert Lea (Minnesota) Enterprise 24 Jan. Her voice caught and fell into lower tones.

1913 ‘E. Mordaunt’ Lu of Ranges xxxvi. 237 ‘The pain—the pain was awful:’ Orde's voice caught in a sob, then trailed wearily.

1985 Times Reporter (Dover, Ohio) 23 Aug. a11/4 The words caught in his throat as he was speaking about his family.

2015 A. L. Ford Poor Children 68 ‘Baby,’ I began, my voice catching 'cause I was scared she was going to start crying.

II. To receive, be affected by; to meet with, encounter.

†17. transitive. To obtain, derive, or receive (comfort, grace, honour, etc.), esp. as a result of the actions or influence of another person or other people. Cf. sense 32. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > possession > acquisition > obtain or acquire [verb (transitive)] > obtain or acquire in a certain way > by or from another's action

catch?c1225

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 122 Neauerȝete in monne floc ne cachte he swich biȝete.

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 5408 Hu he hauede þene nome icaht.

c1330 (?c1300) Speculum Guy (Auch.) (1898) l. 903 He may kacche grace To biþenke him on godes face.

a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 5267 Sone þei cauȝt cumfort.

a1425 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 143) (1978) C. Prol. l. 134 Þe cardinales at court þat caught [c1400 Huntington HM 137 chaut] han such a name.

c1450 (c1405) Mum & Sothsegger (BL Add. 41666) (1936) l. 284 He is priuy with þe pruttist and þere þe price caicchet.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 35^v Myche comforth he caght or þaire kynd speche.

1614 W. Browne Shepheards Pipe sig. B4^v Wise women can..in short while put vnto the flight All sorrow & woe, and catch againe comfort.

18. transitive. To experience or incur (harm, mischief, trouble, etc.).See also to catch a fall at fall n.² Phrases 3.

ΘΚΠ

the world > existence and causation > causation > [verb (transitive)] > bring something upon > oneself

underliec960

catch?c1225

to run in ——1403

to run into ——?a1425

incurc1460

to run upon ——1583

contract1598

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 54 Ha huntet efter Pris & kechet lastunge.

c1475 (?c1425) Avowing of King Arthur (1984) l. 252 Os he hade keghet scathe.

1550 R. Sherry tr. Erasmus Declam. Chyldren in Treat. Schemes & Tropes sig. L.v There be manye that foolyshely do feare leste their chyldren shulde catche harme by learnynge.

1607 T. Dekker & J. Webster West-ward Hoe v. sig. G2 One of the poore instruments caught a sore mischance last night: his most base bridge fell downe.

1678 J. Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress 84 He..went by, and catcht no hurt.

1750 Wks. Beaumont & Fletcher (rev. ed.) III. 197 Lest harmless People catch Mischief or sad Mischance.

1766 D. Hume Let. 19 Jan. (1932) II. 2 He passed ten hours in the night time above deck during the most severe weather..and he caught no harm.

1830 W. Clarke Three Courses & Dessert 206 He gives a bit of a cough, and says he's asthmatic, and might catch harm if he stripped himself to shew them.

1872 C. A. Bartol Trial by Fire 14 They who build on the sides of Vesuvius..run a risk and catch mischief.

1914 Lippincott's Monthly Mag. July 101 I like to think that she caught no harm from me and some happiness.

2006 S. Nunez Last of Kind 339 In prison it's no different from the street. The younger you are, the more likely you are to catch trouble.

19. transitive. To receive or suffer (a blow, beating, wound, etc.). colloquial in later use.For similar uses with the blow, beating, etc., as subject see sense 11a(a).See also to catch hell at hell n. and int. Phrases 5i, to catch a packet at packet n. 1f.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > impact > striking > strike [verb (transitive)] > be struck by

catchc1300

receive1551

the world > action or operation > operation upon something > have effect on [verb (transitive)] > be subjected to or undergo an action > encounter the force or effect of

catchc1300

receive1551

c1300 (?c1225) King Horn (Laud) (1901) l. 884 He keyte duntes ynowe.

a1400 (?c1300) Amis & Amiloun (Egerton) (1937) l. 2468 Al þat þey þere arauȝt, Grete strokes þere þey cauȝt [a1500 Douce caufte].

c1450 (c1425) Brut (Cambr. Kk.1.12) 369 Þere he cauȝt his deth-wownde.

?1529 R. Hyrde tr. J. L. Vives Instr. Christen Woman ii. iv. sig. X.iiij Her husbande in warre agaynst the Syryans, had catched a great wounde in his arme with a venomed sworde.

1595 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 iii. ii. 23 Fight close or..you catch a clap.

1635 T. Hooker Poore Doubting Christian (ed. 2) 117 It is the fashion of parents, if their children runne abroad and catch a knock, they tell them that they are well enough served.

1783 J. Cave Poems Var. Subj. 50 I wish I'd learn'd the art of fencing, Least while at John you aim to throw, My nob should chance to catch the blow.

1859 Harper's New Monthly Mag. Nov. 852/2 If I ever see you there, or hear of your being there,..you will be sure to catch a flogging.

1887 C. A. Partridge Hist. Ninety-sixth Regiment x. 170 Five minutes later Captain Blodgett had caught a bullet in his shoulder, but did not at once go back, although the wound was painful.

1959 A. Sillitoe Loneliness of Long-distance Runner (1962) 141 I was more afraid of the good hiding I would catch from my father's meaty fist at home.

2013 D. J. Monti Engaging Strangers v. 110 If you stole a kid's bike, you caught a beating... Steal a woman's purse. You caught two.

20.

a. transitive. To be exposed to and experience the effects of (heat, frost, a breeze, etc.).For similar uses with the frost, heat, etc., as subject see sense 43.See also to catch a chill at chill n. 2, to catch the sun at sun n.¹ Phrases 2c(c).

ΘΚΠ

the world > existence and causation > causation > [verb (transitive)] > bring something upon > oneself > through exposure

catchc1325

the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > coldness > be cold [verb (intransitive)] > become cold > of person

catcha1470

c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 664 Þer of it cacþ [a1400 Trin. Cambr. cachchet; c1425 Harl. cacheþ] hete.

a1450 ( G. Chaucer Bk. Duchess (Tanner 346) (1871) l. 781 As a white wall or a table..is redy to kecche and take All that men ther-yn will make.

a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) III. 1240 Thys wounde on youre hede hath caught overmuch coulde!

1535 Bible (Coverdale) Matt. xiii. 6 Whan the Sonne arose it [i.e. the seed] caught heate.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623) i. ii. 136 Here they shall not lye, for catching cold.

1694 N. H. Ladies Dict. 167/2 Crude and Viscid Humours, arriving from several Inward Causes, and many times from outward ones, as eating raw Fruit, catching wet on the Feet, [etc.].

1704 Dict. Rusticum at October Least the Carnations catch too much wet.

1705 J. Addison Remarks Italy 382 Others to catch the Breeze of breathing Air, to Tusculum or Algido repair.

1848 E. C. Gaskell Mary Barton II. xvii. 251 His face had caught..the ghastly fore-shadowing of Death.

1878 R. B. Smith Carthage xi. 231 A thick curtain of mist..hid from view the base of the adjoining hills, while their tops were catching the first rays of the rising sun.

1914 C. DuFay Robertson Down Year 93 Up near the top a single bough has caught the frost that has not yet penetrated to the glade.

1960 H. Pinter Caretaker 35 You want to mind you don't catch a draught.

2006 Washington Post (Nexis) 13 Dec. (Food section) f2 An eastern exposure allows the grapes to catch the warmth of the morning sun.

b. Nautical.

(a) transitive. Of a sail: to be filled with (wind, a breeze, etc.); (of a ship) to receive (the wind, a breeze, etc.) into the sails so as to move forwards.In figurative context in quot. 1601.

ΚΠ

1601 J. Marston et al. Iacke Drums Entertainm. i. sig. A4^v I long not to be squeasd with mine owne waight: Nor hoyse vp all my sailes to catch the winde Of the drunke reeling Commons.

1638 F. H. in L. Roberts Merchants Mappe of Commerce 2 Steel'd was his Courage..Who first spread Sailes to catch the nimble winde.

1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Bunt, the Bag, Pouch, or middle Part of a Sail, which serves to catch and keep the Wind.

1764 O. Goldsmith Traveller 4 Ye lakes, whose vessels catch the busy gale.

1805 R. Southey Madoc (1806) II. xxv. 217 Twelve vessels there, Fitted alike to catch the wind, or sweep With oars the moveless surface, they prepare.

1898 North-Eastern Daily Gaz. 5 Jan. Her flapping sails caught the wind, and with a sound like cannons they left the spars and vanished to leeward.

1907 Sunday School Jrnl. 29 Dec. 950/1 ‘Throw her off, sir,’ they cried to me, as the sails went up and the good ship caught the breeze.

2011 W. C. Hammond Power & Glory xiv. 228 Headsheets were shifted over and foresails braced around to catch the wind.

(b) intransitive. Of a sail: to fill with wind.In quot. 1794 with aback (see aback adv. 3).

ΚΠ

1794 D. Steel Elements & Pract. Rigging & Seamanship II. x. 292 The ship will be entirely stopped as soon as all her sails begin to catch a-back.

1885 ‘H. Collingwood’ Congo Rovers xxi. 326 The enormous idly flapping sails caught and lost again.

1942 M. H. Vorse Time & Town iv. 39 Wilbur Steele and I finally launched her—paid out her sheet, saw her sail catch, and floated off on the shining surface of the bay.

1992 S. Dalton Pieces of Eight 24 The sails caught, and the Plentitude surged forward.

2013 A. Kontis Hero v. 72 Saturday held fast to the railing and turned her face into the wind as the sails caught and moved them out to sea.

†21. transitive. To be filled with or affected by (desire, fear, fury, or other emotion). Obsolete (poetic and rare in later use).

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > [verb (transitive)] > be emotionally affected by

yfeeleOE

catcha1350

feelc1450

surprise1485

relisha1616

the mind > will > wish or inclination > desire > [verb (transitive)]

willeOE

wilnec897

desirec1230

catcha1350

appetec1385

appetitec1385

to wait after ——1393

to set (also have, keep, turn) one's mind onc1450

list1545

exopt1548

to have a mind1553

desiderate1646

lust1653

to have eyes for1657

like1685

want1698

choose1766

to be stuck on1878

a1350 in R. H. Robbins Hist. Poems 14th & 15th Cent. (1959) 9 Þus y kippe & cacche cares ful colde, seþþe y counte & cot hade to kepe.

c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Summoner's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 295 She hath caught an Ire.

?c1410 T. Hoccleve Balade to Lord Chancellor l. 19 in Minor Poems (1970) i. 58 O my lord gracious... Let see now cacche a lust and a talent Me to haue in your fauour & cheertee.

c1430 (c1386) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women (Cambr. Gg.4.27) (1879) l. 1746 [He] caughte to this lady swich desyr.

?1577 F. T. Debate Pride & Lowlines sig. Aiii Loue or feare, Which any wight..hath icaught.

1614 S. Latham Falconry i. iii. 10 Her perceiuing of one thing or other may prouoke her to take dislike, or to bate from you, and thereby catch some sodaine feare.

1718 A. Pope tr. Homer Iliad IV. xv. 439 Presumptuous Troy..catch'd new Fury at the Voice divine.

1871 G. Meredith in Fortn. Rev. Jan. 87 Laughter-dimpled countenance Whence soul and senses caught desire!

22. transitive. To become infected with (a disease, parasites, etc.); to contract; to be afflicted with. Frequently with †of or from, indicating the source of the infection.See also to catch cold at cold n. Phrases 1, to catch a cold at cold n. Phrases 1.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > cause to be ill [verb (transitive)] > catch illness

catcha1393

enticec1400

engender1525

get1527

to take up1629

to come down1837

to pick up1889

start1891

to go down1895

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) ii. l. 1746 He..hath caght The maladie.

c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xiii. l. 339 (MED) I cacche þe crompe, þe cardiacle some tyme.

a1464 J. Capgrave Abbreuiacion of Cron. (Cambr. Gg.4.12) (1983) 82 He caute a feuyr and deied.

a1549 A. Borde Fyrst Bk. Introd. Knowl. (1870) 126 Bycause I do go barlegged, I do cach the coffe.

1568 V. Skinner tr. R. González de Montes Discouery Inquisition of Spayne f. 82 Some caught vncurable diseases and paines in the head, & became almost brainlesse.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) i. ii. 386 I cannot name the Disease, and it is caught Of you.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost x. 544 They..the dire form Catcht by Contagion.

1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 517. ¶1 The old Man caught a Cold at the County Sessions.

1794 S. T. Coleridge Coll. Lett. (1956) I. 89 I was sore afraid, that I had caught the Itch from a Welch Democrat.

1806 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 15 219 The small-pox raging here, he caught the infection from some neighbouring children.

1865 Victoria Herald 1 238/2 He appeared so absent and strange that she began to think he had caught a fever which was turning his brain.

1948 N. Cassady Let. 16 June (2005) 77 Picked up young girl—caught crabs from her.

1980 R. Bushby in K. Thear & A. Fraser Compl. Bk. raising Livestock & Poultry vi. 156/2 Any young pigs which catch the disease will die very quickly.

2018 South China Morning Post (Hong Kong) (Nexis) 5 Feb. 2 Persistent chilly weather has led to more people catching flu, leaving hospitals struggling to cope.

23. transitive. figurative and in figurative contexts. To be influenced or affected by (an idea, prevailing mood, etc.); to acquire (something) by sympathy or imitation.

ΘΚΠ

the world > existence and causation > existence > intrinsicality or inherence > introduction or bringing in > introduce or bring something in [verb (transitive)] > receive or imbibe

receivec1384

conceivea1450

catch1533

suck1586

to suck ina1640

the world > existence and causation > existence > intrinsicality or inherence > introduction or bringing in > introduce or bring something in [verb (transitive)] > infuse > be imbued with

catch1533

taste1559

1533 tr. Erasmus Enchiridion Militis Christiani xiv. sig. Lvi^v The disposycion of man is frayle and prone to vyces, he catcheth mischeuous ensample at ones.

1600 W. Shakespeare Midsummer Night's Dream i. i. 189 My tongue should catch your tongues sweete melody.

1698 G. Granville Heroick Love iv. 65 My Soul has caught thy Fears, I tremble too I know not why.

1711 A. Pope Ess. Crit. 24 Some ne'er advance a Judgment of their own, But catch the Spreading Notion of the Town.

1778 W. Robertson Hist. Amer. (ed. 2) I. ii. 112 He seemed to have catched the same spirit with his subjects.

1827 W. Wordsworth Excursion in Poet. Wks. V. 38 Her infant Babe Had from its Mother caught the trick of grief, And sigh'd among its playthings.

1872 W. H. Dixon W. Penn (rev. ed.) viii. 67 The man had lived in Spain and caught the manner of a grandee of that formal and punctilious country.

1915 A. S. Neill Dominie's Log xvi. 181 ‘I wouldn't do it again.’ ‘Caught religion?’.

1960 C. Day Lewis Buried Day iii. 50 There could have been no trace of anti-semitic infection in our household, or..I should surely have caught it.

2010 Washington Post (Nexis) 17 Dec. t21 Because they're so passionate about their craft, you're sure to catch their enthusiasm.

24. transitive. Esp. of a translucent or faceted object: to reflect or refract (light) with a glinting, glittering, or flashing effect.

ΚΠ

1777 tr. Petrarch Sonnets & Odes 73 The clear rain-drops catch the light, Glitt'ring on all the foliage nigh.

1845 Bentley's Misc. Jan. 533 Stars of brilliant pieces of metal hung by short invisible threads from the ceiling, and as they caught the light on their different facets with the slightest vibration, had the appearance of twinkling.

1863 D. Cook Prodigal Son III. iii. 99 The wire supporting her was hardly visible from the stalls,..except now and then when it caught the light.

1907 Harper's Mag. Aug. 329/1 Chandeliers of crystal..catching the illumination, glittered in prismatic fragments with all the varied colors of the rainbow.

1983 T. Hoover Moghul 239 The heavy jewels of his ear-rings momentarily caught the morning sunshine and sent streams of light flashing outward.

2004 Daily Mail (Nexis) 13 Nov. 24 She laughs loudly, the diamonds at her neck and on her fingers sparkling as they catch the light.

III. To obtain, seize, or attain, in figurative or metaphorical uses.

25. transitive. Of an emotion, vice, disease, etc.: to take possession of (a person); to afflict. Also: to have a detrimental effect on (a thing). rare in later use.In quot. c1325 intransitive with on.

ΘΚΠ

the world > existence and causation > occurrence > [verb (transitive)] > suddenly or violently

overgoOE

ofseche?c1225

catcha1275

henta1375

to come upon ——a1382

seizec1381

takea1382

to catch to ——c1400

overpass?a1513

re-encounter1523

to come over ——1726

to come on ——1850

a1275 in C. Brown Eng. Lyrics 13th Cent. (1932) 23 Ic am icaist bo day ant naist dolore.

c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 4372 Hii wende wel hor owe sleuþe on ȝou abbe ycaȝt.

c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Micah iv. 9 Sorewe hath cachid thee.

c1426 J. Audelay Poems (1931) 12 Þai be caȝt with couetyse.

?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 160 (MED) Such hevynese haue vs cawght.

1539 R. Taverner tr. Erasmus Prouerbes sig. B.i^v Whan..the disease catcheth ones strength.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Othello (1622) iii. iii. 91 Perdition catch my soule, But I doe loue thee.

1789 ‘P. Pindar’ Expostulatory Odes iii. 11 Perdition catch the money-grasping wretch.

1888 J. A. Symonds tr. B. Cellini Life II. ii. lxvi. 308 May the plague catch you and all who dare to think I shall not finish it!

1977 Wellsville (N.Y.) Daily Reporter 26 July 7/3 Greed has caught him and he will take any risk to reach his goal of $10 million in tax-free bonds.

2005 C. Foster Sharing God's Planet ii. 27 People can still find themselves caught by desire, which is by its nature voracious.

26.

a. transitive. Originally: to get (rest, sleep, etc.). Later: to take (a short sleep) usually in an unplanned way, and often between other activities.See also to catch a nap at nap n.³ Phrases, to catch some zeds at zed n. 3, to catch some z's at Z n. 4b.

ΚΠ

c1330 Simonie (Auch.) (1991) l. 162 Anon þerafter he fondeþ to kacche reste.

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iv. l. 3283 That I mai cacche Slep.

c1400 Simonie (Peterhouse) (1991) l. 168 For to cache hys reste.

a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1959) ix. v. 3 The othir bestis..Ful sownd on sleip dyd cawcht thar rest.

1578 T. Churchyard Disc. Queenes Entertainem. sig. H.ii^v And thus in my delay I caught a slumber sweete.

1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. xxxii. 811 All others, during the time that they could catch any repose and rest, refreshed their spirits and bodies with some recreations.

1658 J. Coles tr. G. de Costes de La Calprenède Hymen's Preludia: 6th Pt. iii. 152 In this place, he used some vain endeavours to catch some sleep.

1793 W. B. Stevens Jrnl. 6 July (1965) i. 90 Caught a little come-and-go sleep and at 7 took Coach for York.

1856 E. K. Kane Arctic Explor. II. iv. 54 Catching cat-naps as I could in the day.

1887 Friends' Intelligencer with Friends' Jrnl. 28 May 350/2 We used to..lie down for a little under the olives, in the hope of catching a few moments of thoroughly sweet and untormented slumber.

1974 State (Columbia, S. Carolina) 8 Mar. b19/7 Giving the lawmakers a chance to eat breakfast, shave and catch a few winks.

2009 D. Grant in J. O'Reilly et al. Best Trav. Writing 248 We wished each other a good night, and I settled in to catch some sleep.

b. transitive. To find time for (a part of one's routine, such as a meal, shower, etc.); to have (a meal, etc.) quickly or hurriedly.

ΚΠ

1899 World (N.Y.) 29 Sept. 2/4 He had call after call, without a chance to catch a bite to eat.

1951 Edwardsville (Illinois) Intelligencer 8 Jan. 1/8 The early bird husband managed to catch a shave this morning but later sleepers went to work grizzly.

1991 Post-Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.) 10 Jan. (Accent Suppl.) 6/4 They barely had time to catch a shower before heading straight to work the next day.

2013 N. Clarke Stormy Hill's Challenge 102 The coffee shop was jammed with students catching a quick snack before they dashed off to their next classes.

27. transitive. To be inspired with (valour, spirit, etc.), esp. by observing the actions or qualities of another person. Chiefly in to catch courage.See also to take courage at courage n. 4d, to take heart at heart n., int., and adv. Phrases 3k(a).

ΚΠ

c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) l. 5185 (MED) Þan was þar non..þat ys herte ne bygan to cacche.

c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Parson's Tale (Ellesmere) (1877) §689 Agayns this..synne of Accidie..sholde men..manly and vertuously cacchen corage wel to doon.

a1450 ( tr. Vegetius De Re Militari (Douce) (1988) 155 Þei þat ben putte to fliȝt cacche herte to hem by good counfortinge of here duke.

1548 W. Patten Exped. Scotl. sig. H.iii^v Y^e Scottes again, wel considering hereby how weak thei remayned, caught courage a fresh.

1764 T. Smollett et al. tr. Voltaire Henriade viii. in Wks. XXIV. 191 Before the van d'Aumale his station took, And the closed lines caught courage from his look.

a1796 J. Maclaurin Wks. (1798) I. 167 The horse,..by the cavalier bestrode, And, catching spirit from his load, From harmless, warlike grown.

1844 Metrop. Mag. May 345 With the same daring courage, from which even faint hearts caught valour, he drove back the enemy.

1896 C. Scollard Skenandoa 37 The men caught heart at his courage.

1911 Eng. Rev. Oct. 479 Only so had Englishmen caught heart to sally forth, discover and dominate the world.

2005 K. Kelly Other Lands have Dreams i. 29 Very ordinary people, from Iraq and the U.S., who caught courage from one another during a time of war.

†28.

a. transitive. To obtain with effort (something pursued or fought for); to attain; to get possession of. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > possession > acquisition > obtain or acquire [verb (transitive)] > obtain or acquire in a certain way > by care or effort

begeteOE

findOE

bewinc1175

getc1175

conquerc1230

reachc1275

procurec1325

makec1350

fishc1374

catchc1384

furneya1400

attainc1405

tillc1440

to pick out1577

to get a gripe ofa1586

secure1743

raise1838

to get one's hooks on (also into)1926

c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 1 Tim. vi. 12 Catche euerlastyng lyf [1526 Tyndale laye honde on, 1582 Rheims apprehend, 1611 King James lay hold on].

1573 J. Daus tr. H. Bullinger Hundred Serm. vpon Apocalipse (rev. ed.) xxi. f. 61 A feruent zeale to follow and catch thy saluation.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 (1623) iii. ii. 179 I..Torment my selfe, to catch the English Crowne.

1661 J. F. Rewards of Vertue i. i. 3 Other men With trembling hands have caught a victory, And on pale fore-heads worn triumphant bayes.

1712 W. Diaper Nereides xii. 53 When we at length have caught The mighty Prize, which we so impatient sought.

1884 Phi Gamma Delta May 174/1 This is an age of speed, and fleet must be he who would catch success in the mad chase.

b. transitive. To gain or obtain (money, wealth, etc.) as a result of personal effort or ingenuity. Frequently with negative connotations. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) v. l. 2242 Wher thei the profit mihten cacche.

c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xi. l. 168 For no cause to cacche siluer þere-by.

1530 Bible (Tyndale) Deut. iii. f. xiv All the catell and the spoyle of the cities, we caughte for oure selues.

a1563 J. Bale King Johan (1969) i. 421 Besydes that ye cache for halowed belles & purgatorye.

1630 T. Johnston Christs Watch-word 225 Beware that thou hunt not after all occasions, & prosecute all meanes of catching riches.

1662 B. Gerbier Brief Disc. Princ. Building 17 The various devices of Smiths, to catch Money out of the Builders Purses.

1778 tr. L.-A. Caraccioli Trav. Reason in Europe xxviii. 142 The common people in Italy seek only to live at the expence of strangers, and..lavish titles and bows only to catch money.

1794 T. Rutledge Pract. Serm. ix. 231 They make use of Religion..to catch wealth and preferment.

1833 Chambers' Edinb. Jrnl. 15 June 156/1 Every lure is set, every trap is baited, to catch the contents of the Cockney's purse.

29.

a. transitive. To perceive (something) with the senses; to hear, see, taste, or smell; (sometimes) spec. to succeed with effort in hearing (something).See also to catch sight of at Phrases 9b(a).

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > perception or cognition > perceive [verb (transitive)]

acknowOE

keepc1000

feelOE

findOE

seeOE

yknowc1275

apperceivec1300

descrivec1300

knowc1300

perceivec1330

taste1340

tellc1390

catcha1398

scenta1398

devisea1400

kena1400

concernc1425

descrya1450

henta1450

apprehend1577

scerne1590

to take in1637

discreevec1650

recognize1795

absorb1840

embrace1852

cognizea1856

cognosce1874

the mind > mental capacity > understanding > understand [verb (transitive)]

yknoweOE

acknowOE

anyeteOE

latchc1000

undernimc1000

understandc1000

underyetec1000

afindOE

knowOE

seeOE

onfangc1175

takec1175

underfindc1200

underfonga1300

undertakea1300

kenc1330

gripea1340

comprehend1340

comprendc1374

espyc1374

perceivea1387

to take for ——?1387

catcha1398

conceivea1398

intenda1400

overtakea1400

tenda1400

havec1405

henta1450

comprise1477

skilla1500

brook1548

apprend1567

compass1576

perstanda1577

endue1590

sound1592

engrasp1593

in1603

fathom1611

resent1614

receivea1616

to take up1617

apprehend1631

to take in1646

grasp1680

understumblec1681

forstand1682

savvy1686

overstand1699

uptake1726

nouse1779

twig1815

undercumstand1824

absorb1840

sense1844

undercumstumble1854

seize1855

intelligize1865

dig1935

the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > hear [verb (transitive)] > succeed in hearing

perceivea1382

catcha1398

receivec1430

touch?1611

a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. v. xii. 190 The eere..haþ þat name auris of haurio ‘to kacche’ for he kacchiþ voys.

1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost ii. i. 70 Euery obiect that [his eye] doth catch.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Antony & Cleopatra (1623) i. ii. 131 Cleopatra catching but the least noyse of this, dies instantly.

1648 J. Beaumont Psyche viii. clxxx. 129/2 Her large thin Ear stood always prick'd upright To catch each Sound and Whisper that came neer.

1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield II. i. 18 Listening to catch the glorious sounds.

1788 T. Jefferson Let. 10 Aug. in Papers (1956) XIII. 497 The presence was so numerous that little could be caught of what they said to the king.

1822 W. Greenwood Vale of Apperley 151 Borne on the gusty-breeze, I caught the smell; Inhal'd the rich perfumes,—and lov'd them well.

1871 B. Jowett in tr. Plato Dialogues II. 50 I only caught the words, ‘Shall we let him off?’

1921 J. Galsworthy To Let 69 He..caught the comic lift of her eyebrow just like their father's.

1989 St. Petersburg (Florida) Times (Nexis) 31 Aug. (Food section) 1 d I'd notice a taste of chili pepper or coriander, then catch a hint of lemon grass, peanut and so on.

2008 M. Budman My Life at First Try 111 He introduced himself, but I didn't catch his name.

b. To grasp or understand (an idea, the meaning of something, etc.); to succeed in understanding (something).See also to catch a person's drift at drift n. Additions.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > understanding > understand [verb (transitive)] > reach understanding of

conceive1340

grope1390

tellc1390

catchc1475

reacha1500

make1531

to make sense of1574

to make outa1625

apprehend1631

realize1742

finda1834

reify1854

recognize1879

to get (something) straight1920

to pick up1946

to work out1953

c1475 (c1399) Mum & Sothsegger (Cambr. Ll.4.14) (1936) iii. l. 67 (MED) Hard is þi nolle To cacche ony Kunnynge.

1593 G. Markham Disc. Horsmanshippe ii. sig. C Those [Horses] that be light, nimble, couragious, apt, that wil catch a lesson from his Rider ere it be fully taught him.

1633 G. Herbert Temple: Sacred Poems 48 Must all be vail'd, while he that reades, divines, Catching the sense at two removes?

1746 V. Desvoeux tr. J. P. R. de La Bléterie Life Julian Apostate II. vi. 239 How could he say that the Poets themselves did not catch the meaning of the good things they uttered?

1837 W. Whewell Hist. Inductive Sci. I. 30 It does not appear..easy to catch his exact meaning.

1848 E. C. Gaskell Mary Barton I. x. 184 Catching the state of the case with her quick-glancing eyes.

1915 R. G. Moulton Mod. Stud. Lit. (1919) vi. xxvi. 483 Suddenly the Chorus catch the significance of Cassandra's vision, up to that point hidden from them.

1950 E. Kemler Irreverent Mr. Mencken xii. 186 Those who couldn't or didn't buy the paper caught the gist of Mencken's reporting at second hand.

2013 Opasquia (Manitoba) Times 17 Apr. 10/2 Old and cautious I may be, but it was the later that lead to the former, if you catch my meaning.

†30. transitive. To appropriate (knowledge, wisdom, etc.); to adopt or embrace (a course of action). Obsolete.

ΚΠ

c1405 (c1387–95) G. Chaucer Canterbury Tales Prol. (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 500 Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte.

a1450 St. Francis (Bodl.) 148 in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1889) 82 315 Ic þe wole finde I-nouȝ..ȝif þat þou wolt cacchen wit & don al after me.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) i. v. 17 Thy Nature..is too full o' th' Milke of humane kindnesse, To catch the neerest way.

31. transitive. To seize or take (a chance, opportunity, etc.).Cf. to catch at —— 2 at Phrasal verbs 2.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > advantage > an opportunity > give opportunity for [verb (transitive)] > take (opportunity)

catchc1425

to take‥vantage (of)1573

apprehend1586

to take odds of1596

to catch at ——1610

feea1616

seize1618

nick1634

to jump at1769

c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) ii. l. 3709 (MED) Sche may cachen opportunyte, With hym to speke.

c1450 (?a1449) in Minor Poems J. Lydgate (1934) ii. 457 Aungelis three From Hell[e] gates..haue my-silf conserued..Whan I to wedde caught first occasioun.

1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Matt. xix. f. xcv Thinkyng that they had caughte nowe an occasion to catche Iesus.

1623 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Henry VIII v. i. 111 I..am right glad to catch this good occasion Most throughly to be winnowed.

1658 Sir T. Browne Hydriotaphia: Urne-buriall Ep. Ded. sig. A3 We..catched the opportunity to write of old things.

1734 H. Fielding Don Quixote in Eng. ii. iv. 25 His Design is to rob the House, if he could catch an Opportunity.

a1764 R. Lloyd tr. Voltaire Henriade in Poet. Wks. (1774) II. 224 The Guises..Catch'd the fair moment which his weakness gave.

1803 Ann. Agric. 40 179 Catch the moment of the first heavy rain that falls, and go instantly to work.

1880 N. Amer. Rev. June 555 As no provision is made for the court to sit expressly for hearing divorce cases, the petitioners are obliged to catch the opportunity between sessions.

1903 Short Stories 52 22 Catching an opportune moment when there was a lull in the storm.

2012 Washington Post (Nexis) 14 Nov. a13 The regime will collapse..if the new leaders don't catch this chance to reform.

32. transitive. To obtain or attract (praise, approval, etc.), esp. by seeking to provide pleasure, entertainment, etc., to others. Cf. sense 17.

ΚΠ

1567 T. Harding tr. Pope Clement I in Reioindre to M. Iewels Replie against Masse iv. f. 87 The first high Bisshop then by nature is Christe.., who caught not honour vnto himselfe, but was constituted of his Father.

1595 H. Clapham Sommons to Doomes Daie 62 I vsed not my guifts to the praise of God the giuer, but laboured thereby to catch praise vnto my selfe.

1622 J. Heigham tr. P. d'Outreman True Christian Catholique i. vi. 117 The proud man looseth all the good he hath in his soule, to catch a litle honor and humain praise.

1680 ‘Philalethes’ tr. G. Buchanan De Jure Regni apud Scotos 71 Can he conciliat the people, and catch their applause by rewards, games, pompous shewes.

1727 W. Warburton Crit. & Philos. Enq. Causes Prodigies & Miracles i. 42 It would be endless to recount the several Engines, Historians of all Ages have invented to catch the Applause of the People.

1777 H. Blair Serm. vi. 157 How often have the despicable and the vile, by dextrously catching the favour of the multitude, soared upon the wings of popular applause?

1847 Morning Chron. 20 May 6/2 They caught the applause of Europe by exalting themselves on the personal interests of their own countrymen.

1872 J. Morley Voltaire iv. 150 He sought to catch some crumb of praise.

1976 Shaw Rev. 19 80 The things with which he caught their praise and attention were in humorous types of character-drawing.

2003 Variety (Nexis) 16 June 42 As to catching the approval of the critics,..McIntyre pointed to one hopeful omen.

33. transitive. To capture or engage (a person's attention, imagination, interest, affection, etc.); to attract (the eye, ear, etc.).See also to catch the eye at eye n.¹ Phrases 2c, to catch the fancy of at fancy n. 8a.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > attention > attracting attention > engage the attention [verb (transitive)]

exercisea1538

entertainc1540

replenish1548

rouse1583

catcha1586

amuse1586

detainc1595

attract1599

grope1602

concerna1616

take1634

stay1639

engage1642

meet1645

nudge1675

strike1697

hitcha1764

seize1772

interest1780

acuminate1806

arrest1835

grip1891

intrigue1894

grab1966

work1969

a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1593) iii. sig. Hh6 Beautie hath force to catche the humane sight.

1593 Passionate Morrice sig. I2 Their pregnant wits and cunning deuices to catch womens affections.

1609 W. Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida iii. iii. 177 Things in motion sooner catch the eye.

a1625 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Two Noble Kinsmen (1634) iv. iii. 75 Say you come..to Commune of Love; this will catch her attention, for This her minde beates upon.

1712 J. Hughes Spectator No. 467. ⁋5 It is below him to catch the Sight with any Care of Dress.

1772 W. Jones Seven Fountains in Poems 52 Melodious notes..Caught with sweet extasy his ravish'd heart.

1832 H. Martineau Homes Abroad vii. 100 A rustle outside the door..caught her excited ear.

1880 B. Thomas Violin-player II. ix. 210 ‘What a pretty little thing!’ cried Amy, her admiration caught by Cherubina's silken hair.

1966 T. Capote In Cold Blood ii. 126 Dewey paused at an upstairs window, his attention caught by something seen in the near distance.

2006 Place in Sun May 60 If you've never been to Turkey then you're missing a trick. The country's Mediterranean coast has well and truly caught the public imagination.

†34. transitive. To seize upon (a person's words). Obsolete. rare.

ΚΠ

1611 Bible (King James) 1 Kings xx. 33 The men did diligently obserue whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it.

35. transitive. To reproduce or evoke (a likeness, gesture, style, etc.), esp. in painting, music, or other creative activities; to perceive so as to be able to reproduce. Cf. capture v. 3.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > the arts in general > [verb (transitive)] > express or represent

catch1658

sport1693

interpret1880

capture1901

1658 W. Sanderson Graphice ii. 63 The curious Artist must watch and catch the lovely graces, witty smilings, short and suddain, which pass like Lightning.

1753 H. Walpole Let. Sept. in Corr. (1837) I. 210 Sir Christopher Wren, who built the tower of the great gate-way at Christ-church, has catched the graces of it [sc. the Gothic] as happily as you could do.

1805 W. Scott Lay of Last Minstrel i. Introd. 8 When he caught the measure wild.

1883 ‘G. Lloyd’ Ebb & Flow II. 256 The attitude had evidently been caught from life.

1916 H. S. Wright Valley Lebanon xviii. 136 Dorothy..stood looking at the canvas critically. ‘You have caught my likeness wonderfully,’ she remarked.

1982 B. Trapido Brother of More Famous Jack xviii. 67 Jonathan enacted the episode for his father, catching his grandmother's speech and gesture with..wicked accuracy.

2005 Vanity Fair Dec. 174/1 The subconscious mentality of the uncontrollably well-off was deftly caught by the novelist Joyce Cary.

36. transitive. To capture or record (the image of a person, scene, or event) in the form of a photograph or film, often with the sense of preserving fast-moving action or a fleeting appearance.

ΚΠ

1839 Northern Star & Leeds Gen. Advertiser 21 Sept. 7/6 Every stationary object, however minute, every tone of light and shade, every variety of surface, all, in fact, that a mirror could produce, was here caught and rendered permanent.

1882 St. Nicholas Nov. 18/1 All this took only a few seconds, but the photographer caught the strange scenes just as they passed.

1930 Motion Picture News 28 June 74/1 Never staged for drama, it is nevertheless as breath-taking a piece of dramatic realism as has ever been caught on celluloid.

1950 Washington Post 8 Mar. 23/1 The camera had caught him scoring, his rubber shirt stretched taut across a swelling chest, a look of undefiled bliss on his dark face.

1977 P. Rock Flickers vi. 93 Mannerisms. You have to develop mannerisms. The camera catches the little things, Mister Wells.

2015 Ottawa Citizen (Nexis) 10 Sept. c11 We've all had our chuckles now over the hapless, Toronto-area Tory candidate who peed in a cup, got caught on camera and then was dumped by his party.

†IV. To chase.

37. transitive. To chase (a person or thing); to drive. Frequently with from. Also: to urge (on); to incite. Obsolete.Recorded earliest in to catch away 1 at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > progressive motion > order of movement > following behind > follow [verb (transitive)] > pursue

followOE

driveOE

to go after ——OE

to come after——c1275

pursuec1300

suec1300

catcha1325

chasec1330

enchasec1380

to pursue aftera1387

ensuea1513

subsecute1548

prosecute1549

jass1577

course1587

to make after ——a1592

scorse1596

chevya1825

to take out after1865

shag1913

the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > causing to go away > command to go away [verb (transitive)] > drive away

feezec890

adriveeOE

aflemeeOE

off-driveeOE

flemeOE

withdrivec1000

adreveOE

to drive outOE

biwevea1300

chasec1300

void13..

catcha1325

firk1340

enchasec1380

huntc1385

to catch awayc1390

forcatch1393

to put offa1398

to cast awaya1400

to put outc1400

repel?a1439

exterminate1541

chasten1548

propulse1548

keir1562

hie1563

depulse1570

band1580

bandy1591

flit1595

ferret1601

profugate1603

extermine1634

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 949 Gredi foueles fellen ðor-on, Đat ðogte abram wel iwel don, Kagte is wei.

1340 Ayenbite (1866) 178 Efterward uor to cachie and uerri þane dyuel uram him.

c1390 in F. J. Furnivall Minor Poems Vernon MS (1901) ii. 614 Þe Iewes from þe cros me keiȝt.

?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) ii. l. 5776 Sir Edward herd wele telle of his grete misdede, þer power forto felle it cacchis him to spede.

?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 122 (MED) Þai ryde comounly withouten spurres; bot þai hase owþer in þaire hand a whippe..for to cacche [Fr. chacer] þaire horsez with.

a1450 York Plays (1885) 510 Caytiffis ȝe cacched [a1500 Towneley Plays chaste] me fro youre ȝate.

1553 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Eneados i. i. 4 Ouer land and se, cachit [L. iactatus] with meikill pyne.

1563 N. Winȝet Certain Tractates (1890) II. 53 With quhou grete troublous blastis ar thai cacheit and careit.

1602 in J. M. Thomson Registrum Magni Sigilli Scotorum (1890) VI. 475/1 Ane commoun gait and lone to catche and call guidis.

38. intransitive. To hurry, rush, dash; to run; to make one's way. Frequently with preposition or adverbial phrase expressing direction. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > move swiftly in specific manner [verb (intransitive)] > move with urgent speed

rempeOE

fuseOE

rakeOE

hiec1175

i-fusec1275

rekec1275

hastec1300

pellc1300

platc1300

startc1300

buskc1330

rapc1330

rapec1330

skip1338

firk1340

chase1377

raikc1390

to hie one's waya1400

catchc1400

start?a1505

spur1513

hasten1534

to make speed1548

post1553

hurry1602

scud1602

curry1608

to put on?1611

properate1623

post-haste1628

whirryc1630

dust1650

kite1854

to get a move on1888

to hump it1888

belt1890

to get (or put) one's skates on1895

hotfoot1896

to rattle one's dags1968

shimmy1969

c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) l. 629 He cached to his covhous [emended in ed. to cou-hous] & a calf bryngez.

a1529 J. Skelton Magnyfycence (?1530) sig. Ei^v Hercules..with his stobburne clobbyd mase That made Cerberus to cache.

1572 (a1500) Taill of Rauf Coilȝear (1882) 33 He cachit fra the court.

a1614 J. Melville Autobiogr. & Diary (1842) 489 That mater of the ministerie of Edinbruche keipit me catching heir an ther all that winter.

V. To manage to reach or attend.

39. transitive. To reach or arrive at (a place). In later use (chiefly in form ketch) U.S. regional (in African-American usage) and Caribbean; also intransitive in to ketch home.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > aspects of travel > arrival > arrive at or reach [verb (transitive)]

to come toOE

reachOE

hita1075

ofreachlOE

catchc1330

latchc1330

recovera1375

getc1390

henta1393

win?1473

fetch1589

to fetch up1589

obtain1589

attainc1592

make1610

gaina1616

arrive1647

advene1684

strike1798

the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > movement towards a thing, person, or position > reaching a point or place > reach (a point or place) [verb (transitive)]

areach1014

reachOE

ofreachlOE

overtakec1225

catchc1330

acomec1350

touchc1384

getc1390

to come at ——a1393

henta1393

overreacha1400

win?1473

aspire1581

obtain1589

attainc1592

make1610

gaina1616

acquire1665

advene1684

c1330 Otuel (Auch.) (1882) l. 444 Ouer þe water þe stede swam, & to londe saf he cam. Anon riȝt als roulond Hadde ikauȝt þe druþe [read druye] lond.

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) v. l. 7557 Til thei the havene of Troie cauhte.

a1425 (a1349) R. Rolle Meditations on Passion (Uppsala) (1917) 43 A dowfe pursued of an hawke, ȝif she may cacche an hole of hir house, she is siker I-nowȝ.

a1475 (?a1430) J. Lydgate tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage Life Man (Vitell.) l. 554 (MED) They han the hevene kauht.

1888 C. C. Jones Negro Myths from Georgia Coast 8 So eh tek eh calabash an hop off fuh de spring. Wen eh ketch de spring, eh see de Tar Baby.

1945 L. Bennett in Kingston (Jamaica) Gleaner 3 June 8/7 Curry goat an rice an bread! All like how yuh licky-licky, Yuh hood ketch home dead!

1996 R. Allsopp Dict. Caribbean Eng. Usage (at cited word) By the time we catch Goyave the radiator Blow.

2008 Sunday Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica) 19 Oct. (Outlook Mag.) 21/2 When him ketch home de night, my pupa laff till him nayly dead.

40.

a. transitive. To succeed in reaching (a person who or thing which is travelling in a particular direction); to draw level with.Now more usually as to catch up 5b at Phrasal verbs 1.Sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense 40b.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > rate of motion > move at specific rate [verb (transitive)] > gain (ground) upon > catch up or overtake

betakea1000

oftakelOE

overtakec1225

ofgoc1300

under-get1390

attain1393

overget?a1400

overgoc1425

gaincopec1440

overhiec1440

overhalec1540

overcatch1570

overhent1590

win1596

to grow on or upon1603

catcha1616

to fetch up1622

to fetch of, upon1659

overhaul1793

to meet up with1837

to catch up1838

to get past1857

a1616 W. Shakespeare Tempest (1623) v. i. 319 Saile, so expeditious, that shall catch Your Royall fleete farre off.

1688 in A. Behn tr. M. de Fontenelle Discov. New Worlds 65 As this kind of Vessel was very subject to be over-set very often, they were necessitated to swim to catch their Boat again.

1767 A. H. Mills Bagatelles (ed. 2) 213 Many of us were often on foot, a head of the boat..and, at the locks, we were sure of catching our boat.

1791 ‘G. Gambado’ Ann. Horsemanship xii. 51 He made a loose..and catch'd them within twenty yards of the ending post.

1848 E. C. Gaskell Mary Barton II. x. 142 You'll be down the river in no time, and catch Will, I'll be bound.

1870 Field Q. Mag. & Rev. Aug. 202/2 The latter appeared unable to catch Griffith, who..passed the post first by a couple of lengths.

1921 Adventure (U.S.) Aug. 99/2 She caught the leadin' horse and passed it 'sif it were gallopin' backwards.

2010 S. Cowell Claude & Camille (new ed.) 21 She took her things and hurried from the class. He caught her on the stairs, taking her in his arms.

b. transitive. To be in time to reach, see, etc., (a person or thing) before the possibility of doing so has passed.Sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense 40a.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > movement towards a thing, person, or position > reaching a point or place > reach (a point or place) [verb (transitive)] > before some person or thing moves away

catcha1633

a1633 Visct. Falkland Hist. Edward II (1680) 76 They gape to catch the turning tide, and would have moved, but find no one would give them heart or leading.

1786 J. Woodforde Diary 9 Mar. (1926) II. 230 My nephew took a ride this Morn' to Mr. DuQuesne [and] caught him at home.

1794 J. Robinson Sydney St. Aubyn II. xlvi. 170 I send this express across the country, to catch the mail on its way to Holyhead.

1826 B. Disraeli Vivian Grey II. iv. iv. 192 I was afraid my note might not have caught you.

1887 W. B. Yeats Lett. (1954) 54 I must finish to catch the post.

1915 P. MacGill Rat-pit ii. 35 If they don't catch the tide when it's out they'll have to sleep on the rocks of Dooey all night.

1982 Miami Herald 24 Oct. h10 We're in time to catch a few marsh pinks in flower.

2003 Vogue Apr. 280/1 I caught her the day before her flight to the Marbella Club in Spain.

c. transitive. To be in time for and board (a train, bus, plane, etc.). Also more generally: to use (a train, taxi, etc.) as a means of transport; to take.

ΚΠ

1812 Edinb. Advertiser 21 Apr. 250/3 Passengers in the morning will catch the Coach..for Woodhaven, and Passengers by the North Coach from Woodhaven, will catch the Boat in the Afternoon.

1842 Patriot 22 Aug. 562/2 He arrived at the station of the Manchester and Birmingham railway..almost too late to catch the train.

1869 J. Ball Central Alps (new ed.) II. 4/1 Travellers..bound for Lausanne must descend at the Auvernier station, close to Neuchâtel, and there catch the train to Lausanne.

1942 T. Rattigan Flare Path i. 9 She'll go and catch the wrong bus.

1978 Newsweek (U.S. ed.) (Nexis) 6 Nov. (Arts section) 102 He caught a taxi to the airport and took the next plane back to Los Angeles.

2016 New Yorker 4 Apr. 32/1 One Sunday morning, my husband and I caught the seven-forty-two train to Paris.

41. transitive. colloquial (originally U.S.). To attend, watch, or listen to (a performance, television or radio programme, etc.), sometimes with implication of chance or good fortune; to manage to attend, watch, or listen to.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > hear [verb (transitive)] > listen to

listenc950

hearOE

hearkenc1000

listc1175

to-heara1250

tend1340

attenda1400

to lay ear toa1400

receivea1425

intenda1500

ear1582

exhause1599

auscultate1892

catch1906

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > watch a performance

seea1387

side-box1689

catch1906

1906 H. Green At Actors' Boarding House 150 Where are you on the bill at Moctor's this week? I must come in an' ketch you guys.

1937 Amer. Speech 12 45/2 I caught Wright's band last night and are they tough.

1965 Listener 7 Oct. 551/2 This modest programme..was the kind of late-evening music item that is so often well worth catching.

1969 Oxf. Times 15 Aug. 13/1 You can have a cigarette or a drink, read the newspaper or catch the television news.

1986 C. Guisewite in Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 3 Feb. (Comics section) 5 b/1 Want to catch a movie with us tonight, Andrea?

2014 Time Out London 2 Dec. 81/2 If you catch his headline show at Oslo in February, this modern bard will..inspire you.

VI. To affect, begin to have an effect and derived senses.

42.

a. Of fire, flames, etc.

(a) transitive. To spread to (something); to cause to burn; to set alight.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > burning > burn or consume by fire [verb (transitive)] > of fire: seize on

catcha1450

a1450 in J. Evans & M. S. Serjeantson Eng. Mediaeval Lapidaries (1933) 28 (MED) Also þe auctorites seyn þat, who-so berith berill nere his flesche ayeins þe sonne, þt þe fire þat cometh oute cacheth þe flesche.

1553 J. Brende tr. Q. Curtius Rufus Hist. viii. f. 169^v The flame wherof caught the sepulchres belonging to the citye, which..were sone set on fire.

1628 G. Sandys tr. Ovid Metamorphosis (rev. ed.) i. 9 He fear'd lest so much flame should catch the skie, And burne heauens Axeltree.

1734 tr. C. Rollin Anc. Hist. I. 214 The fire catched all the engines.

1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield II. iii. 59 The flames were just catching the bed.

1862 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia III. xii. vi. 233 The fire caught many houses.

1892 Century Oct. 849/1 The coals brightened; tiny flames shot from them, and in a moment the blaze caught the dry fagots.

1978 ‘M. M. Kaye’ Far Pavilions vii. liii. 756 He watched the grass flare up and catch the sticks of wood.

2004 J. Winspear Maisie Dobbs (2005) ix. 82 As flames licked up and caught the kindling, Maisie leaned forward and balanced bricks of coal..on the spitting wood.

(b) intransitive. To take hold; to spread; to begin to burn more strongly. Also in figurative contexts.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > [verb (intransitive)] > seize on anything to be communicated

catch1530

the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > burning > burn or be on fire [verb (intransitive)] > catch fire or begin to burn > of fire: to catch

overtakea1400

take1523

catch1530

1530 Bible (Tyndale) Exod. xxii. 6 Yf fyre breake out and catch in the thornes, so that the stoukes of corne..be consumed therwith.

1577 R. Holinshed Hist. Scotl. 116/1 in Chron. I The fire catching in the strawe and twigges whiche they had couched togither vnder them.

1630 Bp. J. Hall Occas. Medit. §xxvi Let but some sparke of hereticall opinion bee let fall vpon some..busie spirit, it catcheth instantly.

1696 tr. A. Duquesne New Voy. E.-Indies xiv. 54 The ship continually burning for three hours, when at length the flames catching in the powder room, it blew up all at once.

1713 J. Addison Cato ii. 31 Do's the Sedition catch from Man to Man, And run among their Ranks?

1768 L. Sterne Sentimental Journey I. 107 The fire caught—and the whole city, like the heart of one man, open'd itself to Love.

1857 E. Bennett Border Rover xxv. 359 At last a spark caught, which I hurriedly blew to a flame.

1865 J. K. James tr. T. Tasso Jerusalem Delivered II. xviii. lxxxiv. 229 The stench is poisonous, the flames catch and spread.

1979 Austral. Women's Weekly 25 July 106/3 As the sunset burned the sky his own fires kindled and caught to a blaze.

2005 C. Chieng Long Stay in Distant Land 47 It was the spark that caught, and Melvin and Bo whooped it into a small fire.

b. intransitive. Of a building, substance, etc.: to ignite; to begin to burn; = to catch fire at Phrases 5. Also (and in earliest use) in figurative contexts.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > burning > burn or be on fire [verb (intransitive)] > catch fire or begin to burn

quicka1225

kindle?c1225

tindc1290

atend1398

to catch fire (also afire, on fire)c1400

quickenc1425

enkindle1556

fire1565

to set on fire1596

take1612

catch1632

conflagrate1657

to fly on fire1692

to go up1716

deflagrate1752

flagrate1756

inflame1783

ignite1818

to fire up1845

1632 F. Quarles Divine Fancies ii. 64 My Tinder apt to catch, Soone sets on fier ev'ry profer'd Match.

1685 J. Northleigh Triumph Monarchy vi. 709 To..set our Neighbours House a fire, for fear it should catch of it self and consume our own.

a1750 A. Hill Wks. (1753) III. 106 Shorten the task, and point thy happy sight, To catch, and kindle, at a living light.

1825 in W. Hone Every-day Bk. (1827) II. 1378 The powder soon may catch.

1898 Every other Sunday 16 Jan. 79/3 The barn was doomed. The hay had caught, and was burning fiercely inside.

1906 Metal Worker, Plumber & Steam Fitter 22 Dec. 60/1 On the adjoining building the roof caught and the center of the roof was entirely burned out.

1981 N. Kea Scorpion i. i. 49 It took a full three hours to start a fire..the sticks were far too green to catch.

2015 P. Rickman Friends of Dusk xvii. 95 In the stove, the new flames were pale and vaporous, the kindling wouldn't catch.

c. intransitive. Of food: to char or burn slightly during cooking.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > cooking > undergo cooking [verb (intransitive)] > burn or catch on bottom of cooking pot

to set toa1610

burn1725

catch1767

to sit on1824

1767 A. Shackleford Mod. Art Cookery Improved 143 A sheet of paper laid on the top, will prevent it [sc. a venison pasty] from catching, and the crust will be of a fine colour.

1826 ‘M. Dods’ Cook & Housewife's Man. v. 70 Let the stew-pot be deep, and very close covered. Set it over a sharp fire to catch and brown.

1891 R. P. Chope Dial. Hartland, Devonshire 91 The pud'n 's onny jis ketcht a bit 'pon top.

1996 S. Raichlen High-flavor, Low-fat Chicken 58 The secret to making a rich brown gravy is to let the onions ‘catch’ and caramelize several times before adding more water.

43. transitive. Of frost, the sun, etc.: to attack and cause damage to (a person or thing, esp. a plant).For similar uses with the frost, heat, etc., as object see sense 20a.

ΚΠ

1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 127 Beyond the riuer Ganges..the people are caught with the Sun, and begin to be blackish.

a1640 T. Risdon Chorogr. Surv. Devon (1811) (modernized text) §216 225 A place so wild..where it is to be doubted you have taken the cold, or the cold hath caught you.

1794 Kentish Reg. Dec. 452/1 The apprehension of frosts (by which, if the tops are caught, after breaking the surface, they pine and sicken..) sometimes operate against this early season.

1810 W. Pybus Man. Useful Knowl. 53 No more clay should be prepared for the gravel than can be laid and covered the same day, as heat or frost will be equally apt to catch it.

1889 Rep. Statistician Yield Crops per Acre U.S. Dept. Agric. Rep. No. 68 452 The early frost caught much of the top cotton, which was not ripe; it has not opened well.

1925 G. H. L. Mallory in E. F. Norton et al. Fight for Everest: 1924 213 The wind and sun between them have fairly caught us all these last three days.

1990 Country Homes & Interiors Nov. 80/3 The wisteria was badly caught by the April frost this year.

†44. intransitive. Of rain: to begin in earnest; to set in. Obsolete. rare.

ΚΠ

1686 J. Goad Astro-meteorologica ii. ii. 168 Rains when they once Catch, are apt to last.

45. intransitive. Originally and chiefly U.S. Of seed or a crop: to germinate and grow. Frequently with adverb complement, as well, best, etc. Cf. catch n.² 11b, catch crop n. 2.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > grow crops [verb (intransitive)] > be produced

catch1843

1843 W. Oliver Eight Months Illinois 95 Putting in hayseed without ploughing the ground... The seed catches quick and grows well.

1895 Cultivator & Country Gentleman 5 Sept. 643/4 The seed didn't catch, and last year it was mowed.

1922 Farm Jrnl. May 19/1 Ten acres..seeded with oats the next spring, since rye didn't catch well.

1947 Tipton (Indiana) Daily Tribune 1 Mar. 5/6 In seeding alfalfa it is safest to seed red clover with it—since alfalfa makes better stands in dry seasons and clover catches best in wet seasons.

1971 Lake Centre News (Arborg, Manitoba) 19 Feb. 6/7 A good stand was established in all plots even though Reed Canary did not catch well.

46. intransitive. In later use North American. Of water, a stretch of water, etc.: to freeze; to begin to freeze; (of ice) to form a solid layer on a stretch of water.Cf. to catch over at Phrasal verbs 1.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > coldness > be cold [verb (intransitive)] > become cold > freeze

it freezes971

congealc1400

gealc1440

frigitate1635

conglaciate1646

take1781

catch1879

1879 R. Jefferies Wild Life 382 Causing the water to catch—that is, the slender, thread-like spicules form on the surface, and, joining together, finally cover it.

1927 St. Lawrence Waterway Project 38 in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (69th Congr., 2nd Sess: Senate Doc. No. 183) Even with the present current velocities the ice has at various times caught across the river in the quieter reaches.

1975 J. Gould Maine Lingo 45 Caught, frozen, as a water pipe. ‘If we don't get a fire started the pipes'll catch!’

1986 J. Feltham Islands of Bonavista Bay 105 The tickles separating Bragg's Island, Deer Island and Greens Island ‘caught’ only when it was extremely cold and when there was an absence of ocean swell.

47. intransitive. Of a combustion engine: to begin ignition of the fuel mixture and hence come into operation; to fire (fire v.¹ 10d).

ΚΠ

1928 Industr. & Engin. Chem. 20 849/2 As soon as the engine catches it must depend for lubrication upon its regular lubricating system.

1958 Pop. Sci. Oct. 208/1 The engine caught instantly.

1984 Observer 22 July (Grand Prix Suppl.) 4/2 You hold the throttle down until you feel the engine catch, and then you quickly back off.

2014 S. Hartnett Golden Boys (2016) 95 If the engine won't catch make sure that the radio and headlights are off.

VII. To intercept and take hold of and related senses.

48.

a. transitive. To intercept and hold, esp. in the hands, (something which has been thrown, dropped, etc.). Also occasionally intransitive.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold [verb (transitive)] > catch something moving or falling

receive1485

recueil1490

catcha1500

latch1530

snare1942

a1500 (a1450) Generides (Trin. Cambr.) l. 5376 (MED) To hym she threw the dog..Mirabell kaught it sodenly.

a1535 T. More Boke Fayre Gentylwoman (a1556) sig. B^v Downe her gyftes fall Catche who so may, she throweth great and fine.

1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie iii. xix. 194 We do..catch the ball..before it come to the ground.

1602 R. Carew Surv. Cornwall i. f. 73^v Some indifferent person throweth vp a ball, the which whosoeuer can catch, and cary through his aduersaries goale, hath wonne the game.

1690 Pagan Prince xiv. 42 These Arch Angels will guard ye.., and when they see a Cannon Bullet coming toward ye.., will catch it like a Stool Ball, and throw it to the Devil.

1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 160. ¶11 Tossing up Eggs, and catching them again without breaking them.

1752 Game at Cricket in New Universal Mag. Nov. 582 So as to hinder the bowler from catching her.

1840 H. Willis in K. Meadows Heads of People I. 277 He next threw a rusty sword into the air, and catching it as it descended, balanced it on his chin.

1875 Our Boys & Girls Mar. 179/2 Throw up the jack, catch it on the back of the hand.

1944 W. S. Maugham Razor's Edge v. 186 By sheer luck I caught the plate, but the bread and butter was scattered on the floor.

1969 Sunday Dominion-Post (Morgantown, W. Virginia) 20 July 2 d/1 They say he can't catch.

2015 J. Niven All Bright Places 204 He catches a ball that comes zinging our way.

b. transitive. To collect (a liquid or other substance which is dripping, precipitating, etc.), esp. in a container. Also of a container or a surface such as a filter, etc.: to intercept and retain (a liquid or other substance).

ΚΠ

1627 Continued Iovrnall Proc. Duke of Bvckingham in Isle of Ree 30 Aug. 5 They are forst to set vp Sheets in many places of the Fort to catch Raine water to drinke.

1684 T. Burnet Theory of Earth i. 59 They [sc. Earthy particles] might be catcht and stopt there in their descent.

1734 G. Sale Preliminary Disc. i. 3 in tr. Koran The inhabitants are obliged to use rain water which they catch in cisterns.

1784 R. Kirwan Elements Mineral. iv. xiii. 339 The sulphur may be caught on the filter.

1867 G. MacDonald Ann. Quiet Neighbourhood III. vii. 166 Find a basin or plate..and put it to catch the drop here.

1888 W. W. Fisher Elem. Chem. vii. 72 In order to catch any nitric oxide which would otherwise pass away, and be lost in the air, a tower..filled with coke is interposed.

1906 Automobile 11 Oct. 489/1 A dust-pan covered with canvas..protects the working parts, helps to deaden sound and catches dripping oil.

1955 K. Hutton & A. Swallow Chem. for Gen. Sci. i. 5 Pour the contents of the tube into a fluted filter and catch the filtrate in a porcelain dish.

2014 Star Tribune (Minneapolis) (Nexis) 22 Apr. 1 a Water that's first used to cool machinery is caught and piped to filtering tanks, then reused.

49. transitive. Cricket. To dismiss (a batter) by catching the ball after it has been struck and before it touches the ground. Frequently in passive. See earlier to catch out 2a at Phrasal verbs 1.Cf. also to catch and bowl (a person) at Phrases 11a, to be caught behind at behind adv., prep., and n. Phrases 3.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > dismissal of batsman > put out [verb (transitive)] > manner of dismissal

bowl1719

to run out1750

catch1789

stump1789

st.1797

to throw out1832

rattle1841

to pitch out1858

clean-bowl1862

skittle1880

shoot1900

skittle1906

trap1919

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > fielding > field [verb (transitive)] > catch

to catch out1712

hold1752

catch1789

take1836

pouch1910

1789 Morning Star 27 June Pilcher, 4 caught by Beldam.

1814 Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury 19 Aug. 3/2 Rutland Cricket-match...Rev. Williams. 14 runs. Bowled out by Sherwin. Mr. Black. 0. Ditto by King. Mr. Keal. 31. Caught by Hammon.

1851 J. Pycroft Cricket Field ii. 29 Old Robinson..had six unlucky innings in succession: once caught by Hammond, from a draw; then bowled with shooters, or picked up at short slip.

1897 K. S. Ranjitsinhji Jubilee Bk. Cricket iii. 135 A man is put to catch him between where square-leg might be and where long-on is.

1930 Times 15 Aug. 4/2 Riley was caught at the wicket..before he had had time to avoid his pair.

1963 A. Ross Australia 63 viii. 153 Barrington made 33,..before flicking at an outswinger and being caught at slip.

2013 Cricketer Sept. 58/3 Robinson and Rice were both caught on the leg side while trying to steady the required run-rate.

50.

a. In baseball and softball.

(a) intransitive. To play in the position of catcher (catcher n. 3b).

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > baseball > play baseball [verb (intransitive)] > catch

catch1870

1870 Daily Cleveland (Ohio) Herald 11 June Mart. King, who was catching in the game between the Chicago and Garden City clubs.

1890 W. Carleton City Legends 37 ‘An' will you pitch or catch?’ Says I, ‘I'll catch, if so desired’.

1950 Bath (Maine) Independent 4 May 4/5 Weeks used three pitchers..with W. Munsey catching.

1987 G. Carter & J. Hough Dream Season ii. 13 I was catching when Scott fanned Jesse Barfield..with a pitch that must have shot sideways four feet.

2009 Progress (Clearfield, Pa.) 14 July 10/4 I haven't caught in a long time... I'm not sure I want make my first All-Star appearance as a catcher.

(b) transitive. To act as catcher for (a pitcher).

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > baseball > play baseball [verb (transitive)] > catch

catch1887

trap1892

shag1913

1887 Courier-Jrnl. (Louisville, Kentucky) 26 May 2/6 Young Love Cross caught Ramsey in fine style, and Greer also handled Porter's delivery as well as could be desired.

1907 Des Moines (Iowa) Daily News 28 Mar. 10/4 George Graham..found the task of catching the thirteen pitchers in the local contingent entirely beyond his strength.

1966 Northwest Arkansas Times 28 July 8/1 Trying to make heads or tails out of that Far Eastern League is tougher than catching Koufax with a golf glove.

2009 Progress (Clearfield, Pa.) 14 July 10/3 For catchers that have not caught a knuckleball pitcher, a knuckleball, it's really not fun.

b. intransitive. figurative. U.S. slang (originally Prison slang). To act as the receptive partner in (esp. homosexual) anal intercourse. Frequently contrasted with pitch (pitch v.² 15b).

ΚΠ

1967 M. Braly On the Yard xiv. 250 ‘They say, if you pitch, you'll catch. Any truth in that?’ ‘I ain't been tempted yet... But maybe if you give me a little kiss on the ear.’

1976 T. Capote in Esquire May 122/1 ‘Tell me, Jones. Is there anything you won't do?’ ‘I won't catch. I'll pitch. But I won't catch.’ ‘Ah, so?.. Is this a moral prejudice?’ ‘Not really. Hemorrhoids.’

1994 W. Deverell Kill all Lawyers (1995) xlii. 312 Brovak decided against hasty action. The correct approach was not to ask this fruit fly whether he preferred to pitch or catch.

2017 @OfTheTides 8 May in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) I don't bat sloppy seconds, dear. And..If I'm honest, I prefer to catch rather than pitch.

51. transitive. U.S. regional (chiefly southern and Midwest). To assist in the birth of (a baby).

ΚΠ

1878 Defiance County (Ohio) Express 8 Mar. The Doctors report brisk business catching babies, all boys.

1928 J. M. Peterkin Scarlet Sister Mary xxiv. 282 ‘I been catchin chillen all night.’ ‘How much you catch, Auntie?’ Maum Hannah held up both hands to the sky. ‘Three. Mary had triplets.’

1977 R. R. Parfitt Birth Primer iv. 101 Worldwide, 80% of newborns are caught by midwives.

2002 P. Vincent Baby Catcher ii. 75 While she caught babies among the redwoods in Mendocino, I assisted laboring women in a white-tiled delivery room.

Phrases

P1. to catch one's death: (originally) to die; to be killed; (later) (more fully to catch one's death of cold): to catch cold and die; (hence, in weakened sense) to suffer from being exposed to the cold; to catch a severe cold.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > be in ill health [verb (intransitive)] > fall ill > fatally

to catch one's deathc1325

to catch one's death of cold1739

the world > health and disease > ill health > injury > injure [verb (intransitive)] > be injured > be wounded > suffer mortal wound

to catch one's deathc1325

the world > life > death > [verb (intransitive)] > receive fatal illness or injury

to catch one's death of cold1739

the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disorder of respiratory organs > have disorder of respiratory organ [verb (intransitive)] > catch cold

to catch a coldc1460

to get, have, or take a cold1537

to catch one's death of cold1739

to catch one's death1861

c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 7708 Richard caȝte þer is deþ.

c1475 (a1400) Sir Amadace (Taylor) in J. Robson Three Early Eng. Metrical Romances (1842) 30 (MED) I traue I haue keȝte my dede.

1573 G. Gascoigne Hundreth Sundrie Flowres 357 By too too much Dan Croesus caught his death, And bought with bloud the price of glittering gold.

1599 W. Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet ii. iv. 52 Beshrewe your heart for sending me about To catch my death with iaunsing vp and downe.

1691 G. Miege New State Eng. i. xiii. 179 The beautifull Rosamond..catched her Death, by the poysonous Dose the jealous Queen forced upon her.

1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 517. ¶2 I am afraid he caught his Death the last County Sessions.

1739 Gentleman's Relig. 46 Having caught her Death of Cold in a large Room, or being stewed to Death in a small one.

1851 N. Hawthorne Memoria 53 I must take care of this little girl immediately, or she will catch her death-a-cold.

1861 Southern Lit. Messenger Nov. 343/2 You'll ketch yer death in this bad night air.

1908 R. B. Newman Belle Islers xxxvi. 374 She waded through the slush and caught her death of cold, and that was the end of her.

1986 D. Koontz Strangers i. i. 25 You shouldn't come out on a night like this without a sweater. You'll catch your death.

2016 Facts (Clute, Texas) 4 Apr. 20/2 Do get into dry clothing before you catch your death of cold.

†P2. In various idiomatic expressions in which catch is equivalent in meaning to take.

a. to catch one's leave: to say goodbye; to take one's leave. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 1053 Wiþ clipping & kessing þei kauȝt here leue.

c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 1118 Þay..Kysten ful comlyly & kaȝten her leue.

a1500 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Trin. Dublin) l. 1693 (MED) Þan bowys he..Keches lufly hys leue.

b. to catch haste: to hurry; to make haste. Obsolete. rare.

ΚΠ

a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1957) iii. x. l. 51 The scharp dreid maid ws so to cach haist.

c. to catch council: to seek consultation. Obsolete. rare.

ΚΠ

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 50^v Counsell was kaght of knightes & oþer.

d. to catch the field: to occupy a battlefield. Obsolete. rare.

ΚΠ

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 127^v Thre thowsaund full þro þrang into batell..kaghten the fild.

P3. catch as catch can and variants.

a. Used in various constructions to refer to a situation in which one is free to take what one can, or (more generally) to exploit the opportunity for personal gain, esp. disregarding rules or moral principles; (in later use also) with reference to a disorganized situation in which one does the best one can.

(a) In predicative use, and as a noun.

ΘΚΠ

the world > existence and causation > causation > chance or causelessness > [noun] > haphazardness or randomness

catch as catch cana1393

die1548

hazard1548

random1565

haphazard1569

chance-medley1583

lay1584

lottery1593

haphazarding1787

randomness1803

haphazardness1857

happy-go-luckiness1866

chanciness1870

flukiness1888

haphazardry1910

randomicity1936

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > fighting sports > wrestling > [noun] > types of wrestling

catch as catch cana1393

in-play1713

Cumberland and Westmorland (style, etc.)1823

Cornish wrestling1824

arm-wrestling1846

professional wrestling1884

sumo1893

all in1934

mud-wrestling1936

lucha libre1943

wrist-wrestling1973

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vii. l. 4422 Among thebreus was non insihte, Bot cacche who that cacche myhte, And ech of hem hise lustes soghte.

1653 S. Fisher Παιδοβαπτιζοντες Παιδιζοντες: Baby-baptism 605 Among whom [sc. the Clergie] its catch as catch can too, so that some get all..and some none.

1656 J. Harrington Common-wealth of Oceana 135 An occasionall Committee, exposed unto the catch that catch may, of the parties interested.

1787 W. Pick Sportsman & Breeder's Vade Mecum 186 The Deep-one..plays catch as catch can, And he who out-schemes us is held the best man.

1858 S. Austral. Weekly Chron. 23 Oct. (Suppl.) 1/5 Mr. Babbage..has treated the Government to a game of ‘Catch who catch may,’ having packed up his traps and set out..on a three months' expedition.

1997 J. Sallis Eye of Cricket xxxvii. 188 I..quit trying to force patterns..onto the catch-as-catch-can of what I actually lived, the rigorous disorder of my days.

(b) In the verb phrase to catch as catch can (and variants).

ΚΠ

a1529 J. Skelton Why come ye nat to Courte (?1545) sig. A.ii^v So That rage must make pyllage To catche that catche may.

1673 J. Arrowsmith Reformation iii. ii. 30 Here Gallants take these keys. Now you may enter and catch who catch can a la mode d' Angleterre.

1752 S. Johnson Rambler No. 197. ⁋3 In a world where all must catch that catch can.

1833 Age 15 Sept. 293/2 The young gemmen's plan was to catch as catch can.

1907 Medico-pharmaceutical Critic & Guide Dec. 167 There are many things taught in the colleges, so that the young physician is bewildered and catches as catch can.

1985 Listener 7 Mar. 14/2 The concept of broadcasting based on cities..leaves large areas in between to catch-as-catch-can, by cable television or home earth terminal.

2010 C. Read Rise & Fall Econ. Empire xxx. 262 Financial and industrial capitalists alike tried to expand what was theirs... Everyone was catching as catch can.

(c) Used as a parenthetic proverbial phrase.

ΚΠ

1540 J. Palsgrave tr. G. Gnapheus Comedye of Acolastus Prol. sig. Bij^v Yea Terence bearyng wytnes, is set forth in the myddes. i. set forth free for all men (catche who catche maye) it can not, not be to prayse. i. it can not be but prayse worthy, [etc.].

1555 J. Heywood Two Hundred Epigrammes with Thyrde sig. E.i^v Catch that catch may.

1616 F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Scornful Ladie i. sig. B4^v Men, weomen, and all woe: catch that catch may.

1821 J. Edmeston Anston Park vi. 59 I might, perhaps, have been a lady, if I had been like some servants—catch as catch can;—but I always loved to wait upon you.

1935 Winnipeg Free Press 22 Mar. 15/6 A good name is better than gold. A penny saved is a penny gained...Catch that catch may.

(d) As an adjectival phrase (chiefly in attributive use). Now usually with hyphens.

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1833 Standard 8 Feb. A ‘catch and catch can’ game among the youths and sages to whom is intrusted the destiny of Great Britain.

a1854 E. Grant Mem. Highland Lady (1988) I. xiv. 300 At the schools it is a sort of catch who can system, get all you can, deceive all you can, conceal all you can.

1907 J. H. Moore With Speaker Cannon through Tropics xiii. 359 We finished our catch-as-catch-can breakfast, and began to make plans for another day on the island.

1974 Washington Post 15 Dec. b5/2 Moser..views the clinical training as ‘very unstructured, very catch-as-catch-can. If they happen to get with a physician who is a good teacher, they are fine’.

1993 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 3 Mar. 6/2 The catch-as-catch-can atmosphere of Lombard Street and Wall Street.

2013 J. Lotz Pilgrim Souls i. iv. 80 I had adapted to the catch-as-catch-can life of a freelancer, becoming a snapper-up of unconsidered trifles.

b. Wrestling. Now usually with hyphens. Used to indicate a manner of wrestling in which few holds or throws are barred.

(a) As an adverbial phrase.The phrase is used in quot. 1617 in the context of wrestling, but probably shows the use covered at Phrases 3a.

ΚΠ

1617 T. Middleton & W. Rowley Faire Quarrell ii. sig. E2 Chaw. Ile wrastle with any man for a good supper. Trim. I marry sir, ile take your part there, catch that catch may.]

1836 Bell's Life in London 20 Mar. Wrestling.—A match has been made between the Oldham and Bolton champions, for £20 a-side, the best out of three fair back-falls, catch as catch can.

1879 St. Louis (Missouri) Globe-Democrat 18 Apr. 2/3 John McMahon..challenged Prof. Wm. Miller to wrestle, ‘catch as catch can’, with the use of the feet, for $500 a side.

1938 Daily Mail 22 Aug. 13/5 Wright is here to wrestle catch-as-catch-can with Earl McCready.

(b) As an adjectival phrase (in attributive use).

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1867 Standard 13 Aug. 6 The other sports included wrestling in the ‘catch who catch can’ style.

1898 Earl of Suffolk et al. Encycl. Sport II. 548/2 The principal chips associated with catch as catch can wrestling are the double Nelson, the half Nelson, the heave [etc.].

1905 Daily Chron. 21 Dec. 9/5 A catch-as-catch-can wrestler needs to be wonderfully active.

1992 Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 31 Aug. 4 Robert McNamara received the McPherson Challenge Trophy for his two wins in the catch-as-catch-can and Cumberland-style unlimited weight categories.

(c) As a noun; (sometimes) spec. a style of wrestling first introduced in the 1870s, deriving principally from Lancashire wrestling (now historical). Also figurative.

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1901 Black & White Budget 30 Nov. 315/1 The Lancashire style of wrestling, with which the Catch-as-Catch-Can is largely identical, is perhaps the roughest in the world.

1935 C. Isherwood Mr. Norris changes Trains xv. 243 Arthur's orientally sensitive spirit shrank from the rough, healthy, modern catch-as-catch-can of home-truths and confessions.

2011 Sunday Times (Nexis) 20 Mar. (London 2012 Suppl.) Freestyle wrestling developed in part from catch-as-catch-can, a form popular in the 19th century at fairs in Britain and America.

P4. to catch one's breath and variants.

(a) To inhale; to take a breath or breaths; to breathe freely. In later use: esp. to rest and recover one's normal rate of breathing, after a period of vigorous activity.

ΘΚΠ

the world > life > the body > respiratory organs > breathing > breathe [verb (intransitive)] > recover

to take (one's, a) breatha1398

to catch one's breath1806

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iii. l. 1461 Sche cawhte breth and seide thus.

1482 W. Caxton tr. Higden's Prolicionycion vi. xxi. f. cccx^v Atte laste by prayers of goode men that stode aboute hym he caught breth and sente for the clerke.

1763 J. Johnson New Royal & Universal Eng. Dict. II. To respire, to breathe. To catch breath.

1794 W. Billings Continental Harmony p. xvii Instead of saying, that you may stop to take breath, I should have said that you may stop to catch breath; and even that must be done without losing time.

1806 N. Curtis in T. M. Harris Disc. delivered before Humane Soc. 26 In about ten minutes he was observed to gape and catch his breath, and gradually recovered.

1817 J. Riley Authentic Narr. Loss Amer. Brig Commerce iii. 30 The billows..following each other in quick succession, scarcely gave us time to catch a breath before we were again literally swallowed by them.

1882 S. R. Watkins 1861 vs. 1882 ‘Co. Aytch’ xiii. 169 We had been charging and running, and had stopped to catch our breath right under their reserve and main line of battle.

1920 S. Lewis Main St. x. 112 She hastened from shelter to shelter, catching her breath in the lee of a barn.

2005 R. Horsfall Dancing on Thorns xviii. 277 Michel..leant over and propped his hands on his knees, struggling to catch his breath. He was soaked in sweat.

(b) figurative. To take a (short) pause in which to reflect, relax, or restore one's equilibrium after a period of intense activity, emotional upheaval, etc.; to regain one's composure sufficiently to assimilate or evaluate changed circumstances.

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1833 J. Downing Let. 10 June in Newburyport Herald 18 June 1/3 When we've been on the road I couldn't catch my breath hardly long enough to write my name.

1882 C. E. L. Riddell Daisies & Buttercups III. v. 127 Banks closed, and duns keeping quiet within their own houses, and debtors trying to catch their breath.

1918 U.S. Investor June 1000/1 When it was over and you had caught your breath, you did your full share in Red Cross and other campaigns.

1975 M. Mayer Nature of Beast vi. 331 The prolongation of adolescence..indicates a year or two off, before or during college, for kids to catch their breath, write poetry, sling hash.

2012 H. D. Winokuer & D. L. Harris Princ. & Pract. Grief Counselling v. 70 This is all just too much to absorb—it is too many losses and too many adjustments without a chance to catch your breath in between.

b. To check the breath suddenly, esp. as a result of feeling surprise, joy, desire, or other strong emotion; to gasp (cf. to hold one's (also the) breath at breath n. Phrases 5a). Also in to catch a person's breath: to cause a person to check his or her breath suddenly or gasp.

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1701 J. Norris Of Relig. Disc. in Common Conversat. 39 Without any Sighing or Winking, or Catching the Breath, or Skrewing up the Mouth.

1760 Ordinary of Newgate's Acct. iv. 6/1 Even when arraigned she sobbed and caught her breath, as if foretasting the death she expected.

1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple III. ix. 120 ‘I see her,’ replied I, catching my breath with joy.

1855 Ld. Tennyson Maud xiv. iv, in Maud & Other Poems 49 I..Felt a horror..Prickle my skin and catch my breath.

1883 M. Oliphant Hester III. ii. 37 What even if it did not succeed? It blanched his countenance and caught his breath to think of this.

1932 G. Greene Stamboul Train i. i. 12 A face..that made her catch her breath with longing.

1948 C. Rice Big Midget Murders viii. 63 He glanced around at the walls, caught his breath, and said, Great Jumping Joshua.

2012 T. Hardie House of Wind Prol. 1 The vista to each side of the narrow road will catch your breath at any hour, in any season.

P5. to catch fire (also afire, on fire).

a. To ignite; to begin to burn; to burst into flames.Cf. to take fire at fire n. and int. Phrases 2l(a).

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > passion > ardour or fervour > become ardent or fervent [verb (intransitive)] > become inflamed with passion

heata1225

tind1297

lowea1333

anheat1340

to catch firec1400

kindlea1450

to take firea1513

inflame1559

broil1561

calenturea1657

the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > burning > burn or be on fire [verb (intransitive)] > catch fire or begin to burn

quicka1225

kindle?c1225

tindc1290

atend1398

to catch fire (also afire, on fire)c1400

quickenc1425

enkindle1556

fire1565

to set on fire1596

take1612

catch1632

conflagrate1657

to fly on fire1692

to go up1716

deflagrate1752

flagrate1756

inflame1783

ignite1818

to fire up1845

c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xvii. l. 219 A candel þat cauȝte hath fyre & blaseth.

1558 T. Phaer tr. Virgil Seuen First Bks. Eneidos v. sig. P.iv His arow swift from him did flie, In sight it caught a fyer, and flamyng forth it went in skie.

1587 J. Polemon 2nd Pt. Bk. Battailes sig. J The barrelles of Gunpouder that were in one of the shippes caught on fire.

1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 45 In Illyricum there is a cold spring, ouer which, if ye spread any clothes, they catch a fire and burne.

1687 J. Clayton Let. in R. Boyle Corr. (2001) VI. 220 We found a shelly coale, the Candle being then put down into the hole, the Air catched fire.

1761 W. Lewis Mat. Med. (ed. 2) 445 Fine petroleum catches fire on the approach of a flaming body.

1796 H. Hunter tr. J.-H. B. de Saint-Pierre Stud. Nature (1799) I. 480 But how comes it, that air and water, though agitated ever so much, never catch fire?

1826 Asiatic Jrnl. & Monthly Reg. Oct. 379 A number of rockets were thrown at the car, until at length it caught fire and blew up.

1880 Baltimore Underwriter 5 Mar. 105/1 The heroine gets too near an open grate and the train of her dress catches fire.

1950 M. F. McKeown Them was Days iv. 74 It was the only way to put out a fire once one of them stick chimneys caught on fire inside.

1971 in R. Allsopp Dict. Caribbean Eng. Usage (1996) (at cited word) One building obliquely opposite the service station-restaurant caught afire, and the roof and first storey..were destroyed.

2006 St. Petersburg (Florida) Times (Nexis) 22 Sept. 5 a An underground electrical cable caught fire Thursday, sending smoke billowing into the streets.

b. figurative. Of a person, a person's temperament, etc.: to be filled with passion, enthusiasm, energy, etc.; to become inflamed with strong emotion; (of an emotion) to be aroused suddenly; to flare up. Also (in later use) of a campaign, an idea, etc.: to grow or develop rapidly; to flourish.Cf. to take fire at fire n. and int. Phrases 2l(b).

ΚΠ

1533 tr. Erasmus Enchiridion Militis Christiani xiv. sig. Lvi^v The disposycion of man is frayle and prone to vyces, he catcheth mischeuous ensample at ones: none otherwyse than thou catchest fyre if it be put to.

1653 Z. Bogan Medit. Mirth Christian Life ii. 181 As if hatred could no sooner be kindled; but sorrow, and trouble must presently catch a fire.

1734 I. Watts Reliquiæ Juveniles lii. 208 His Soul catch'd Fire.

1872 ‘G. Eliot’ Middlemarch I. ii. xxii. 402 I have a hyperbolical tongue: it catches fire as it goes.

1886 ‘H. Conway’ Living or Dead x. 106 Now, don't catch on fire like that, Philip.

1937 Montana Standard 12 June 8/1 No one figured he would catch afire. But he did. Knocking 'em a mile, chipping 'em dead and rolling 'em in, he blazed the first nine in 33.

1955 Titusville (Pa.) Herald 13 Jan. 2/4 Sparked by enthusiastic workers, the recreation park campaign caught on fire from the start.

1982 S. K. Penman Sunne in Splendour (1984) i. viii. 101 His normally phlegmatic temperament suddenly caught fire.

2015 Wall St. Jrnl. 11 Apr. c4/5 Dozens of gender-neutral pronouns have been put forth over the years, including ‘thon’, ‘xe’ and ‘ze’, but all have failed to catch fire.

P6. to catch hold and variants.

a. Chiefly with of, †at, or on. To take hold of (a person or thing) with the hands; to seize; to grasp. Also of a thing: to become attached to.Cf. to take hold at hold n.¹ Phrases a.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > possession > taking > seizing > seize [verb (transitive)]

gripea900

afangOE

to lay hands (or hand) on or upon (also in, to)OE

repeOE

atfonga1000

keepc1000

fang1016

kip1297

seize1338

to seize on or upon1399

to grip toc1400

rapc1415

to rap and rendc1415

comprise1423

forsetc1430

grip1488

to put (one's) hand(s) on (also in, to, unto, upon)1495

compass1509

to catch hold1520

hap1528

to lay hold (up)on, of1535

seisin?c1550

cly1567

scratch1582

attach1590

asseizea1593

grasp1642

to grasp at1677

collar1728

smuss1736

get1763

pin1768

grabble1796

bag1818

puckerow1843

nobble1877

jump1882

snaffle1902

snag1962

pull1967

the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold [verb (transitive)] > lay hold of or grasp

i-fangc888

gripc950

repeOE

befongOE

keepc1000

latchc1000

hentOE

begripec1175

becatchc1200

fang?c1200

i-gripea1225

warpa1225

fastenc1225

arepa1250

to set (one's) hand(s onc1290

kip1297

cleach?a1300

hendc1300

fasta1325

reachc1330

seizec1374

beclipc1380

takea1387

span1398

to seize on or upon1399

getc1440

handc1460

to catch hold1520

to take hold1530

to lay hold (up)on, of1535

grasple1553

to have by the backa1555

handfast1562

apprehend1572

grapple1582

to clap hold of1583

comprehend1584

graspa1586

attach1590

gripple1591

engrasp1593

clum1594

to seize of1600

begriple1607

fast hold1611

impalm1611

fista1616

to set (one's) hand to1638

to get one's hands on1649

1520 Dyetary Ghostly Helthe sig. a.v Beware that the deuyll in no wyse fynde you in this snare, but yf ye be caught therin, breke out betymes before he catche holde vpon you.

1529 T. More Supplyc. Soulys ii. f. xxxvi^v He wold gladly cach hold of sum small handell to kepe hys money fast.

1537 W. Tyndale Expos. Epist. John 80 The deuel can ketch no hold on them.

1607 N. Geffe tr. O. de Serres Perfect Vse Silke-wormes 96 The threeds wil catch hold at the said broome, or bushes.

1645 G. Walker Sermon 3 That is the Dog-bryar, and of all Brambles is most full of sharp hooked pricks,..so that they rend and teare where they catch hold.

1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 249 I catch'd hold of Friday.

1772 R. B. Sheridan Let. July (1966) I. 31 I stept up and caught hold of his wrist or the hilt of his sword.

1862 Knickerbocker Feb. 202 Wait till they ‘ketch hold on 'im’—‘that's all.’

1879 Scribner's Monthly Dec. 228/1 The tender rootlets catch hold of this at once, and in a day or two the plant is growing as well as ever.

1956 R. Chase Amer. Folk Tales 37 That tree..had a few low branches to it, so she caught hold on them and cloomb right on up.

1972 B. K. Wilson Tales told to Kabbarli 30 Catch hold, catch hold, and I will pull you out!

2009 C. Unsworth Bad Penny Blues xxx. 297 Jackie caught hold of my hand and squeezed it.

b. figurative. Without construction. Of disease, a fire, etc.: to begin to spread; to take hold. Also of an idea, initiative, etc.: to gain support or popularity; to become established.Cf. to take hold at hold n.¹ Phrases b.

ΚΠ

1529 T. More Supplyc. Soulys ii. f. xxix^v The fyre..shall..in the sowlys that are vnclensyd..hastely catch holde and kepe them fast & burne them wyth incessaunt payn.

1554 J. Gwynneth Declar. State wherin Heretikes leade Liues xxii. f. 12 It pleaseth the goodnes of god, that trewe faith, with good zele, shall yet catche holde.

1600 J. Perrott 1st Part Consideration Humane Condition ii. i. 29 If thou be noble borne, then commonly pride and presumption catch holde and lay such violent handes on thy will.

1656 Duchess of Newcastle Natures Pictures x. 294 Fire having a nature to catch hold, and to dilate, and so to feed it self upon all things.

1784 D. Young Observ. Fire 46 They threw earth upon the lint stacks that were close by the mill, which prevented the fire from catching hold.

1894 Rocky Mountain News (Denver) 27 Aug. 2/4 ‘Do it again!’ rose above the din, and the idea catching hold developed into a loud roar, ‘Do it again!’

1922 Theatre Mag. Feb. 110/1 It is interesting to see how this idea caught hold and spread.

1989 H. Johnson Story of Wine xxxv. 357 Fungus diseases caught hold and ravaged the vineyards.

2008 St. Petersburg (Florida) Times (Nexis) 6 Apr. 1 b Despite backing from several top civic leaders and the chamber of commerce, the initiative never caught hold.

c. figurative. Chiefly with of. To seize, grasp, or appropriate (an idea, a fact, etc.); (also) to gain control over.Cf. to take hold at hold n.¹ Phrases b.

ΚΠ

1581 R. Mulcaster Positions v. 32 It is more then likely, wherof so euer the first charact came, that necessitie caught hold of it, to serue her owne tourne.

1610 T. Morton Encounter against M. Parsons ii. xi. 158 The impietie whereof..durst more boldly seeke refuge at Gods sanctuary euen the holy Scripture, and there to catch hold at the examples of Christ his speeches.

1692 J. Washington tr. J. Milton Def. People Eng. ii. 26 This Saying you catch'd hold off, thinking it would make for your purpose.

1782 in Asiatic Ann. Reg. 1808 (1811) 591/2 I saw that there would be people enough cooly to catch hold of his idea.

1806 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 5 Apr. 481 To catch hold of some of the prominent facts will be sufficient for every present purpose.

1865 Evangelical Repository Dec. 101 Libertinism and indulgence and vice have caught hold of multitudes of the world's youth.

1935 C. Beaton Diary in Self Portrait with Friends (1979) vi. 48 Mrs Simpson proved an exceptionally difficult woman to draw. I found nothing facile to catch hold of.

1990 G. Claridge et al. Sounds from Bell Jar Pref. p. xi Dr Claridge..caught hold of our airy assumptions..and tethered them to the firm ground of his own discipline.

2001 Independent (Nexis) 11 June (Features section) 7 In Japan they think I'm an angel, and I don't think that's entirely accurate. Hopefully they won't catch hold of that idea in England.

P7. Proverb. you can't catch an old bird with chaff and variants: a wise or experienced person cannot easily be deceived. Also in allusive use. Now rare.

c1600 Timon (1980) iv. ii. 56 An olde birde is not caught with chaffe Hee that will cheate mee must arise betimes.

1674 J. Golborne Friendly Apol. 17 If you resolve to be wise, and to laugh At all his follies, are not catch'd with chaff Of vain pretences.

1732 Compl. Coll. Rep., Lyes, & Stories i. 49 Others said, that the Whigs were old Birds, they would not be catch'd with Chaff.

1815 D. Humphreys Yankey in Eng. i. 21 I guess, he is trying to ketch me—but it won't du. I'm tu old a bird to be ketch'd with chaff.

1855 W. M. Thackeray Newcomes II. xv. 144 They ogled him as they sang..with which chaff our noble bird was by no means to be caught.

1936 C. F. Gregg Danger at Cliff House v. 45 Henry Prince was too old a bird to be caught with such chaff.

1975 Miami (Okla.) News-Record 30 Mar. b11/3 Saul of Tarsus, not a man to be caught with chaff, heard this message and believed.

†P8. to catch the air: to pant; to struggle for breath. Obsolete. rare.Cf. to catch one's breath at Phrases 4.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disordered breathing > have or cause breathing disorder [verb (intransitive)] > become short of breath > gasp or catch breath

gape1352

gaspa1393

to catch the aira1616

kink1691

keck1721

a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 2 (1623) iii. ii. 375 A greeuous sicknesse..That makes him gaspe, and stare, and catch the aire, Blaspheming.

P9. In phrases with nouns denoting acts of seeing.

a. to catch a glimpse (also a sight, a view, etc.) of and variants: to see suddenly or briefly. Also figurative.Cf. phrases with have and get at have v. 10b(b) and get v. 8b.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > succeed in seeing or catch sight of

underyetec1000

aspya1250

kenc1275

ofyetec1275

choosea1300

akenc1300

descrivec1300

ofkenc1300

readc1300

espyc1320

descryc1330

spyc1380

discernc1405

discover1553

scan1558

scry1558

decern1559

describe1574

to make out1575

escry1581

interview1587

display1590

to set sight of (in)c1595

sight1602

discreevec1650

glance1656

to catch a glimpse of1679

steal1731

oversee1735

glimpse1779

twig1796

to clap eyes on1838

spot1848

sky1900

1679 tr. M.-C.-H. de Villedieu Unfortunate Heroes 258 Nerisa had convey'd her self away with such speed, that I could not catch a sight of her.

1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones II. v. x. 203 Caught a View of the Lovers just as they were sinking out of Sight.

1761 Kept Mistress 135 You catch a Sight of a pretty Face in a broken Glass.

1825 A. Knapp & W. Baldwin Newgate Cal. IV. 378/1 My daughter caught a sight of me.

1872 W. H. Dixon W. Penn (rev. ed.) i. 2 He caught some glimpses of the pirate holds.

1944 ELH 11 139 In Byron's social career we catch glimpses of the true Regency buck in all his glittering aspects.

2010 C. Karras & S. M. Zusy Motorcycle Touring in Pacific Northwest viii. 79 On a short stretch of the highway about 10 miles southeast of Sisters, you may also catch a brief view of Mount Jefferson.

b. to catch sight of.Cf. to lose sight of at sight n.¹ 4c.

(a) To see suddenly; to come suddenly in view of.

ΚΠ

a1726 M. Ashley-Cooper tr. Xenophon Cyropædia (1728) I. ii. 204 An Eagle of happy Omen flying towards them, caught Sight of the Hare as it run.

1797 J. Douglas Hist. Julia D'Haumont I. xi. 198 Being placed with her head towards the fire, lest, catching sight of the portrait, she might again relapse into a fit.

1845 J. Coulter Adventures Pacific ix. 115 I caught sight of a huge seal waddling up out of the water.

1888 West Shore (Portland, Oregon) Mar. 144/2 How I strained my eyes to catch sight of him ahead, as I rounded every curve and angle!

1971 V. Canning Queen's Pawn ii. 32 She caught sight of her face in the small mirror over the kitchen table.

2014 New Yorker 27 Oct. 13/2 The disconcerting change in perspective that occurs when an astronaut first catches sight of the Earth from space.

(b) figurative. To perceive intellectually; to understand; to gain insight into.

ΚΠ

1824 tr. E. De Jouy Sylla Hist. Preamble p. xxvii A theory by which I think I have caught sight of the solution of the great dramatic question which at this moment shares the attention of the literary world.

1885 Cent. Mag. May 76/1 Emerson apparently never caught sight of the fact that in humanity there is a reversal of those laws by which matter and brute-life led up to man.

1902 B. Kidd Princ. Western Civilization x. 343 We catch sight..for the first time in history, of a conception round which a practical system of world-politics..is actually slowly beginning to centre.

1969 A. Lingis tr. E. Lévinas Totality & Infinity 21 Does not lucidity..consist in catching sight of the permanent possibility of war?

2005 N.Y. Times (Nexis) 27 Feb. (Late ed.) (Film section) 1 The show reveals what the industry is thinking in the moment and lets us catch sight of the future.

c. to catch a look and variants: to manage to see, esp. by putting oneself in a particular position or situation. Chiefly with at.

ΚΠ

1757 Poems Several Gentlemen Oxf. 19 Each Student..runs thro' ev'ry Street in Town, To catch a Look at Polly.

a1763 T. Godfrey Prince of Parthia (1765) i. ii. 106 Didst thou observe the croud, their eagerness, Each put the next aside to catch a look?

1848 E. C. Gaskell Mary Barton I. vii. 120 He turned to catch a look at her sweet face.

1964 R. Gover Here goes Kitten 21 I swing about on that stool, catch one look at that face—jes keep right on a-swingin till the stool's facin the bar again.

2008 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 26 Mar. (Today section) 42 This collection is a wonderful opportunity for fans of Olley to catch a look at her amazing works.

P10. colloquial. In phrases expressing emphatically that a person would never do a particular thing. Cf. sense 9a.

a. you won't catch me (also him, her, etc.) —— and variants. Chiefly with present participle.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > impossibility > desire the impossible [phrase] > absence of possibility

you won't catch me1698

not a cat (in hell)'s chance1796

pigs might fly1840

there is (also was, etc.) no way (that)1908

not a hope (also chance) in hell1923

it's (just) not on1935

pigs have wings1936

that'll (also that will) be the day1941

not on your Nelly1959

1698 J. Turner Phisico-theol. Disc. Divine Being 32 I must tell you, that you shall never catch me making Resolutions what to do when I am dying.

1704 Rehearsal of Observator 2 Sept. They shall ne'r Catch me Believing or not Believing, but as serves the Cause.

1741 B. Mills Exam. Remarks Curate of Canterbury 39 He shall never catch me entering the Lists with him again.

1839 Metropolitan Aug. 432 Hackney, to-night!!! a hundred miles to-night!!! sure you are mad!..You'll not catch me doing it, I can tell you.

1870 E. Warren Bloomfield x. 96 All I say is, I hope he'll give part of it [sc. the money] to the poor; but you'll not catch him at that.

1916 W. O. Bradley Stories & Speeches 18 You'll never ketch me hollerin' at no Republican gatherin'.

1952 Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.) 13 Dec. 9/4 He answered in the booming terms typical of his stalwart type, ‘You don't catch me wearing any of those old-fashioned nightshirts!’

2015 Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 24 Oct. 19 If this is what the voters of England want, anyone would think they'd gone mad. You wouldn't catch me saying such a thing, of course.

b. catch me (also him, her, etc.)!; (formerly also) †catch me (also him, her, etc.) at it! and variants.

ΚΠ

1738 J. Swift Treat. Polite Conversat. 15 Ay, Miss, catch him at that, and hang him.

1821 I. Hoole Scenes at Brighton II. i. 7 ‘You had nothing to do but to have sported an upper benjamin, and you could have played the ruffian's part in a minute.’ ‘Catch me at it,’ said Lovelace.

1830 J. Galt Lawrie Todd II. v. iv. 143 Catch me again at such costly daffin.

1886 W. H. Mallock Old Order Changes II. x. 58 He never did a stroke [of work], as you say. Catch him!

1903 Evangelical Episcopalian Aug. 224 ‘Catch me going to the country!’ she said. ‘Why, I'd die of lonesomeness!’

1936 N. Coward Fumed Oak i, in To-night at 8.30 II. 41 Mrs. Rockett: I can always go to a boarding-house or a private hotel. Doris: Catch you!

2005 J. B. Glad Improbable Solution (2006) xii. 108 Catch her going up those stairs to his apartment at the time of day when there was more foot and automobile traffic on Main Street than any other hour!

P11. Cricket.

a. to catch and bowl (a person): (of a bowler) to dismiss (a batter) by catching the ball after it has been struck and before it touches the ground. Chiefly (and in earliest use) in passive. Cf. sense 49.

ΚΠ

1838 Standard 30 Aug. G. Cary, Esq., caught and bowled by Russell.

1883 in Daily Tel. 15 May 2/7 Peate..caught and bowled Hearn.

1904 P. F. Warner How we recovered Ashes v. 78 Rhodes missed catching and bowling Gregory.

1959 Times 7 Aug. 4/2 He was caught and bowled off a steepler.

2011 Independent (Nexis) 7 Mar. (Sport section) 10 Tahir had Trott caught and bowled for 52 from 94 balls.

caught and bowled (a) n. an instance of dismissing a batter in which the bowler catches the ball after it has been struck and before it touches the ground; (b) adj. (of a catch) that is made by the bowler (rare).

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > dismissal of batsman > [adjective] > manner of dismissal

b.1769

leg before wicket1795

lbw1843

caught and bowled1875

spreadeagled1920

1875 Standard 21 Aug. 6 Remnant was got rid of by an easy caught and bowled for a really well hit innings of 25.

1924 J. B. Hobbs My Cricket Mem. 169 Then Mr. Simms got rid of Woolley with a magnificent ‘caught and bowled’.

1950 W. Hammond Cricketers' School v. 52 I have seen Larwood take some of the speediest single-handed caught-and-bowled catches ever put up on any cricket field.

2017 Sun (Nexis) 10 Sept. 58 Broad dropped a caught and bowled offered by Shane Dowrich before the Windies wicketkeeper mispulled Toby Roland-Jones to mid-on.

P12. to catch it.

a. colloquial. To be reprimanded or scolded; to be punished.See also to catch it hot at hot adj. and n.¹ Phrases 5, to catch it in the neck at neck n.¹ Phrases 2b.

ΚΠ

1821 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Sept. 162/2 I would therefore have you stand clear the next time, otherwise you'll catch it.

1834 F. Marryat Jacob Faithful III. ix. 161 We all thought that Tom was about to catch it.

1872 W. Black Strange Adventures Phaeton xvi. 218 He catches it if he does not bring home a fair proportion to his wife.

1921 B. K. Seymour Intrusion (1922) iii. iv. 263 I ran into him to-day coming along to you. I said he'd catch it for coming home before time and disturbing you.

1940 M. de la Roche Whiteoak Chron. i. xii. 107 Good lord..we shall be late for the party and I shall catch it.

2006 Washington Post (Nexis) 12 July b1 She was very, very angry... I just knew from past experience he was going to catch it.

b. Originally Military slang. To be killed or wounded in an attack, esp. by gunfire.

ΚΠ

1837 United Service Jrnl. Aug. 480 The following stave..I wrote myself when I was laid up in ordinary in Greenwich:..At Teneriffe we caught it there, and Nelson lost his good right arm; But all the shots they blazed away, they never did myself much harm.

1886 C. Bell tr. L. Tolstoy War & Peace I. xv. 234 Our hussars will catch it now; they are within range of the guns.

1920 P. Gibbs Now it can be Told iii. 168 ‘We caught it badly,’ said some of them I met later in the day, bandaged and bloody,..while gassed men lay on stretchers about them.

1951 M. Spillane Long Wait v. 66 I don't like the way Minnow died. He was sitting there and bang, just like that he caught it.

1988 L. Sanders Timothy's Game (1989) iii. iv. 328 ‘One of my guys caught it.’ ‘Ah, Jesus,’ Cone says. ‘Bad?’ ‘I think so. It looked bad... Oh, God, what am I going to tell his wife?’

P13. Originally U.S. to be caught short.

a. To be taken by surprise (originally by a change in the stock market); to be put at a sudden disadvantage; to be caught unawares.

ΚΠ

1855 Bangor (Maine) Daily Whig & Courier 26 June With the exception of the few who are caught short in this turn of the market, there is a strong feeling among the brokers that the ‘good time’..is approaching.

1866 Nation 8 Mar. 316/2 The clique has..bought up all the floating Erie, and expects to realize its profit by supplying the luckless speculators who are ‘caught short’.

1920 Econ. Jrnl. 30 118 It is like a ‘bear squeeze’ on a stock market, when bulls have been caught short.

1955 Pacific Stars & Stripes (Tokyo) 10 Oct. 6/4 The signal school wasn't caught short. The ablutions were spotless.

1973 ‘E. Ferrars’ Foot in Grave (1990) vi. 93 If for some reason she happened to be caught short when the bank was closed, the grocer would always cash a cheque.

1996 Independent 15 Jan. 7/3 Mr Handy encouraged young people to build up a ‘portfolio of skills’ so they are not caught short when employment ends suddenly.

2004 Jrnl. Courier (Jacksonville, Illinois) 6 Feb. 6/2 [The father] was caught short when the boy asked, ‘Dad, what's erectile dysfunction?’

b. To be caught by an urgent need to urinate or defecate, especially when there are no toilet facilities available.

ΚΠ

1930 S. J. Perelman Let. 31 Oct. in Don't tread on Me (1987) 7 The gent caught short in Central Park, slips into the bushes and lets down his galluses.

1969 ‘W.A. Ballinger’ Men that God made Mad xvii. 166 She'd made the English think she was caught short out there in the country and she had put them to flight with their faces red.

?1972 R. Galton & A. Simpson Best of Steptoe & Son (1989) 39 I'm sorry to hear about your illness. If you get caught short, the bog's outside.

1991 R. Rendell Kissing Gunner's Daughter (1992) xvi. 198 She could only have been ten minutes from her own house but..it was possible even then, one could be ‘caught short’.

2006 Teen Now Spring 59/3 I was known as ‘pee boy’ growing up because I was always getting caught short.

P14. Rowing. to catch the beginning and variants: to grip the water with the oar at the beginning of a stroke. Cf. catch n.² 12. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > propelling boat by oars, paddle, or pole > propel boat by oars, paddle, or pole [verb (transitive)] > row (a boat) > make a stroke > grip water at the beginning of stroke

to catch the beginning1865

1865 Sporting Gaz. 8 Apr. 253/3 Cambridge..have a fair idea of catching the beginning, but they row the first part of their stroke too much in the air.

1898 Earl of Suffolk et al. Encycl. Sport II. 273/2 The beginning must be caught with full power.

1902 Encycl. Brit. XXXII. 307/2 Swivel rowlocks..are considered unsuitable to eight-oared rowing, where the beginning of the stroke has to be firmly and smartly caught.

1938 Times 19 Mar. 6/7 Stewart, at No 3, was rowing light and was not catching the beginning, but the rest of the crew were keeping a splendid length against the wind.

P15. Surfing. to catch a wave and variants: to move towards and then drop into a wave, so as to be able to ride it. Also figurative and in figurative contexts.

ΚΠ

1907 Evening Jrnl. (Washington, Iowa) 19 Sept. I shall never forget the first big wave I caught out there in the deep water.

1968 W. Warwick Surfriding in N.Z. 2 The Duke..caught a wave and rode it until a short distance from the shore.

1972 Proc. ABA National Marketing Conf. 27 My hope is that this can assist the banking industry in catching the wave of consumerism and riding its crest smoothly to shore.

2016 Independent (Nexis) 7 May 82 Never caught a wave before? No problem. Escape and recharge at one of these beginner-friendly camps.

P16. (I'll) catch you later (also tomorrow, again, etc.) and variants: (as an expression at parting) ‘I'll see you later, tomorrow, etc.’; goodbye for the moment, until tomorrow, etc.See also catch you later alligator in quot. 1978 at alligator n.² 5b, and see you later at later adv., adj., and int. Phrases 1.

ΚΠ

1938 Valley Sunday Star-Monitor-Herald (Brownsville, Texas) 4 Dec. 8/3 Gotta game today, but I'll catch you tomorrow.

1949 Collier's 12 Nov. 55/1 Britten lost a little of his affability. ‘We're around,’ he said. ‘We'll catch you later.’

1972 G. Trudeau Doonesbury (comic strip) in Sarasota (Florida) Herald-Tribune 3 Oct. 6 c/7 ‘Please! Go away!!’ ‘O.K... Catch you tomorrow.’

1997 I. Sinclair Lights out for Territory (1998) 192 Lovely to meet you. Catch you again sometime.

2003 S. Brooke 2cool2btrue xvii. 156 ‘Catch you later,’ she purrs, squeezing his arm.

P17. Caribbean. to catch (one's) arse (also ass): to suffer or undergo misfortune, hardship, or difficulty.Cf. catch-arse n. and adj.

ΚΠ

1956 S. Selvon Lonely Londoners 8 I catching my arse as it is, how I could help them out?

1970 M. Hodge Crick Crack, Monkey (1981) iv. 15 Them that walketh in the paths of corruption will live to ketch dey arse.

2019 @trinimarn 25 Nov. in twitter.com (accessed 30 May 2020) Many folks don't know how he started, but he real ketch arse in the early days.

P18. colloquial (chiefly U.S.) to catch feelings: to develop or experience romantic feelings.Originally in the language of hip-hop.

ΚΠ

1991 ‘Naughty by Nature’ O.P.P. (transcribed from song) in Naughty by Nature She kept on coming back and catchin' feelings.

2001 M. Major 4 Guys & Trouble ii. 31 Hey, hos can be some of the best people on this planet, as long as you don't catch feelings for them.

2011 N. Flowers & C. Parker He was my Man First v. 36 Boning was one thing, but catching feelings for a chick was an entirely different story.

P19. In various idiomatic phrases. to catch (a person) bending: see bend v. 9d. to catch a crab: see crab n.¹ 10. to catch the eye (of): see eye n.¹ Phrases 2c(a). to catch (a person) napping: see nap v.¹ 2. to be caught red-handed: see red-handed adj. 1c. to catch a Tartar: see Tartar n.² 4. to catch (a person) with his or her trousers down: see trousers n. Phrases 4. to catch unawares: see unawares adv. 2b.

Phrasal verbs

PV1. With adverbs in specialized senses. to catch away

†1. transitive. To chase or drive (a person or thing) away. Cf. sense 37. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > causing to go away > command to go away [verb (transitive)] > drive away

feezec890

adriveeOE

aflemeeOE

off-driveeOE

flemeOE

withdrivec1000

adreveOE

to drive outOE

biwevea1300

chasec1300

void13..

catcha1325

firk1340

enchasec1380

huntc1385

to catch awayc1390

forcatch1393

to put offa1398

to cast awaya1400

to put outc1400

repel?a1439

exterminate1541

chasten1548

propulse1548

keir1562

hie1563

depulse1570

band1580

bandy1591

flit1595

ferret1601

profugate1603

extermine1634

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 949 Gredi foueles fellen ðor-on, Đat ðogte abram wel iwel don, Kagte is [= them] wei.]

c1390 (c1300) MS Vernon Homilies in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1877) 57 256 Non of hem lykeþ my play, But alle þei cacche [a1400 Coll. Phys. kache] me away.

c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xii. l. 178 Contricioun is commended, for it caccheth awey synne.

Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 57 Cachyn a-way, abigo.

1528 tr. Aristotle De Cursione Lune xiv. sig. bii If thou that day sekenesse lache No medecyne shal it away catche.

2. transitive. To seize and take away (a thing, or occasionally a person); to snatch or carry away; to take possession of. Also in extended use. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > possession > loss > taking away > take away [verb (transitive)] > forcibly or suddenly

reaveOE

bereavec1320

atreachc1325

ravisha1398

reach?a1400

to catch awayc1400

rendc1450

ravena1513

pull1530

despoila1533

snatch1597

reap1634

extort1785

to pounce away1821

erept1865

the world > space > place > removal or displacement > remove or displace [verb (transitive)] > remove or take away > seize and remove

plitchOE

hentOE

to catch awayc1400

snip1577

c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) l. 1275 Þay [sc. Nebuchadnezzar's army] caȝt away þat condelstik.

?a1425 (a1415) Lanterne of Liȝt (Harl.) (1917) 52 Þei cacchen awey þe goodis of þise celi widowis.

1533 T. More 2nd Pt. Confut. Tyndals Answere iv. p. cii As it were a babe that..waxeth angry wyth the kyghte, for catchynge awaye hys brede and butter.

1583 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Serm. on Deuteronomie xv. 575/2 When a man hauing that regard to selfeprofite, indeuoureth to catch away the poore mans possessions.

1611 Bible (King James) Matt. xiii. 19 Then commeth the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sowen.

a1641 T. Heywood Gen. Hist. Women (1657) ii. 117 It was lawfull for any to steale and catch away each others garments.

1711 Spectator No. 524. ⁋8 These [stragglers] would sometimes very narrowly miss being catched away.

1839 Light from West May 114 The foolish child would fain have the red coal to play with, but the friendly hand catches it away.

1879 Boy's Own Paper 9 Aug. 471/3 Stealing up to the off side of the cab, he caught away the cabman's hat, intending to hide it somewhere.

1944 Collier's 23 Sept. 50/1 Parson Sand..caught away the broom which the boy still held, ran to the nearest window and smashed two upper panes.

2011 N. Jackson Who is my Shelter? xvii. 152 A distant rumble of thunder caught away his last words.

† to catch forth

Obsolete. rare.

1. transitive. To produce (a thing) suddenly; to bring out. Cf. sense 4a.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > do, deal with, acquire, etc., quickly [verb (transitive)] > produce

to catch forthc1450

dispatchc1710

c1450 (c1386) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women (Fairf. 16) (1879) l. 1854 Pryvely she kaught forthe a knyfe.

1843 B. Thorpe tr. Ælfric Homilies I. 617 Afterwards, we who live, and shall be found in the body, will be caught forth with the others in clouds towards Christ.

1908 Smart Set Sept. 130/2 His hand dived ferociously into his pocket; he caught forth something white and shook it under her eyes.

2. transitive. To hasten (a person's fate).

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going or coming out > letting or sending out > let or send out [verb (transitive)] > expel

afferreOE

warpc1000

outdriveOE

wreakc1100

to cast out1297

to cast fortha1382

out-chasec1395

flecchea1400

to shoot forth, out, awaya1400

propel?1440

expulse?a1475

scour1488

out-thrust1532

to catch forthc1540

propulse1548

pulsec1550

unplant1552

to turn out of ——1562

extrude1566

detrude?1567

eliminate1568

deturbate1570

detruse1571

unroost1598

to put by1600

deturb1609

bolt1615

run1631

disembogue1632

out of1656

expel1669

rout1812

to manage (a person) out of1907

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 43 Caches furthe his cold wirdis.

to catch off

1. transitive. To take off (clothing, a hat, etc.) quickly or suddenly; to snatch off. Cf. sense 4a. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > providing with clothing > undressing or removing clothing > undress or remove clothing [verb (transitive)] > take off clothing

to do offeOE

to lay downc1275

to weve offc1290

stripc1320

doffa1375

loose1382

ofdrawa1393

casta1400

to take offa1400

warpa1400

to cast offc1400

to catch offc1400

waivec1400

voidc1407

to put off?a1425

to wap offc1440

to lay from, offc1480

despoil1483

to pull offc1500

slip1535

devest1566

to shift off1567

daff1609

discuss1640

to lay off1699

strip1762

douse1780

shuffle1837

derobe1841

shed1858

skin1861

peel1888

pull1888

the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold [verb (transitive)] > lay hold of or grasp > suddenly or forcibly > and take away

catchc1230

to catch offc1400

c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 237 Ho..Caȝte of her coroun..And haylsed me.

c1440 (a1400) Awntyrs Arthure (Thornton) l. 626 Wilfully dame Waynour..caughte of hir coronalle.

1646 H. Peake Medit. upon Seige xxiv. 85 Pallisadoes..have somtimes spikes of iron..turned back againe like hookes to catch off their apparell that would climbe over them.

1745 J. Cennick Acct. Riot at Exeter 17 Mr. Kennedy..was struck by several, who caught off his Hat and Wig, and pelted him thro' the Crowds with Dung.

1864 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend (1865) I. viii. 68 I have seen him..catch off Mrs. Boffin's bonnet..and send it spinning across the yard.

1906 Idler Mag. Aug. 614/1 Lionardo put his hands to her golden hair, and though her hands met his in quick defence, he caught off her mask.

1974 B. Baldwin Billy Baldwin Remembers xiv. 171 With a graceful sweep of her hand she caught off her hat, then tossed her head back vigorously.

2. intransitive. English regional (south-western). to catch off to sleep: to go to sleep; also (transitive in passive) to be sent to sleep. Now rare.

ΚΠ

1865 Curate of Sadbrooke III. xxi. 294 In his last sermon, which my missus heerd, for I was catched off to sleep, begging your pardon for saying so.

1917 M. P. Willcocks Eyes of Blind xviii. 280 ‘She's catching off to sleep,’ said Lizzie, coming quietly into the lamplit circle where the two men sat.

1934 Taunton Courier 20 June 4/3 When witness stopped the horses, defendant awoke, and nearly fell off. He stated: ‘I was coming down the hill in the sun when I catched off to sleep.’

to catch on

†1. transitive. To hurry or drive (something) along. Also intransitive: to hurry, hasten, press on. Cf. senses 37 and 38. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

a1425 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) II. 364 (MED) Þis is vois made of þe fend, bi which he cacchiþ on his carte.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 33^v Þai..Kachyn on kyndly & þaire course held.

2. intransitive. Chiefly with to. To cling or grip on to something; to take hold.In quot. 1868 transitive (in passive): to be attached to something.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > fact or action of being joined or joining > attachment > be or become attached or affixed [verb (intransitive)] > attach oneself

cleavec1300

grapple1563

to catch on1868

1868 Our Boys & Girls 11 Jan. 34/2 I see, when I stepped on to it [sc. a plank], that somebody had been a movin' on it; but I didn't know the 'tother end was only jest ketched on to the rock.

1870 Ballarat (Victoria) Courier 27 Jan. As the body was carried down the stream Mr Hoskins ran along the banks urging the poor fellow to catch on to the sides.

1908 Official Jrnl. Sept. 12/2 No matter how fast the sleigh may be moving, a number [of boys and girls] catch on, and the rest miss it.

a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) I. xx. 532 Microscopic hooklets or hamuli, catching on to the barbule next in front.

2013 D. Fossen One Night Standoff xi. 127 He caught on to her shoulders and moved her back just a little.

3. intransitive. Originally U.S. colloquial. To gain an understanding of something; to understand, comprehend. Cf. sense 29b.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > understanding > understand [verb (intransitive)] > reach understanding of

reach1582

tumble1846

to catch on1882

waken1899

to wise up1905

to tune in1926

to cotton on1929

plug1948

latch1954

1882 Cent. Mag. Nov. 158 I catch on, my Comrade!

1884 Cambridge (Mass.) Tribune 18 July He Didn't Catch-On to the Pronunciation.

1911 B. L. Standish Dick Merriwell's Commencem. xlviii. 310 Dick looked bewildered. ‘I'm afraid I don't quite catch on,’ he commented.

1963 E. Waugh Let. 2 Feb. (1980) 598 I was never much of a one for parlez-vousing..but..I could often catch on to what the frogs said.

1994 Essence (Nexis) May 74 He was a new jack in the drug culture. He caught on quickly, though, and his business boomed.

2005 Runner's World Oct. 58/3 We kept it quiet for a couple of months. It was hard work, because I'm sure everyone was catching on.

4. intransitive.

a. With to. To adopt, exploit, or take advantage of (a trend, craze, etc.); to recognize the potential of (something).

ΚΠ

1882 Cincinnati Enquirer 16 Jan. 4/1 The Chicago papers are quick to ‘catch on’ to a fire sensation and make the most of it.

1885 Milnor (Dakota Territory) Free Press 28 Mar. 1/5 His sagacious mind immediately recognized and caught on to the only plan of salvation in sight.

1913 Exhibitors' Times 13 Sept. 13/2 The motion picture producers..have not caught on to the trend of the times..and supplied the demands which exist.

1990 Time 26 Feb. 66/1 Ever the magpie, fashion has caught on to ecology.

2002 N.Y. Mag. 25 Nov. 124/2 It's taken Canada a while to catch on to the boutique-hotel craze, but this winter, our northern neighbors are making up for lost time.

b. colloquial. Esp. of a new idea, product, etc.: to become popular, fashionable, or successful.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > prosperity > prosper or flourish [verb (intransitive)] > specifically of things

prosper1434

flourish1571

thrive1613

boom1871

to catch on1885

1885 Ovens & Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Austral.) 21 May 1/1 But Mr Sala has not managed, somehow, to ‘catch on’ with Australian audiences.

1887 Pall Mall Gaz. 9 Mar. 1/2 A publisher never knows whether a new book will ‘catch on’.

1932 G. Morton Myst. Hermit's End ii. 19 The latter was taking intensive training for marathon swimming. That form of sport had caught on of late.

1972 A. Bowness Mod. European Art iii. 53 Seurat..preferred the epithet ‘chromo-luminarist’ for his kind of painting, but for obvious reasons this term never caught on.

2014 C. Seife Virtual Unreality iv. 70 Fringe ideas can catch on even in the absence of the internet.

5. transitive (reflexive). colloquial. Chiefly Irish English (northern). To get or recover a realistic understanding of one's position or the situation; to regain one's common sense or self-control. Often in imperative phrase catch yourself on: ‘pull yourself together’, ‘get a grip’.

ΚΠ

1937 E. Partridge Dict. Slang 133/2 Catch meself on... to pull oneself up or together, recover one's common sense.

1959 Díospóireachta Parlaiminte 50 421 The British have always been extremely slow to catch themselves on.

1974 B. Friel Freedom of City i. 53 Skinner : The ceremony begins in five minutes. The world's press and television are already gathering outside... Michael : Catch yourself on, Skinner.

1992 P. McCabe Butcher Boy (1993) 32 Are you going to go on making a laughing stock of yourself or are you going to catch yourself on?

1999 Irish Times (Nexis) 9 Nov. 17 Mr Bill Gates..appears resolved to see the case through... The lawyers will clean up. Mr Gates ought to catch himself on.

2017 Belfast Tel. (Nexis) 11 May From the moment the kids arrived, I've developed tear ducts with no off switch... Never in public, mind. I've got to maintain some sort of public decency. I mean, catch yourself on.

to catch out

†1. transitive. To chase (esp. a person) out; to drive out. Cf. sense 37. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

1340 Ayenbite (1866) 171 Ase þet hote weter cacheþ þane hond out of þe kechene.

c1350 (a1333) William of Shoreham Poems (1902) 149 (MED) Hye weren out ycached..For hare senne.

?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) ii. l. 8098 Þe Inglis þe kacched out.

2. transitive.

a. Cricket. To dismiss (a batter) by catching the ball after it has been struck and before it touches the ground. Cf. sense 49.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > fielding > field [verb (transitive)] > catch

to catch out1712

hold1752

catch1789

take1836

pouch1910

1712 Devil & Peers (single sheet) I'll catch them both out in three or four stroaks.

1766 G. Montagu Let. 27 Oct. in H. Walpole Corr. (1941) X. 235 Sir George caught him out left-handed.

1850 ‘Bat’ Cricketer's Man. (rev. ed.) 46 If a striker is caught out, state the fieldsman's name.

1866 Mercury (Hobart) 2 Jan. Cosstick..very nearly afforded Kelly an opportunity of catching him out by sending up the ball close around the wicket.

1913 Times 11 Aug. 12/2 Whysall..split a finger when he caught out Blythe.

1994 I. Botham My Autobiogr. i. 27 I had batted twice on the second day, faced eight balls, made eight runs and had been caught out twice.

2014 Daily Tel. (Nexis) 9 June 2 I saw the angle and thought ‘bang it through midwicket’, but I got caught out.

b. In baseball and softball. To put (a batter) out by catching the ball after it has been struck and before it touches the ground. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > baseball > play baseball [verb (transitive)] > put out > a batter

to catch out1855

retire1870

to strike out1939

1855 Spirit of Times 12 May 147/2 If two hands are ready out, a player running home at the time a ball is struck cannot make an ace if the striker is caught out.

1858 N.Y. Times 20 Aug. 5/1 Manolt..caught out De Bost in the eighth inning of New-York.

1902 Encycl. Brit. XXVI. 160/2 In base-ball if the ball is knocked in a certain direction it is called a foul, and the player who knocked it has not the privilege of making a run, but may be caught out.

1946 Wellington (Texas) Leader 9 May 5/1 Ted O'Neil was caught out on a fly by Young.

3. transitive.

a. To discover or surprise (a person) in a misdemeanour, illegal act, mistake, etc. Also reflexive: to discover oneself thinking or feeling something unexpected or unwelcome. Cf. main sense 9a.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > endeavour > searching or seeking > finding or discovery > find or discover [verb (transitive)] > detect > in a fault or error

trip1557

entrap1566

trap1629

to catch out1759

1759 tr. M. De Sévigné Lett. II. cxliii. 217 To dispute against him, to plague and torment him, and use all their endeavours to catch him out.

1816 J. Austen Emma II. xiv. 275 Ah! there I am—thinking of him directly. Always the first person to be thought of! How I catch myself out !

1867 Brit. Workman Aug. 365/3 Snapcatch is in gaol, farmer!—has owned they say to much, and has been caught out in more.

1952 A. White Sugar House i. viii. 83 She even caught herself out feeling a childish pique because he was not paying her any particular attention.

1989 G. Daly Pre-Raphaelites in Love vii. 339 He tended to know more than any of them about almost everything, and it was considered great sport to catch him out.

2010 Independent 1 July 8/1 Mining private data on a routine basis on the off-chance of catching people out is a disproportionate invasion of privacy.

b. To put (a person) in an unexpected situation which proves difficult or unwelcome. Also: to lead (a person) into an undesirable situation by means of trickery or deception; to deceive, dupe. Chiefly in passive. Cf. main sense 2.

ΚΠ

1889 Reno (Nevada) Evening Gaz. 19 Oct. (5 o'clock ed.) [Cattle] feeders have lost money for the past three years and do not care to get caught out again.

1956 A. L. Rowse Early Churchills xii. 230 His methods were distinctly unorthodox: that was what alarmed the Dutch text-book generals and caught out the French.

1989 C. McWilliam Little Stranger (1990) ii. 22 Events did not catch her out. She kept a collapsible umbrella in the back of the car.

2005 Metro 3 May (London ed.) 22/2 There is little chance of getting money back if you are caught out by a phishing e-mail.

c. colloquial. to be (also get) caught out: to become pregnant; spec. to have an unplanned pregnancy. Cf. main sense 15.

ΘΚΠ

the world > life > biology > biological processes > procreation or reproduction > conception > conceive [verb (intransitive)]

trima1325

conceivec1375

greatenc1390

to fall with child (also bairn)a1464

impregnate1711

start1846

catch1858

fall1891

click1936

to be caught out1957

to fall for ——1957

big1982

1957 J. Osborne Look Back in Anger i. 29 I'm pregnant. After three years of married life, I have to get caught out now.

1981 Daily Mail 23 June 12/4 Teenage pregnancies..the Eleventh Commandment (‘Thou shalt not be caught out’).

1989 D. Palmer Sutton's Way iv. 71 ‘Elliot isn't yours?’ she asked softly. He shook his head. ‘His mother was having an affair with a married man and she got caught out.’

2010 H. Dunmore Betrayal 325 She was pregnant and they were all teasing her for getting caught out when she was forty.

to catch over

transitive (in passive). Chiefly Canadian and (in early use) English regional (south-western). Of water, a lake, etc.: to be covered by a layer of ice; to be frozen over. Also intransitive: to freeze over. Cf. sense 46.

ΚΠ

1878 North Star (St. John's, Newfoundland) 30 Mar. 3/1 The bay here was caught over last week, and a string of ‘slob’ made its appearance across the mouth.

1886 F. C. Philips Jack & Three Jills I. vii. 96 We arrived at the lake to find it was caught over, scantily, but with promise of skating to come.

1898 E. H. Goddard in Eng. Dial. Dict. I. 540/2 Teant much of a vroast, the pit is but just ketched auver.

1920 Daily News (St. John's, Newfoundland) 8 Jan. 3 A ‘spring hole’ which had caught over in Sunday night's frost.

1992 B. Morgan Random Passage v. 65 On cold mornings water in the pond is caught over.

2008 M. Winter Big Why (new ed.) 96 The boys had pushed slub ice under the bridge and that allowed the surface to catch over smooth.

to catch up

†1. transitive. To draw (water or a quantity of water) from a well. Obsolete.In figurative context in quot. a1387.

ΚΠ

a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1882) VIII. 151 Kecheþ [c1400 Tiber. kycheþ, a1425 Harl. clechiþ] up [L. haurietis] water wiþ ioye of þe savyour his welles.

c1440 (?a1400) Morte Arthure l. 3378 (MED) Cho wente to þe welle..Kaughte vp a coppe-full.

2. transitive.

a. To lift up (a person or thing), esp. in the hands or arms; to raise. Also: to take hold of; to take up.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > upward movement > raising > make to go up or cause to rise [verb (transitive)] > lift or take up > catch or snatch up

to catch upa1393

uphenda1400

upcatcha1560

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) ii. l. 1349 He..cawhte hire up, and whan sche wok, Sche syketh.

c1400 (?c1380) Patience l. 102 Cachen vp þe crossayl, cables þay fasten.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 209^v He comaund the corse cacche vp onone.

1567 A. Golding tr. Ovid Metamorphosis (new ed.) xii. f. 152 Yit caught he vp on his shoulders twayne A stone the Iawme of eyther doore.

1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet ii. ii. 512 A blancket in the alarme of feare caught vp.

1650 R. Stapleton tr. F. Strada De Bello Belgico x. 17 Aloysio..ranne thither in his Shirt, and catching up the Child, carried him out of the danger.

1768 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued II. ii. 196 As one catches up a dog by the nape of his neck.

1782 Young Philosopher I. xxxiv. 239 Catching up a large stone, I threatened to dash his brains out.

1815 ‘J. Mathers’ Hist. Mr. John Decastro & Brother Bat I. 112 She catched her feet up as if the floor burned her toes.

1873 R. Browning Red Cotton Night-cap Country iii. 234 An angel caught you up and clapped you down.

a1911 D. G. Phillips Susan Lenox (1917) I. vii. 97 She leaped from the bed, caught up her slippers, reached for her opened-up bundle.

1998 S. Waters Tipping Velvet iii. 74 Percy..caught up a pair of spoons from the side of his plate, and set them rattling upon the tablecloth in a wonderful tattoo.

b. In Christian contexts: to carry (a person) quickly or suddenly heavenwards; to transport (a person) to heaven (in later use, esp. in Millenarian Theology, at the Second Coming of Christ). Frequently in passive.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > upward movement > raising > make to go up or cause to rise [verb (transitive)] > lift or take up > suddenly carry aloft

to catch up1526

rhapsodizec1616

1526 Bible (Tyndale) (1 Thess. iv.) f. cclxx^v And the deed in Christe shall aryse fyrst: then shall we which live and remayne, be caught vppe with them also in the cloudes, to mete the lorde in ye ayer.

1564 J. Bradford Frutefull Treat. against Feare of Death sig. Cii^v Helias was caught vp into heauen.

1678 J. Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress 33 I saw many catch't up and carried away into the Clouds.

1753 J. Orton Doddridge's Family Expositor IV. 523 He was also caught up into Paradise, that Garden of God.

1886 Prophetic Stud. Internat. Prophetic Conf. 207/2 He will come to catch up His people, snatching them away from coming disasters and judgments.

1978 G. E. Ladd Last Things v. 50 These two comings of Christ have been called the Rapture—when he comes to catch up the church—and the Revelation.

2007 B. K. Waltke Old Test. Theol. viii. 214 In his temple vision, Isaiah is caught up into the heavenly court to join the seraphim that surround God's throne.

3. transitive. To adopt or embrace (an idea, example, etc.) quickly or eagerly; to appropriate. Also: to take up and repeat (an utterance).

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > undertaking > undertake [verb (transitive)] > quickly or eagerly

to catch upc1550

to lean into1941

c1550 C. Bansley Treat. Pryde & Abuse of Women sig. A.i^v A stewde strumpet can not so soone, gette vp a lyghte lewde fashyon But euerye wanton Jelot wyll lyke it well, and catche it vp anon.

1644 J. Milton Areopagitica 4 This project..was catcht up by our Prelates.

1771 O. Goldsmith Hist. Eng. IV. 77 The example of the great was caught up by the vulgar; principle, and even decency, was gradually banished.

1868 J. H. Blunt Reformation Church of Eng. I. viii. 428 The tone of irreverence..which his followers too often caught up.

1887 Atlantic Monthly Aug. 281/2 Catching up a popular neologism from the newspapers.

1904 Collier's 7 May 8/3 The survivors answered with a loud hurrah, which was caught up by the sailors of the fleet.

1958 D. Black Theory Comm. & Elections xviii. 157 He continues in the strain of thought that was later to be caught up by Laplace.

2013 D. Schultz Dead Run xii. 164 The battle cry was caught up by others.

4. transitive. To interrupt (a person); to check (a person) in the act of saying or doing something regarded as foolish or careless. Also (and in earliest use) reflexive.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > speech > interruption > interrupt or interpose [verb (intransitive)]

chop in1550

to speak in a man's cast1580

to break through1659

interpose1667

interrupt1667

to break in1705

to catch up1764

to get ina1774

to strike in1791

to get a word, etc. in edgeways1824

1764 R. Griffith Triumvirate II. clxvi. 220 What had put me almost out of conceit with goodness, before—I mean, said she, catching herself up, the appearances of it, was that one seldom sees it preached..but by certain old folk.

1841 C. Dickens Barnaby Rudge xl. 166 You catch me up so very short.

1883 T. Lees Easther's Gloss. Dial. Almondbury & Huddersfield 90 One said it [sc. a concert] was ‘vary gooid’. Another caught him up, indignant at such scant praise.

1937 J. Thurber Lett. (2002) 245 There is no possibility of catching me up on an overlooked sloppiness.

2005 H. Mantel Beyond Black ii. 18 You do find yourself, just now and then, catching yourself up and saying, hang on now, who's giving back to me?

a. intransitive. Frequently with with; also sometimes with on or to. To succeed in reaching a person who or thing which is travelling in a particular direction; to draw level. Also in extended use. Cf. sense 40a.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > prosperity > advancement or progress > [verb (transitive)] > advance at equal rate with > overtake

to catch up1817

1817 Parterre 4 Jan. 4/2 I endeavoured to catch up with her, but she going straight ahead every body turned out of her way, while I was trying to dodge through the crowd.

1843 Indiana Amer. (Brookville) 27 Jan. The former had run away with the wife of the latter, and the latter had followed and caught up with him at this place.

1909 ‘Q’ True Tilda xiii. 169 ‘If they catch up with us we must nip into a gateway,’ panted Tilda.

1925 Times (Weekly ed.) 26 Nov. The police caught up on the men just as they entered a dark archway.

1955 Lethbridge (Alberta) Herald 6 July 14/ Every now and then she would have to stop and wait for them to catch up.

1974 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 14 Feb. 1/2 Secretaries could be..held in their current pay bracket until the new secretarial classifications catch up to them.

2012 J. Fagan Panopticon (2013) xxxi. 281 The bus is just pulling out. I catch up with it and bang on the door.

b. transitive. To succeed in reaching (a person who or thing which is travelling in a particular direction); to draw level with. Also in extended use. Cf. sense 40a.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > rate of motion > move at specific rate [verb (transitive)] > gain (ground) upon > catch up or overtake

betakea1000

oftakelOE

overtakec1225

ofgoc1300

under-get1390

attain1393

overget?a1400

overgoc1425

gaincopec1440

overhiec1440

overhalec1540

overcatch1570

overhent1590

win1596

to grow on or upon1603

catcha1616

to fetch up1622

to fetch of, upon1659

overhaul1793

to meet up with1837

to catch up1838

to get past1857

1838 Observer 17 Dec. He [sc. a fox] emerged from the wood, being three miles from where he was unkennelled, and no joke to those who had to catch him up.

1886 Eclectic Mag. Nov. 719/1 It is not that the Muhammadan boy is duller than the Hindu boy; but he does not begin [school] so soon, and he has not caught up his rival by the time the earlier educational honors are distributed.

1915 Blackwood's Mag. Jan. 30/2 Let us go on slowly, sahib, and the escort will catch us up before we have gone very far.

1967 ‘La Meri’ Spanish Dancing (ed. 2) vii. 89 Toward the middle of the [nineteenth] century the Seguidillas Manchegas caught up the waning popularity of the Bolero.

2001 C. Glazebrook Madolescents 223 ‘Ash! Wait on!’ I run as fast as I can in my biker boots, catch him up and tug on his hood.

c. intransitive. With with. To begin to have a damaging effect on a person; to begin to be felt or noticed by a person.

ΚΠ

1933 China Press 4 Aug. 8/2 The crash comes when his past catches up with him.

1941 A. L. Rowse Tudor Cornwall xv. 412 Killigrew found himself in prison; his own misdemeanours..had at last..caught up with him.

1975 Boston Globe 19 June 56/4 The full psychological impact of her injury caught up with her.

1990 New Age Jrnl. Apr. 66/1 Our throwaway habits have caught up with us. In the United States, we generate 160 million tons of garbage a year.

2014 Daily Tel. 7 Jan. 27/1 The damage inflicted by the bottle..was fast catching up with him.

6. transitive. U.S. regional (chiefly southern and south Midland). To prepare (a horse, mule, etc.) for a journey; to saddle or harness (a horse). Occasionally (and in earliest use) intransitive.

ΚΠ

1835 J. M. Wright Let. 27 May in Western Christian Advocate (Cincinnati) 19 June 32/3 The word, ‘Catch up’, was given, when all commenced gearing at once, and were soon under march.

1848 Spirit of Times 14 Oct. 402/3 They..stayed till about noon, catched up their fresh horses, [etc].

1857 M. Reid in Chambers's Jrnl. 21 Feb. 116/1 Bill an me catched up our critters, an as soon as we kud saddle 'em put arter you.

1942 M. Campbell Cloud-walking 16 He pulled on his britches to go catch up the nag for Sary.

2012 S. Guilford Trail of Heart iv. 16 Catching up his horse, he set out.

a. intransitive. Frequently with on, with. To spend time doing something which one has not had time to do earlier.

ΚΠ

1852 Star & Banner (Gettysburg, Pa.) 23 Jan. He [sc. a farmer] toils all hours, and yet never manages to catch up with his work.

1869 ‘M. Twain’ Innocents Abroad xxix. 309 We were just about to go to bed early in the evening, and catch up on some of the sleep we had lost, when we heard of this Vesuvius expedition.

1915 A. Pollitzer Let. 25 Aug. in G. O'Keeffe & A. Pollitzer Lovingly, Georgia (1990) 15 I've been..trying to catch up with some of the things [i.e. books] he started me on.

1969 R. Godden In this House of Brede vi. 122 Most went to their cells..to catch up with letters.

2016 C. L. Tan Sarong Party Girls iii. 25 He had so much to catch up on..that he didn't even notice me that much until after tea.

b. intransitive. With with. To meet or talk to someone whom one has not seen for some time, esp. in order to find out what he or she has been doing. Also without construction.

ΚΠ

1940 El Paso (Texas) Herald-Post 23 Sept. 6/3 They'll return to New York..to catch up with the friends and Broadway shows they couldn't squeeze in the first time.

1953 Winona (Minnesota) Republican-Herald 23 Dec. 8/2 Christmas letters..certainly are among the most delightful ways of catching up with friends away from Winona.

1988 Times (Nexis) 28 July It suited his schedule..[to take] another break next week..and catch up with his old friend, Sven Tumba.

1992 M. Bracewell Conclave iv. 168 ‘It's good to see you,’ he said again. ‘We must catch up one of these days.’

2015 Radio Times 11 July (South/West ed.) 57/1 Phil and Kirstie catch up with house hunters who were looking for family homes that would last a lifetime.

c. intransitive. With on, with. To find out about things that are happening or have happened recently; to bring oneself up to date with news, events, etc.

ΚΠ

1949 ‘N. Kent’ Divided Path iii. xxiii. 329 They spied Michael and dragged him off to a seat, rather against his will, to catch up on gossip.

1958 A. MacLeish Let. 30 Sept. (1983) 411 Someday we ought to catch up on the Ez business.

1975 Punch 21 May 882 One might in the far past have gone to El Vino's, to catch up on the gossip of the trade.

1989 Times (Nexis) 21 Nov. Tuning in to the stock market trends on the way to work, catching up with the news or relaxing to favourite sounds on the way home.

2001 Heat 17 Nov. 115/4 Now you can catch up on why there's such a buzz around him.

d. transitive. Chiefly U.S. With on, with. To inform (a person) about things that are happening, or about recent events; to bring (someone) up to date.

ΚΠ

1949 Princeton Alumni Weekly 14 Oct. 24/2 I'll try to catch you up on our special chairmen... Bill Bickel continues to promote Gulf aviation fuel in New England [etc.].

1961 Walther League Messenger 70 4 It was an active summer for the church; pages 5-12 are devoted to catching you up with happenings at the Cleveland Convention of Synod.

1980 I. Layton Unlikely Affair 185 I hardly know where to start catching you up on the news.

1998 M. Waites Little Triggers (1999) vii. 58 Then catch me up on the investigation, Stephen... Just tell me what's going on.

2008 R. Bradley Born Liberal, raised Right vi. 53 I lost track of him. A few years later, I ran into him..and he took a few minutes to catch me up on his life.

e. intransitive. Frequently with on, with. To watch a television programme that one missed when it was first broadcast or shown. Cf. catch-up n. 5.

ΚΠ

1954 Daily Messenger (Canandaigua, N.Y.) 22 May 7/5 Nine NBC-TV shows will be their own replacements this summer... This..will..enable him [sc. the viewer] to catch up on a program he may have missed originally.

1977 Delta Democrat-Times (Greenville, Mississippi) 16 June 22/1 Sometimes they [sc. repeats] give him a chance to catch up with shows he wanted to see and missed.

1990 TV Times 14 Oct. 41/5 This regular weekly omnibus gives you a chance to catch up with the..programmes from last week's editions.

2016 i (Nexis) 25 Mar. 37 Line of Duty BBC iPlayer... If you missed yesterday's explosive return then now's the chance to catch up on Jed Mercurio's police corruption drama.

8. transitive (in passive). Chiefly in to get caught up in.

a. To be or become trapped or entangled.In figurative context in quot. 1855.

ΚΠ

1855 Van Wert (Ohio) Amer. 15 Aug. The people of Ohio..so cajoled, so hoodwinked, so caught up in the Gosimer webs of those wily politicians.

1891 R. Kipling City Dreadful Night 67 Our machinery is fenced and guard-railed as much as possible, and these men don't get caught up by the belting.

1965 Mt. Vernon (Illinois) Reg.-News 24 May 12/7 A new kind of rotary power mower sails a quarter inch above the ground...It's almost impossible to get feet or fingers caught up in the blade.

2010 L. K. Bonasia Summer Shift 77 Mary pressed her head back against the tree...She felt her hair get caught up in the rough bark.

b. To be or become involved or embroiled in a situation, often against one's will; to be or become immersed in or taken up by one's work.

ΚΠ

1910 F. Pollock in Cambr. Mod. Hist. XII. xxii. 748 Trade Unionism..got caught up in 1830-5 in one of the many phases of Owenism.

1926 Observer 29 Aug. 5/3 He gets caught up in a series of mildly criminal adventures very much in the Wodehousian tradition.

1964 J. Symons End of Solomon Grundy i. 10 ‘You're late.’ He waved one hand. ‘I got caught up.’

2016 Radio Times 9 Jan. (South/West ed.) 49/1 A Hitchcockian tale of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary situations.

PV2. With prepositions in specialized senses. to catch after ——

Now somewhat rare.

intransitive. To attempt to take possession of, gain, or acquire (esp. an immaterial thing, such as an idea, opportunity, etc.); to clutch or grasp at.

ΚΠ

1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Matt. vi. 26 Whyleste they catche after a vayne rewarde here, they be disapoynted of that, whiche onely ought to be desired.

1597 Bp. J. King Lect. Ionas xiv. 188 It is not for vs to catch after death.

1642 T. Fuller Holy State ii. x. 92 Mercy is a Grace which they hold the fastest, that most catch after it.

1698 J. Leade Messenger Universal Peace 62 A True Philadelphian..catches after Opportunities, after the Example of his Blessed Master, continually going about doing Good.

1704 G. Sendall Unprofitable Bargain 18 Some indeed (like the Dog in the Fable) catch after the Shadows of this World, but let go their Souls.

1790 Lett. & Papers Agric. (Bath & West of Eng. Soc.) V. 192 The catching after land thus, as school-boys do for nuts.

1850 Leeds Mercury 20 Apr. 5/4 Mrs. Beale is a charming pianist: her style of playing is neither showy, nor is there anything like catching after effect in it.

1879 E. S. Morgan tr. F. W. J. Schelling in Jrnl. Speculative Philos. 13 318 This mode of philosophizing shows itself in catching after ideas..in order that he who has caught them may appear to have a system of his own.

1905 Painter & Decorator July 440/2 The wood finisher is catching after formulas for wood finishing that obviate the necessity of using sandpaper.

1996 Times Lit. Suppl. 5 July 7/3 The slaughter of France did not destroy his [sc. Binyon's] instinct for civilization, nor inhibit his catching after ‘beauty’.

to catch at ——

1. intransitive. To attempt to take hold of (a person or thing) quickly or eagerly. Also figurative: to attempt to secure or obtain; to snatch at; to grasp at. Cf. to catch at straws at straw n.¹ 8.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold [verb (transitive)] > lay hold of or grasp > grasp at or clutch at

snatch1530

reach1542

to catch at ——1578

snap1673

to grasp at1677

clutch1834

grabble1837

seize1848

grab1852

1578 T. Churchyard Prayse Master Forboishers Voy. C.iii^v Hee that..hopes that God will caste kyngdomes in his lappe, maie as well catche at the Cloudes in the ayre.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Antony & Cleopatra (1623) v. ii. 211 Sawcie Lictors Will catch at vs like Strumpets.

1684 N. S. tr. R. Simon Crit. Enq. Editions Bible 286 Vossius..who so greedily catches at dreams more than Rabbinically.

1721 J. Strype Eccl. Memorials III. App. xx. 57 We hunted for Praise from Impiety, and catched at Commendation from al kind of Wickednes.

1782 W. Cowper John Gilpin 198 Catching at his rein.

1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas IV. xi. vi. 301 The minister..was now determined to seize the substance as well as catch at the shadow.

1867 Mil. Comm. Proc. U.S. against D. G. McRae et al. 94/1 Just name one man that you saw at that time catching at him or trying to get hold of him.

1904 R. Hichens Garden of Allah ii. ix. 144 She saw Androvsky..catch at the flying rein, draw it up..and pull with all his force.

2013 V. Lamb Witchfall (2014) xvi. 248 Alejandro caught at my hand. ‘Don't be angry, Meg.’

2. intransitive. To seize (a chance, opportunity, etc.); to take up or embrace (an idea). Cf. sense 31. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > advantage > an opportunity > give opportunity for [verb (transitive)] > take (opportunity)

catchc1425

to take‥vantage (of)1573

apprehend1586

to take odds of1596

to catch at ——1610

feea1616

seize1618

nick1634

to jump at1769

1610 W. Sclater Threefold Preseruatiue Ep. Ded. sig. A2 I haue often catched at some opportunity, to giue publike testimony of my thankefull remembring.

c1680 W. Beveridge Serm. (1729) I. 202 You catch at all opportunities.

1789 T. Coke Lett. 7 July (2013) 110 I must catch at the agreeable opportunity of indulging myself in the writing of a few lines.

1833 H. Martineau Berkeley the Banker i. iii. 49 Martin caught at the idea.

1869 R. H. Dana Two Years before Mast (rev. ed.) 448 A boy who..caught at every chance for adventure.

1901 N. Amer. Rev. Oct. 490 The company..caught at the chance of securing fresh funds to continue its work.

1937 Big Spring (Texas) Daily Herald 13 Apr. 6/5 Folkstone..caught at the opportunity to get rid of a large tank which the city fathers have long considered dangerous.

† to catch to ——

Obsolete. rare.

intransitive. To seize on or afflict (a person).

ΘΚΠ

the world > existence and causation > occurrence > [verb (transitive)] > suddenly or violently

overgoOE

ofseche?c1225

catcha1275

henta1375

to come upon ——a1382

seizec1381

takea1382

to catch to ——c1400

overpass?a1513

re-encounter1523

to come over ——1726

to come on ——1850

c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 50 For care ful colde þat to me caȝt.

Compounds

catch bar n. (a) a bar-shaped catch (obsolete rare); (b) (in a knitting machine) a bar that depresses a row of sinkers which form loops of thread round needles (now chiefly historical).

ΚΠ

1815 Trans. Soc. Encouragem. Arts, Manuf., & Commerce 33 41 Fig. 2, is a view of the other side of the shears, nearly closed with the catch bar..which is intended to keep them shut when not in use.

1850 Rep. U.S. Comm. Patents 1849 170 The second crank to slide the catch bar.

1874 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. I. 503/1 Catch-bar (Knitting-machine), a bar employed to depress the jacks.

1910 Textile World Rec. Feb. 621/1 On an 18 section machine the catch-bar is about 30 feet in length.

1961 Textile Industries Jan. 94/3 Wear in the catchbar contributes to bad fabric, and this can be helped considerably by moving the catchbar approximately 0.020″ horizontally.

2002 Textile Technol. Digest Jan. i. 38/1 Needle bar with compound horizontal and vertical movement, striking jack, catch bar, yarn carrier, and falling bar.

† catch-bit n. Obsolete rare a scoundrel; a parasite.

ΚΠ

1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Tirelupin A catch-bit or captious companion; a scowndrell, or scuruie fellow.

1797 C. B. Schade New Pocket Dict. Eng. & German Lang. I. 94/2 Catch-bit, Ein Schmarotzer. [Also in later dictionaries.]

catch bolt n. any type of bolt with a retaining catch; spec. one that yields to pressure to snap shut.

ΚΠ

1784 J. Small Treat. Ploughs & Wheel Carriages 197 The catch bolt being let down, it goes through all the three holes, and keeps all fast together.

1859 U.S. Patent Office, Ann. Rep. 1858 I. 537 The levers or arms are designed to force back the catch-bolt and lock-bolt.

1874 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. I. 503/1 Catch-bolt, a cupboard or door-bolt which yields to the pressure in closing and then springs into the keeper in the jamb. Usually retracted by a small knob.

1996 U.S. Patent 5,540,117 1 The operating and safety element can also be made of a clamping bolt and a separate catch bolt.

catch boom n. North American (now rare) a barrier of timbers linked by chains used to catch or hold floating logs; an enclosure formed by such a barrier.

ΚΠ

1882 Stevens Point (Wisconsin) Jrnl. 11 Feb. These improvements are being made above the trip, and will greatly increase the capacity of the catch boom and thus facilitate the handling of logs.

1905 Terms Forestry & Logging (Bull. U.S. Dept. Agric., Bureau Forestry, No. 61) 33 Catch boom, a boom fastened across stream to catch and hold floating logs.

1966 Conservation Volunteer July 60/2 The Virginia & Rainy Lake officials asked that I..tow a string of boom timbers..to the river outlet, there to snub the boom sticks and make a catch boom.

† catch box n. Obsolete (in a spinning machine) a type of gear mechanism.

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the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile manufacture > manufacture of thread or yarn > [noun] > spinning > machine > parts of

knave1564

porcupine roller1776

catch box1809

jack-frame1814

Jack-in-the-box1814

flyer frame1825

sneck1825

thread-wire1825

creel1835

fly-frame1835

self-actor1835

trumpet-mouth1835

counter-faller1836

Jack1875

trumpet1877

back-shaft1879

builder1884

pot-eye1884

twizzle1884

rice creel1895

1809 J. Rogerson Diary 19 Sept. in W. B. Crump Leeds Woollen Industry 1780–1820 (1931) 102 Putting a new Brass on the Laying shaft next the catch Box in Scribbling Mill.

1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic 426 When the catch-box 14 is in contact with the sheeve s.

1892 J. Nasmith Students' Cotton Spinning 320 The wheel..is provided with a catch box..and by its means drives the shaft.

1904 in A. Fowler Lancs. Cotton Operatives & Work (2003) v. 110 From a pair of mules 93.5 dozens long..find the turns per inch being put in the yarn from the following particulars: 57 speed wheel, 48 wheel on the front spindle catch-box, with a 16 inch rim, 3 grooves, 6-inch tin roller [etc.].

† catch-cloak n. Obsolete rare a robber, a thief.

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the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > thief > petty thief or pilferer > [noun]

mitcher?c1225

nimmera1325

pilferer1350

truffer1485

lurcher1528

picker1549

filcher1557

purloiner1557

prig1567

prigger1567

prigman1567

fingerer1575

piker1590

prag1592

nibbler1598

lurch-man1603

petty larcener1640

budge1673

catch-cloaka1679

prigster1682

sutler1699

marauder1764

snib1823

chicken thief1840

lurker1841

souvenir hunter1862

robberling1865

jackdaw1887

miker1890

frisker1892

bower-bird1926

jagoff1931

magpie1944

slockster-

a1679 T. Hobbes Dialogue Common-laws Eng. 104 in Art of Rhetoric (1681) All those unruly People called Cheaters, Cut-purses, Pick-locks, Catch-Cloaks, Coyners of false Money.

1882 Cassell's Encycl. Dict. II. i. 99/2 Catch-cloak, A highwayman, a robber. [Also in later dictionaries.]

† catch-coin Obsolete rare (a) n. an avaricious or acquisitive person; (b) adj. acquisitive.

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1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Gripp argent, a Catch-coyne; a greedie or couetous Judge.

1694 P. A. Motteux tr. F. Rabelais 5th Bk. Wks. xii. 52 Examine well..the Countenance of these stout Props and Pillars of this Catch coin Law and Iniquity.

† catch-credit n. Obsolete rare a thing which attracts praise or commendation.

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1629 J. Gaule Distractions 86 He..hath made him a new kinde of Catch-credit, of his old Couer-shame.

catch-dolt n. now historical a dice game played at a gaming table.

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the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > [noun]

falsec1000

fraudc1330

barrat1340

faitery1377

defraudc1450

trumpery1481

covin1487

defraudationc1503

knavery1528

conveyance1531

imposture1537

defrauding1548

cozenage1583

impostry1585

catch-dolt1592

gullery1598

coggery1602

gullage1607

charlatism1611

impostury1615

quacksalvery1617

mountebankery1618

imposition1632

imposturisma1634

blaflum1637

charlatanry1638

defraudment1645

mountebankism1649

impostorya1652

impostorism1652

imposturage1654

impostery1656

mountebank1657

imposing1659

quackery1675

quackism1722

empiricism1774

cross1802

charlatanism1804

practitionery1818

cozenry1829

humbuggery1831

trick1833

thimble-shift1834

thimble-shifting1834

thimbleriggery1841

humbuggism1842

quackhood1843

quacksalverism1864

razzle-dazzle1928

spivery1948

shuck1958

shucking and jiving1969

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > games of chance > other games of chance > [noun]

even or odd1538

love1585

Jack-in-the-box?1593

under-hat1629

pluck-penny1643

morra1659

catch-dolt1674

shuffle-cap1712

fair chance1723

E O1751

teetotum1753

rondo1821

cut-throat1823

hop-my-fool1824

odds and evens1841

spin-'em-round1851

halfpenny under the hat1853

racehorses1853

fan-tan1878

tan1883

pakapoo1886

legality1888

petits chevaux1891

pai gow1906

boule1911

put and take1921

1592 ‘C. Cony-Catcher’ Def. Conny-catching sig. A3 At Dequoy, Mumchaunce, Catch-dolt, Oure le bourse..none durst euer make compare with me for excellence.

1674 C. Cotton Compl. Gamester xxxi. 163 At Ketch-Dolt the first throws and lays down from the heap of men without the Tables.

1856 G. W. Thornbury Shakspere's Eng. I. iii. 143 At Tables the favourite games were Irish, Backgammon, Tick-tack,..and Ketch Dolt; and with the dice alone In and In, Passage, and Hazard.

2006 D. G. Schwartz Roll Bones vi. 112 The most popular table games (games that needed a prepared board), included backgammon.., trictrac (or tictac), doublets, and the fetchingly named catch-dolt.

† catch-dotterel n. Obsolete rare (perhaps) a fraudster, a swindler.

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1671 J. Glanvill Further Discov. Stubbe 2 Impostors, Catch-Dotterels, Fops, Tories.

catch drain n. a ditch designed to channel water for irrigation or drainage, esp. on a hillside; (also) a drain which carries away surplus water from a canal or larger drain.

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the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > preparation of land or soil > ditching or drainage > [noun] > for catching water

catch drain1779

acequia1811

1779 G. Boswell Treat. on watering Meadows xi. 88 If the situation of the land happens to be on the side of a hill, catch-drains are often absolutely necessary for watering the lower part of the hill.

1842 J. Gwilt Encycl. Archit. 945 Catch drain, a drain used on the side of a larger open one, or of a canal, to receive the surplus water of the principal conduit.

1961 Rep. National Dairy Res. Inst. Year ending June 1959 (Govt. India) No. 19. 5 A deep catch drain or intercepting drain has been constructed between the Western Jumna Canal and the Farm, so that the seepage water from the canal is checked from entering the farm.

2012 Tasmanian Country (Nexis) 19 Oct. 14 On the upper slopes he employs flood irrigation and..catch drains to direct the water.

† catch-fake n. Nautical Obsolete a tangle in a badly coiled rope or cable; cf. fake n.¹

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the world > space > shape > curvature > coil > [noun] > specifically of a rope > badly coiled

catch-fake1777

1777 W. Hutchinson Treat. Pract. Seamanship 59 It should be first considered, how to manage the cables, to make them..run clear of catch fakes as well as kinks.

1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Catch-fake, an unseemly doubling in a badly coiled rope.

1893 N. Ponce de León Technol. Dict. II. 654/1 Repliegues del cable, catch fakes of the cable.

catch-fart n. slang (derogatory) (now historical) a foot servant or page.With allusion to the closeness with which such a servant was supposed to follow his master or mistress.

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1688 G. Miege Great French Dict. ii. sig. H3^v/2 A Catch-fart, un Attrape-pet, Surnom burlesque que l'on donne aux Pages qui portent la Queue de leurs Dames.

1759 London Mag. Jan. 47/2 Shall a catch fart (good Lord!) or a man in your station, Thus familiarly boast of a frank invitation, With topping, great folks, as if rais'd to a level?

1948 A. Huxley Ape & Essence (1949) i. 11 Reason comes running, eager to ratify; Comes, a catch-fart with Philosophy, truckling to tyrants.

2003 D. Lambdin Havoc's Sword x. 116 Well, for one day at least he was not a paper-shuffling Lieutenant de Vaisseau, a mere catch-fart to his master.

† catch-feeder n. Obsolete rare an irrigation ditch.

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1874 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. I. 503/1 Catch-feeder (Hydraulic Engineering), an irrigating ditch.

catch fence n. a fence which catches and confines something; spec. (a) a barrier built to intercept and retain natural materials such as sand, falling rock, matter from a landslide, etc.; (b) a high fence around a racetrack, typically of wire mesh, designed to protect spectators from vehicles and flying debris in the event of a crash.

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1883 N.Y. Times 4 Aug. 5 Walls of brush and stone and sand catch-fences were erected in favorable positions [in the harbor].

1949 V. J. Chapman in Conf. Biol. & Civil Engin. (Inst. Civil Engineers) 154 The usual method for constructing a foredune is to erect a catch fence about 2 ½ feet high... Behind this..another fence is erected. These fences collect the sand.

1974 Road & Track July 112/1 Catch fences are usually employed in two or three ‘layers’ a few yards apart. They catch a race car and slow it down gradually.

1999 New Civil Engineer (Nexis) 1 Dec. Scaling of the cliffs to remove loose chalk, followed by rock bolting..[and] installation of..rock catch fences and debris traps.

2010 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 9 Mar. b14/3 The racecars hit and Edwards was sent airborne and into the catch fence at Talladega.

† catch-fish n. Roman History Obsolete rare a retiarius (retiarius n.). [Translating classical Latin pinnirapus, lit. ‘peak-snatcher’, generally understood to refer to the custom in which the victor in a gladiatorial contest took the pinna or crest from the helmet of his opponent, as a sign of victory. In a note on p. 53 of the text, Holyday explains his preference for a literal rendering of pinnirapus as 'fin-catcher’, believing that the retiarius took the helmet of his adversary, which was decorated with the design of a fish (compare quot. a1661 for catch-plume n.).]

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a1661 B. Holyday tr. Juvenal Satyres (1673) iii. 40 Sons of some Catch-Fish, or chief Fencer.

† catch-fool n. Obsolete rare (perhaps) a thing designed to provide entertainment.

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1598 E. Guilpin Skialetheia sig. A5^v For pleasant catch-fooles..he spares not To sweare hee's carelesse.

catch-guinea adj. and n. (a) adj. designating or relating to a product or service designed primarily to generate large profits, through high prices or widespread marketing; (hence) superficially desirable but of little worth, overpriced; (b) n. a product (esp. a book or other publication) of this kind; a money-maker.With humorous allusion to catchpenny n.; cf. also catch-shilling adj. and n.

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1785 Monthly Rev. 72 App. 494 We could not help looking upon his undertaking, however splendid, as rather a catch-guinea business.

1818 S. T. Coleridge Coll. Lett. (1959) IV. 817 I have just looked over the first part—and it is what I anticipated, i.e. an infamous Catch-penny or rather Catch-guinea.

1898 M. M. Dowie Crook of Bough xix. 211 Islay had bent and exclaimed over huge baskets trimmed with artificial flowers—the Christmas catch-guineas of confectioners.

1947 E. Partridge Usage & Abusage 353/1 It makes no matter whether the girl is glamorous in her own right or by the catch-guinea arts of her dressmaker.

1984 A. G. N. Flew in A. C. Caplan & B. Jennings Darwin, Marx, & Freud i. 10 Such reductionist misinterpretation can be found in serious scholarship as well as in works of catch-guinea popularization.

1992 G. Legman in V. Randolph Blow Candle Out 903 The earlier Montague Summers reprint (1927) is a mere catch-guinea rushed into print.

† catch honours n. Scottish Obsolete a card game in which the main object is to take a trick containing the ten of trumps.

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1760 A. E. in T. Blacklock Coll. Orig. Poems 182 Farewell, ye blythsome games, I'll grieve your loss; Farewell Catch-honours, farewell Pitch and toss!

1781 J. Boswell Jrnl. 28 Aug. in Edinb. Jrnls. 1767–86 (2001) xiii. 437 Played at catch-honours and birkie with Veronica and Phemie.

1821 J. Galt Ayrshire Legatees iv. 49 It was an understood thing that not only Whist and Catch Honours were to be played, but even obstreperous Birky itself.

1864 W. A. F. Browne Moral Treatm. Insane 24 The fluctuating fortunes of catch honours.

catch hook n. a hook designed to engage with or catch onto another hook, a part of a mechanism, etc.

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society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > fastenings > [noun] > catch

catch1398

clicket1487

snaphance1603

catch hook1695

snapc1815

catch lock1836

bulldog1908

society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > parts of machines > mechanism > [noun] > part of > projecting part or catch

catch1398

finger1496

catch hook1695

dog1825

detent1832

winglet1835

catch lock1836

trip-catch1880

trip1906

1695 in E. Gibson tr. W. Camden Britannia 452 He found likewise certain great Catch-hooks and Keepers of Silver, with certain Links of an old fashion'd great Gold-chain.

1769 S. Hales Statical Ess. (ed. 3) II. 336 The sinking weight of ballast must be..fixed to the machine, by means of a catch-hook.

1841 Morning Post 20 Feb. 2/5 In each of these tubes is inserted a metallic rope, every separate division being connected by ropes of less strength, with catch-hooks at both ends.

2015 R. White How Computers Work x. 155 A shaft from the [escape] wheel connects to a system of gears to turn the hands of a clock. The piece just above the wheel—called the anchor—has two catch hooks on either end.

catch-idea n. now rare an idea which engages or captures the attention.

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1798 G. Canning Let. 13 Nov. in Ld. Granville Leveson Gower: Private Corr. 1781–1821 (1916) I. vi. 227 Take care to have catch-words, or catch-ideas, that shall remind you of the connection and dependency of the different parts of your subject.

1884 Christian World 19 June 454/1 He has..got hold of a few catch-ideas.

1962 World Affairs 125 212 Aron lucidly dissects the myths of ‘leftism’, ‘progressivism’, ‘revolution’,..and shows the utter fallacy of these catch-ideas which seduce the sentimental romanticism of intellectuals.

† catch-land n. English regional (East Anglian and Wiltshire) Obsolete land whose parish assignment is unknown, the tithes for which may be collected by the first claimant; (also) a piece of common land which may be cultivated by the first-comer.Apparently only in dictionaries and glossaries.

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1673 J. Ray S. & E. Countrey Words in Coll. Eng. Words 61 Catch-land, land which is not certainly known to what Parish it belongeth; and the Minister that first gets the tithes of it enjoys it for that year; Norf.

1811 T. Davis Gen. View Agric. Wilts. (new ed.) 259 (gloss.) Catch land, pieces of arable land in common-fields of equal sizes, the property not being ascertained, but he that ploughed first chose first.

catch lock n. any of various types of lock that make use of a catch or bolt.

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society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > fastenings > [noun] > catch

catch1398

clicket1487

snaphance1603

catch hook1695

snapc1815

catch lock1836

bulldog1908

society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > parts of machines > mechanism > [noun] > part of > projecting part or catch

catch1398

finger1496

catch hook1695

dog1825

detent1832

winglet1835

catch lock1836

trip-catch1880

trip1906

1836 London Jrnl. Arts & Sci. 7 81 A front and end view of my improved staple for a catch lock.

1863 C. Reade in All Year Round 3 Oct. 126/2 His door..closed with a catch-lock.

1933 G. Laven Rough Stuff ii. 19 I got a screw..that would open any catch-lock.

2016 R. K. Eckhoff Explosion Hazards in Process Industries (ed. 2) ii. 128 In case of an explosion in the duct, the preceding blast pushes the valve poppet in the axial direction until it hits the neoprene gasket, in which it is held in position by a mechanical catch lock, which can be released from the outside.

catch-match n. now archaic and rare a marriage regarded as being of material advantage to one of the individuals.

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1801 M. Edgeworth Belinda I. ii. 41 There's no less than six of her nieces, whom she has got off within these four winters—Not one of 'em now, that has not made a catch-match.

1823 W. Scott St. Ronan's Well I. vi. 127 She made out her catch-match, and she was miserable.

1977 J. A. Hodge Runaway Bride (new ed.) ii. 15 I'd rather set up for an old maid at seventeen than have it said I stooped to a catch-match.

catch meadow n. now historical a meadow on a hillside irrigated by a series of ditches or catch drains (see catch drain n.); land treated in this way; cf. catch-water meadow n. at catchwater n. Compounds.

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1794 T. Davis Gen. View Agric. Wilts. 33 The water in this kind of meadow [sc. a flowing meadow] is not used again and again, in one pitch, as in the catch meadows.

1843 P. Pusey in Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc. 4 ii. 314 The worthless slope would be converted into catch-meadow.

2009 D. D. Williams & C. A. Duigan Rivers Wales iv. 45/1 The counterpart to bedwork meadows on sloping land, the ‘catch meadow’, irrigated from a spring or stream above the field, was developed later.

† catch motion n. Obsolete a type of simple gear.

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1835 Mechanics' Mag. 21 Nov. 130/1 IL are catch, screw, or common toothed wheels, so as to be worked by a catch-motion, a screw, or common wheel-work.

1874 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. I. 503/1 Catch-motion (Machinery), a motion in a lathe by which speed is changed.

1887 Eng. Mechanic & World of Sci. 23 Dec. 391/3 The only difference we make in it is the addition of the improved stop motion..which entirely does away with the necessity of pushing away the catch motion.

catch pin n. a pin designed to fasten or hold something in place; cf. catch n.² 1.

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1773 Gentleman's Mag. Aug. 368/2 To lock the wheel...nothing more is necessary than to drive four catch-pins to the inner side of the nave of the wheel.

1827 J. Farey Treat. Steam Engine v. 355 Two iron catch-pins are fixed in the arch heads.

1918 Sigma Xi Q. 6 9 It [sc. a badge] is to be fitted with a jeweler's catch pin with safety lock.

1996 I. Doig Bucking Sun vii. 360 The window..rose six inches in the windowframe and then the catchpins zinged into the casement holes.

catch-pit n. a large chamber (or in earlier use, a pit) designed to catch sediment or debris, esp. one which forms part of a drainage or sewage system; cf. catch basin n. 2.

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the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > preparation of land or soil > ditching or drainage > [noun] > other types of drainage > pits

cesspool1671

catch-pit1811

catch basin1855

soakpit1898

soakaway1916

soakway1956

1811 Royal Cornwall Gaz. 25 May Large quantities of the best sea manure may be had from catch-pits close under the borders of the estate.

1848 Morning Chron. 18 Nov. Preventing gravel and sand from entering the sewer, by means of a grating having smaller apertures, and a catch pit, from which such substances might be removed.

1902 Minutes Proc. Inst. Civil Engineers 147 87 This catch-pit is capable of holding 52 tons of sewage-sludge, and it is cleaned on an average once in every 2 months.

2017 N.Z. Herald (Nexis) 22 Dec. 3513 service requests for repairs to catchpits..for missing or dislodged grates and..broken catchpit grates, frames or backing plates.

catch plate n. †(a) (in a coach window blind, which slides in the manner of a shutter down the grooves of a frame) a plate fitted to the bottom lath, perhaps one which contains or retains a catch to hold the blind in place (obsolete rare); (b) (in a colliery lift) one of a pair of metal plates which move towards each other to catch the safety hook of the winding rope or chain if the hook is disengaged from its shackle as a result of overwinding (now chiefly historical).

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1767 Public Advertiser 14 Sept. Laycock Inventor, engraved on the Catch-plate.

1887 Daily News 11 Jan. 2/7 The force with which the cage was hurled into the head gear was so great that the bolts which fasten the catch-plate to the girders were torn away.

1929 Colliery Guardian 1 Feb. 456/1 The engine driver..allowed the ascending cage to be drawn up into the headgear, where it was held by the Humble hook in the catch-plate.

1989 Trans. Mining, Geol. & Metall. Inst. India No. 1. 62/1 The bands of the swinging cappel..might have struck against the catch plate causing loosening of bands and resultant fall.

† catch-plume n. Roman History Obsolete rare a person who removes the plume or feather from an adversary's helmet. [In a comment on the translation of classical Latin pinnirapus, lit. ‘peak-snatcher’, with reference to the belief that the victor in a gladiatorial contest took a feather from the crest of his opponent's helmet, as a sign of victory. Compare catch-fish n. and the note there.]

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a1661 B. Holyday in tr. Juvenal Satyres (1673) 53/2 Some tell us, that the Retiarius wore a feather in his Crest; and so it [sc. the word pinnirapus] might be render'd a Catch-plume.

catchpot n. now historical a receptacle in an industrial or chemical process, esp. one that collects a liquid.

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1882 G. Lunge Treat. Distillation Coal-tar iv. 125 The boiler-steam is first freed from liquid water in a suitable catch-pot, and then enters the superheater.

1909 Westm. Gaz. 26 Oct. 11/4 Tin..runs through a channel..into a catch-pot, whence it is ladled by small gourds..and poured.

1962 New Scientist 12 July 82/3 The catchpot was designed to hold the cathode in the event of its failure by fracture or melting.

2003 P. De Nuntiis et al. in tr. P. Mandrioli et al. Cultural Heritage & Aerobiol. v. 130 The particles are collected either dry in a catchpot or in a liquid culture medium.

catch ratline n. Nautical (now historical) any of several ratlines (see ratline n.¹ 2) fastened to the after shrouds of a sailing ship, used for climbing the rigging.

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1854 C. Bushell Rigger's Guide 171 Every fifth rattline is taken to the after shroud, this is called a ketch rattline.

1882 G. S. Nares Seamanship (ed. 6) 13 All the ratlines are seized to the after shroud but one, except every fifth ratline, which is seized to the after shroud, and is called a catch ratline.

2006 K. Chapman Peace, War & Friendships vi. 52 Going aloft in the Cutty Sark, the catch ratlin on the port side of the fore top broke as I was pulling myself up from the futtock shrouds.

catch rope n. a rope, typically with a noose at one end, used to catch livestock; a lariat or lasso.

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1859 Gazetteer of World (Royal Geogr. Soc.) VI. 70/2 The shepherd, with wonderful dexterity throws his lasso or catch-rope round the neck of the bullock.

1914 Fort Stockton (Texas) Pioneer 25 Dec. One of the boys..who had his catch-rope on his saddle..threw a noose over a corner of one of the walls.

2005 Santa Fe New Mexican (Nexis) 15 Jan. b1 Every range-riding cowboy carried a catch rope tied to his saddle. And he knew how to use it.

catch-shilling adj. and n. (a) adj. (attributive) designating a product or service of little worth, designed primarily to generate profit (now rare); †(b) n. a product of little worth, designed primarily to generate profit (obsolete).Often contrasted with catchpenny n. and adj., implying a comparatively high price.Cf. catch-guinea adj. and n.

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the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > dissimulation, pretence > semblance, outward show > [adjective] > having or given specious appearance

paintedc1390

daubedc1400

cloakeda1500

fucate1531

fucated1535

coloured1537

flim-flam1577

tinsel1595

varnisheda1616

punkish1616

white-limeda1631

pargeted1645

tinselled1651

vizarded1663

lacquered1687

glossy1698

catchpenny1705

catch-shilling1808

tinselly1811

whitewashed1859

shoddy1882

veneered1884

hollowed-out1890

face-lifted1941

suede shoe1952

cosmetic1955

1808 R. Southey Select. from Lett. (1856) II. 402 The other article is upon a catch penny or rather catch shilling ‘Life of Wellington’.

1867 Sword & Trowel May 236 We do not pledge ourselves to notice all the books sent to us, and especially controversial pamphlets.., prophetical catch-pennies, or catch-shillings, insane maunderings, [etc.].

1924 Age (Melbourne) 27 Sept. 25/3 There are also innumerable ‘catch-pennies’ all over the Exhibition, only they happen to be ‘catch-shillings’.

1936 Daily News (Perth, Austral.) 15 Sept. 6/5 Why is it necessary that motorists should have to pay a fee if they wish to visit the Weir? It seems more of a catch-shilling device than anything.

catch siding n. a railway siding constructed on a line with a steep gradient, designed so that a train, carriage, etc., which is running out of control enters the siding and comes to a halt.

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1856 Morning Post 19 Mar. 2/2 The company proposed to place catch sidings on the line.

1915 A. S. Richey & W. C. Greenough Electric Railway Handbk. i. 89 In lieu of the up-grade arrangement the catch siding is sometimes buried in sand to the depth of a few inches over the rails.

2011 Times of India (Nexis) 7 Feb. Of these four stations, Donigal and Siribagilu have catch sidings.

catch sound n. the sound of a word, phrase, etc., which captures or engages attention.

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1841 New-Eng. Weekly Rev. 9 Oct. It is the catch-sound, and not the meaning of the word ‘productive’, in the title of his Grammar, which ensures it a productive publication to the author.

1874 W. P. Roberts Law & God xi. 127 It is not the catch-sound of a verse which has authority, but the divine spirit of God's revelation.

1986 New Scholar 10 148 Besides innumerable cases of polysemia, elements like can and kan may appear as morphemes without meaning, that is, as catch sounds.

catch-tank n. a tank designed to receive and collect water or other fluids, forming part of a water or sewage system, a processing plant, etc.

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1875 J. G. Gamble Brighton Intercepting & Outfall Sewers 8 These catch-tanks are of different dimensions, according to the quantity of material expected.

1920 Blackwood's Mag. May 706/2 The glen stream was never again diverted from its course, nor the catch-tank drained.

2014 U.S. Patent 8,882,891 B1 1 A catch tank is provided as an additional measure to prevent drilling fluid..from exiting the apparatus through a flare.

† catch tide n. Obsolete rare a tide which may be used to advantage by a swimmer.

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1907 Daily Chron. 15 Aug. 7/5 There was a strong catch tide in favour of the swimmers.

catch vote n. (a) adj. (attributive) designating a policy, motion, etc., regarded as popular with voters, and therefore likely to win votes for a politician or party supporting it; (of a politician) that supports policies, etc., of this type; (b) n. a policy, motion, etc., of this type.

ΚΠ

1835 Lancaster Gaz. 10 Jan. The specious catch-vote terms of the motion.

1851 York Herald 15 Feb. 7/4 I am not the man to come down to the house, and pass a catch vote in order to embarrass the government.

1895 Westm. Gaz. 4 Dec. 7/1 Until the end of President Cleveland's term Great Britain has a statesman, and not a catch-vote politician, to deal with.

1940 Auckland Star 2 Sept. 6/8 The second reading of the Soldiers' Guarantee Bill..is a catch vote for Mr. Lee and his newly-formed party.

2003 Sunday Times (Nexis) 29 June (Features section) 7 One could, no doubt, be deeply cynical and argue that this is mainly the result of the Conservatives' catch vote policy on tuition fees.

† catch wheel n. Obsolete a ratchet wheel.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > parts of machines > wheel > [noun] > cog or gear > ratchet

ratch1696

ratchet wheel1736

ratchet1744

ratch-wheel1744

racket wheel1758

catch wheel1786

mousing1875

1786 J. Horn Descr. & Use New Universal Sowing Machine 17 A trigger fixed to this bar bears against a catch wheel.

1845 Encycl. Metrop. VIII. 619/1 This cylinder carries a catch wheel..the teeth of which engage the click..attached to the wheel C by a screw.

1894 Sci. Amer. 3 Nov. 276/2 These hooks engage notches in catch wheels on opposite sides of the cart.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2018; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

单词	catch
释义	† catchn.¹ Forms: Middle English cacche, Middle English cachs, Middle English kache, Middle English–1600s cache, 1500s–1800s catch, Middle English 1600s catche, 1600s katch. Origin: Probably formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: catch v. Etymology: Probably < catch v. (compare catch n.²), perhaps with reference to the boat's use in fishing (compare catch v. 3). Compare later ketch n.¹It also been suggested that the word developed from a sense ‘chase, pursuit’ (compare catch n.² 2), with reference to the boat's speed, similar to the later Dutch jachtschip , jacht (see yacht n.), but the development in Dutch is more complex than a simple sense transfer, and catch n.² 2 is very rare. Earlier currency is implied by post-classical Latin cacchis, cachis, ablative plural (1335, 1359 in British sources; apparently < Middle English); compare also the derivative cachagium transport by such a boat (1338 in a British source). Obsolete. Any of various kinds of small boat or ship; (in early use esp.) a seagoing vessel used for fishing or coastal transportation; (later also English regional) a shallow-bottomed boat used on rivers, canals, etc. Cf. ketch n.¹ ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessel propelled by sail > [noun] > vessel with specific number of masts > types of vessel with two masts > ketch catch1370 ketch?1612 ketch rig1825 1370–2 in J. Raine Fabric Rolls York Minster (1859) 339 Pro..j hausour et j stay pro le cachs, 5s. 4d. Diversis hominibus auxiliantibus quandam naviculam Hospitalis vocatam le cache ad aquam tractandam, 4d. 1422 in R. W. Chambers & M. Daunt Bk. London Eng. (1931) 129 Cacches han layne with oistres ij dayes. 1465 in Manners & Househ. Expenses Eng. (1841) 473 To axe of my lord of Duram in yifte the kache of Hangeford. 1483 in J. P. Collier Househ. Bks. John Duke of Norfolk & Thomas Earl of Surrey (1844) 397 Rede oker to send be watyr with the sayd hoppes, in Ferdes cache of Brekenlynsey. 1561 R. Eden in tr. M. Cortés Arte Nauigation Pref. sig. ¶iv^v Fyshermen that go a trawlyng for fyshe in Catches or mongers. 1580 Sir R. Bingham in Spenser's Wks. (Grosart) I. 468 A small catch or craer of Sir William Wynters. 1624 J. Smith Gen. Hist. Virginia ii. 23 The river..is navigable..with Catches and small Barkes 30 or 40 myles farther. 1642 E. Nicholas Let. in T. Carte Coll. (1735) 89 Sir John Hotham hath lately apprehended..one of the King's caches. a1661 J. Glanville Voy. Cadiz (1883) 116 Catches being short and round built bee verie apt to turne up and downe and usefull to goe to and fro, and to carry messages between shipp and shipp almost with anie wind. 1693 T. Urquhart & P. A. Motteux tr. F. Rabelais 3rd Bk. Wks. lii. 429 Catches, Capers, and other Vessels. 1850 Railway Times 29 June 625/3 (advt.) A Trent Catch, sixty tons burthen, with Stores complete, two Punt Boats, &c. 1878 S. H. Miller & S. B. J. Skertchly Fenland iv. 127 Catch, a small trading vessel, used in inland navigation. 1884 G. S. Streatfeild Lincolnshire & Danes Gloss. 320 Catch, a small river boat. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2018; most recently modified version published online June 2021). catchn.² Brit. /katʃ/, U.S. /kɛtʃ/, /kætʃ/ Forms: α. see catch v. β. also Scottish 1800s cacht, 1800s caght, 1800s caucht. Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: catch v. Etymology: < catch v. Compare slightly earlier catch n.¹, which may be of the same origin.Slightly earlier currency in sense 1 is implied by the rare Anglo-Norman cache , cacche (a1383, a1400; apparently < Middle English), in both attestations listed alongside lache (see latch n.¹), in parallel with early uses in English. Compare also slightly earlier mousecatch n. at mouse n. Compounds 2a, which could be interpreted as a compound of this noun. However, catch n.² is not otherwise attested in the sense ‘trap’, and uses of the simplex with reference to capturing or seizing are significantly later (compare sense 4), so it is more likely that the second element of the compound is the verb (compare catch v. 3). Variant forms. With the β. forms perhaps compare the β. forms at catch v. Specific senses. The semantic motivation for sense 3 is uncertain; perhaps compare Italian caccia , denoting a different musical style (c1400). With sense 9 compare earlier catchword n. 2. With sense 11b compare later catch v. 45 and catch crop n. 2. 1. A device for fastening or checking the motion of something, esp. a latch or other mechanism for fastening a door, window, etc.; (sometimes spec.) the part of a latch into which the bar, bolt, etc., is inserted to hold the item in place.ball catch, door-catch, thumb-catch, trigger-catch, etc.: see the first element. See also safety catch n. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > [noun] > seizing or intercepting something moving or falling > that by which anything is caught and held catch1398 society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > fastenings > [noun] > catch catch1398 clicket1487 snaphance1603 catch hook1695 snapc1815 catch lock1836 bulldog1908 society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > parts of machines > mechanism > [noun] > part of > projecting part or catch catch1398 finger1496 catch hook1695 dog1825 detent1832 winglet1835 catch lock1836 trip-catch1880 trip1906 1398–9 Acct. Exchequer King's Remembrancer (P.R.O.: E101/473/11) m. 4 Pro..xij lacchis vj kacchis v crampons. 1423 in R. W. Chambers & M. Daunt Bk. London Eng. (1931) 155 Item, for j latche, j catche, j crampe, to þe forseide dore. 1454 in Eng. & Germanic Stud. (1948) 2 93 (MED) Item paye for latchis, catchis, and cramponis for the kechyn windowes and doores. 1520 Accts. St. John's Hosp., Canterbury (Canterbury Cathedral Archives: CCA-U13/4) Payd for a lache and a cache and a stapylle ijd. 1572 G. Kyttes Vnluckie Firmentie sig. B.ii^v The doore stode by the catche Full saftely then he drewe the latche For feare of makinge noyse. 1647 Accts. St. John's Hosp., Canterbury (Canterbury Cathedral Archives: CCA-U13/5) 86 For a katch for my gate jd. 1647 N. Nye Art of Gunnery i. 31 These catches, being either of steel or brass. 1686 London Gaz. No. 2132/4 A pair of plain Pistols with..one of the Catches broke off from the Lock. 1741 W. Ellis Mod. Husbandman May vi. 97 They have square Pieces of Timber erected, with a Place to fasten their Heads in, by a Catch of Wood. 1767 W. Kenrick Widow'd Wife iv. iv. 75 This damned trigger here has no catch. 1829 Nat. Philos. (Libr. Useful Knowl.) I. Mechanics ii. vi. 25 The ratchet-wheel and catch. 1851 Illustr. London News 42 The derrick being supported by a catch or pall. 1882 W. H. Mallock Social Equal. viii. 203 A catch attached to the beam of the engine. 1932 S. Gibbons Cold Comfort Farm (1936) xii. 176 She took down the bull-prong..and, standing at a comfortable distance from the shed, manœuvred the catch back, and saw the door swing open. 1972 Pussycat 33 lix. 10/2 She released the catch on her bra and slipped it off. 2001 M. Blake 24 Karat Schmooze xvii. 192 Rox took the catch off the door. †2. Scottish. A chase, a pursuit. Cf. catch v. 37. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1500 R. Henryson tr. Æsop Fables: Wolf & Wether l. 2553 in Poems (1981) 95 Ȝe sall rew this rais. ‘Quhat wes the cause ȝe gaif me sic ane katche?’ 3. Music. Originally: a short, simple song for three or more unaccompanied voices, each singing the same melody, the second singer beginning the first line as the first goes on to the second line, and so with each successive singer; a round (round n.¹ 19). Later: spec. such a song in which the words are arranged to produce humorous effects, typically in the form of a pun, when sung in this manner. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > music > type of music > vocal music > types of song > [noun] > part-song > round rounda1522 catchc1580 rota1782 troll1820 c1580 in Musical Q. (1954) 40 222 Here are w^th in this rowle divers fine catches, otherwise called Roundes of 3, 4, and 5 parts in one. 1595 R. Parry Moderatus iii. sig. B2^v They all fel a singing of catches and Roundelayes. 1601 W. Cornwallis Ess. II. xliii. sig. Ff Like a singing catch, some are beginning when others are ending. 1615 T. Overbury et al. New & Choise Characters with Wife (6th impr.) sig. M7^v The wakefull ketches on Christmas Eue. 1636 D. Featley Clavis Mystica xxvii. 343 Singing as it were a catch, and taking the word one from another. 1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 72. ¶9 Several old Catches, which they sing at all Hours. 1801 M. Edgeworth Forester in Moral Tales I. 69 A party of gentlemen began to sing catches. 1854 T. B. Macaulay in Encycl. Brit. IV. 187/2 Dean Aldrich, a divine now chiefly remembered by his catches. 1939 ‘F. O'Brien’ At Swim-Two-Birds 186 They rendered old catches with full throats, and glees and round-songs and riddle-me-raddies. 1978 I. Murdoch Sea 312 They sang in round, and showed no sign of stopping, an Italian catch. 2009 Jrnl. Brit. Stud. 48 225 Glees and catches were often accompanied by piano or instrumental ensemble. 4. a. The act or fact of catching something (in various senses); esp. the act or fact of capturing, seizing, or grasping a person or thing, or of intercepting and holding something which has been thrown, dropped, etc. Formerly also: †a hold, a grip (obsolete). ΘΚΠ the mind > possession > taking > seizing > catching or capture > [noun] fenga1250 catchingc1325 takingc1350 caption1382 capture1541 catcha1586 talons1586 capturing1800 collaring1834 the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > snare, trap, entanglement > [noun] > act of entrapping, ensnarement beswiking1340 espying1340 telea1450 mismeaningc1450 trapping?1531 entrapping1564 entangling1574 catcha1586 entrapment1609 ensnarementa1617 ensnaring1660 trepan1665 trepanning1670 crimping1795 roping in1840 entoilment1855 noosing1878 the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > [noun] > seizing or intercepting something moving or falling catchingc1325 catch1868 the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > stolen goods > [noun] > spoil or plunder > item of catch1870 a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1593) i. sig. H5^v She would faine the catch of Strephon flie. a1657 G. Daniel Trinarchodia: Richard II lxviii, in Poems (1878) III. 154 Demands To Princes made in Catch of Rebel Hands. 1698 tr. Baron de Pointis Acct. taking of Cartagena Pref. sig. A3^v Most of the Governours and Men in Trust (like so many Vultures) griping whatever comes within the Catch of their Talons. 1723 D. Defoe Hist. Col. Jack (ed. 2) 240 She intended to have me, if she could catch, and it was indeed a kind of a Catch. 1824 J. Hogg Private Mem. Justified Sinner 241 One ketch with thy foot, or toss with thy finger, shall throw him from thy sight. 1868 J. K. Hunter Retrospect Artist's Life xi. I had a catch of one of the props. 1870 Daily News 20 Sept. The French captured a German schooner..and this wretched little catch called forth an uncommon deal of enthusiasm and cheering. 1908 Washington Post 7 Jan. 11/1 What is regarded as an important ‘catch’ was made when the police arrested two well-dressed young men..on a charge of burglary. 1996 Sunday Mail (Queensland) (Nexis) 30 June A baby thrown from a third floor window during a fire survived after being caught by a man in the street... ‘I was very surprised. It was a difficult catch.’ b. Sport. (a) Cricket. An act (on the part of a fielder) of catching the ball after it has been struck by the batter and before it touches the ground, so causing the dismissal of the batter. Also: a ball struck so that a fielder is able catch it; a chance of catching the ball. Cf. catch v. 49. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > fielding > [noun] > catch or catching catchingc1325 catch1744 society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > batting > [noun] > types of stroke long ball1744 nip1752 catch1816 no-hit1827 cut1833 short hit1833 draw1836 drive1836 square hit1837 skylarker1839 skyer1840 skyscraper1842 back-cut1845 bum1845 leg sweep1846 slog1846 square cut1850 driver1851 Harrow drive1851 leg slip1852 poke1853 snick1857 snorter1859 leg stroke1860 smite1861 on-drive1862 bump ball1864 rocketer1864 pull1865 grass trimmer1867 late cut1867 off-drive1867 spoon1871 push1873 push stroke1873 smack1875 Harrow drive1877 pull-stroke1880 leg glance1883 gallery-hit1884 boundary-stroke1887 glide1888 sweep1888 boundary1896 hook1896 leg glide1896 backstroke1897 flick1897 hook stroke1897 cover-drive1898 straight drive1898 square drive1900 edger1905 pull-drive1905 slash1906 placing stroke1907 push drive1912 block shot1915 if-shot1920 placing shot1921 cow-shot1922 mow1925 Chinese cut1937 haymaker1954 hoick1954 perhapser1954 air shot1956 steepler1959 mishook1961 swish1963 chop- 1744 ‘J. Love’ Cricket iii. Argt. 17 Weymark unhappily misses a Catch. 1752 Game at Cricket in New Universal Mag. Nov. 581/2 If he [sc. the striker] runs out of his ground to hinder a catch, it’s out. 1816 W. Lambert Instr. & Rules Cricket 15 Strikers are generally cautious at first, which will frequently cause a catch. 1836 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers (1837) vii. 69 At every bad attempt at a catch..he launched his personal displeasure at the head of the devoted individual in such denunciations as..‘Now butter-fingers’. 1886 E. Gurney et al. Phantasms of Living I. 561 His mental condition after just missing a catch. 1906 A. E. Knight Compl. Cricketer iv. 146 Rightly judged by the eye, a catch should drop into the hands. 1931 B. Johnston Let. 10 May in Lett. Home 1926–45 (1998) 68 I am keeping wicket in quite good form, and got a catch and didn't let any byes yesterday. 2010 Times 7 Dec. 74/4 He had Brad Haddin caught pushing at one rather than playing it and Matt Prior took the catch. (b) In various ball games other than cricket, as baseball, American football, rugby, etc.: an act of catching a ball which has been hit, thrown, or kicked.fly-catch, fair catch, shoestring catch, etc.: see the first element. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > football > rugby football > [noun] > actions or manoeuvres scrimmaging1776 throw on1845 rush1857 catch1858 maul1860 touch1863 mauling1864 touch-in-goal1869 goal-kicking1871 throw-forward1871 sidestepping1877 handing1882 punting1882 heel1886 touch kicking1889 forward pass1890 scrumming1892 touch-finding1895 heeling1896 wheel1897 scrag1903 reverse pass1907 jinka1914 hand-off1916 play-the-ball1918 gather1921 pivot pass1922 sidestep1927 smother-tackle1927 stiff-arm1927 heel-back1929 scissors1948 rucking1949 loose scrummaging1952 cut-through1960 pivot break1960 put-in1962 chip kicking1963 box kicking1971 peel1973 chip and chase1976 tap penalty1976 society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > baseball > [noun] > fielding > actions overthrow1856 catch1858 pickup1872 peg1906 shoestring catch1926 1858 N.Y. Times 21 July 5/1 Other players received their share of applause, particularly..Wright and P. O'Brien for catches on the fly in the long fields. 1867 Routledge's Handbk. Football 41 Knocking on and throwing forward are disallowed: in case of this rule being broken a catch from such a knock or throw shall be equivalent to a fair catch. 1893 W. K. Post Harvard Stories 22 The Yale full-back retreated for a catch. 1915 C. Mathewson Catcher Craig vii. 87 Mr. Gifford pegged suddenly to third baseman and that youth made a perfect catch. 1931 J. F. McHale et al. Austral. Game of Football 48 The ball being held a reasonable time and not having been touched while in transit from kick to catch. 2017 Dayton (Ohio) Daily News (Nexis) 6 Feb. c2 Atlanta was in position to put the victory away when Julio Jones made a stunning catch along the sideline. c. Chiefly Sport (esp. Cricket and Baseball). With modifying word, as good, sure, etc.: a person who catches to the specified standard. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > cricketer > [noun] > fielder > types of fielder catcher1774 butterfingers1835 catch1853 1853 Era 26 June 12/1 Mr. Nicholson..is a ‘pretty sure catch.’ 1867 Frank Leslie's Illustr. Newspaper 2 Feb. 308/1 The school favorite was not necessarily..the best runner, not best oarsman, not best ‘catch’ at cricket. 1896 Denver Evening Post 13 Apr. 8/1 When in harness he was recognized as a remarkably safe catch and an accurate thrower. 1930 Times 12 Nov. 6/5 He was a very reliable catch in the slips. 2005 J. W. Houghton Rough Magicke i. iv. 49 ‘Don't toss it—I'm a terrible catch.’ He handed me the ring. 2011 R. L. Stine It's First Day of School..Forever! vi. 27 I'm not a good catch. I'm terrible at sports. d. Any of various games involving catching something; spec. a game in which a ball is thrown back and forth between two or more players. Cf. catchball n. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > children's game > children's ball games > [noun] catchball1631 hop-ball1811 Anthony over1838 barn-ball1841 bull-pen1857 sevens1864 catch1887 pig in the middle1887 alairy1916 monkey in the middle1952 kingy1959 piggy in the middle1967 dandy shandy1978 1855 Janesville (Wisconsin) Gaz. 5 May Another means of rousing and fixing the dormant faculty of attention is by throwing from hand to hand a ball or stick, as boys play ‘catch’. 1887 Sunday Inter Ocean (Chicago) 21 Aug. 9/5 Some of the bigger girls got hold of a ball and tried a game of ‘catch’ for diversion. 1914 Good Housek. Mag. Oct. 462/1 I picked up a ball and announced..that those who wished to play could join my game. I started a spirited game of catch. 1976 J. Monaco New Wave ix. 201 There is..a man playing catch with a boy standing up through a sun-roof. 2003 C. Birch Turn again Home vii. 95 They went on the beach and played catch, all apart from Nelly, who couldn't catch or throw for toffee. †5. The crux or central point of a discussion or argument. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > perception or cognition > faculty of ideation > topic, subject-matter > [noun] > essential part pointc1385 pithc1425 issue1553 extract1570 catch1600 hinge1638 punctuma1680 resa1732 jet1748 gist1820 bottom line1830 just it1862 crux1888 1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. xxxiv. xxxii. 873 a I will not use many words..but come to the very catch and point of the matter. 6. colloquial. a. A person or thing acquired or worth acquiring; something valuable gained or won; a prize; (formerly spec.) †a thief's booty (obsolete). ΘΚΠ the mind > will > wish or inclination > desire > [noun] > object of desire willeOE desire1340 appetitec1386 flight1530 optative1605 catch1609 desiderate1640 desirable1645 desideratuma1651 eligible1656 appetible1715 lookout1795 desideration1836 ooh-ah1957 the mind > possession > taking > seizing > catching or capture > [noun] > that which is caught or captured fanga1400 hale1572 catch1609 taking1855 catch-up1879 1609 W. Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida ii. i. 102 Hector shall haue a great catch and knocke at either of your beains, a were as good crack a fusty nut with no kernell. a1616 W. Shakespeare Taming of Shrew (1623) ii. i. 327 No doubt but he hath got a quiet catch . View more context for this quotation 1669 J. Dryden Wild Gallant iii. 37 The Gentleman had got a great catch of her as they say. 1765 C. Brietzcke Diary 18 Feb. in Notes & Queries (1963) Mar. 424/2 It would have been no great Catch to have been his Private Secry. 1830 J. Galt Lawrie Todd II. iv. ix. 73 He would be a great catch to the settlement. 1836 Comic Almanack 21 We'd quite a catch in Ha'penny Hatch, And never paid a farden. 1877 W. H. Thomson Five Years' Penal Servitude iii. 244 As it was her catch I thought as I'd consult along of her whether we should take the 200l. 1924 J. H. Wilkinson Leeds Dial. Gloss. & Lore 85 Don't ax Billy to come, he's no catch ah can tell yeh. 1953 E. Coxhead Midlanders vii. 165 These big old places are no catch really. 1986 Marketing 11 Sept. 29/2 In the South—the better-off have become a prime catch for advertisers. 2001 Billboard 24 Mar. b28/2 A special DJ-only promo LP..that is almost impossible to find and remains a real catch for serious collectors. b. A person considered desirable as a partner or spouse, esp. on account of wealth or position. Frequently with modifying word, as good, great, etc.Cf. quot. a1616 at sense 6a, which refers to the acquisition of a wife. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > marriage or wedlock > fitness for marriage > [noun] > marriageable person > with reference to means or position > person(s) desirable on account of eligible1656 catch1749 taking1809 1749 J. Cleland Mem. Woman of Pleasure II. 219 Your surprise that one of my high blood, and relish of life, should count a gallant of threescore such a catch. 1835 T. Moore Fudge Family in Eng. i. 2 Sole encumbrance, Miss Fudge to be taken therewith. Think, my boy, for a Curate how glorious a catch! 1842 Comic Almanack 333 Angelina Ampletin was one of the prettiest girls in Pimlico, and..very far from one of the worst catches. 1892 Pick-me-up 19 Nov. 125/2 A gay young medico am I, considered quite a catch. 1917 H. A. Vachell Fishpingle x Matrimonially he was no great ‘catch’ for an heiress of quality. 1966 C. Stead Dark Places of Heart 73 He's not much of a catch. He's going bald and..he's got bad feet too. 2005 J. Martyn Ringfort to Runway Foreword p. iv Aggie seemed a good catch: good looker, car, two-story house, heir to fifty arable acres. 7. a. A fragment or small portion of something, esp. song, speech, or writing; a scrap, a snatch. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [noun] > a separate part > a piece or bit > small piece fingereOE snedec1000 seed?a1200 morselc1300 bittlock?a1400 farthingc1405 spota1413 lipetc1430 offe?1440 drewc1450 remnantc1450 parcel1483 crap1520 flakec1525 patch1528 spark1548 a piece1559 sparklec1570 inch1573 nibbling?1577 scantling1585 scrat1593 mincing1598 scantle1598 halfpenny1600 quantity1600 nip1606 kantch1608 bit1609 catch1613 scripa1617 snap1616 sippeta1625 crumblet1634 scute1635 scantleta1642 snattock1654 cantlet1700 tab1729 pallion1738 smallness1818 knobble1823 wisp1836 1613 W. Leigh Dampe of Death 24 As the prouerbe is, Ito sicut canis per Nilum, drink by catches for feare of Crocadils: taste of it pleasures, but soake not into them. 1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §838 All which notions are but ignorant catches of a few things, which are most obvious to mens observations. 1665 J. Glanvill Scepsis Scientifica iii. 10 We retain a catch of those pretty stories. 1690 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding To Rdr. sig. a It has been writ in, by catches, and many long intervals. 1741 S. Richardson Pamela III. xxxvii. 362 Down she sat, and sung a little Catch, and cry'd Hem! twice. 1830 T. Hamilton Cyril Thornton (1845) 78 I made speeches, and roared catches of songs. 1853 W. G. Simms Poems I. 278 This sacred concert,—airs with bending pines, Whose murmurs melt to one, and part again With new accords,—with now a catch of song. 1920 T. C. Chubb White God & Other Poems 13 I dreamed of song as a pleasaunce To lighten the hour, A catch of the leaves' refrain. 2011 W. S. Rogers Social Psychol. (ed. 2) 208 You are likely to find the recording..a rumbling hubbub of noise with just the occasional catches of conversation coming through at random. †b. A momentary or partial view of something; a glimpse. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > sight of something > [noun] > glimpse sightc1275 gliff1570 glemish1576 glent?1577 glimpse1580 interview1610 catch1775 styme1776 vizy1785 peep1793 snatch1816 waff1818 glint1838 1775 S. Johnson in J. Boswell Life Johnson (1831) III. 258 Such houses as had any catch of the river. 1785 T. Jefferson Notes Virginia iv. 31 [It] presents to your eye, through the cleft, a small catch of smooth blue horizon. 1789 J. Byng Diary 9 June in Torrington Diaries (1935) II. 5 Passing over Kellham Bridge, we ascended Delby-Dale Hill, whence is a very fine view over the vale of the Trent, with frequent catches of the river. 8. †a. A question or statement designed to trick or deceive. Cf. catch question n. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > enquiry > [noun] > act or instance of > surprising catch1674 catch question1836 trick question1939 zinger1954 1674 N. Fairfax Treat. Bulk & Selvedge 86 The catch is so unphilosophical, that that which gainsays it most, is most true. 1693 W. Freke Sel. Ess. xii. 62 Most of their arguments..are nothing but a few empty Catches in meer Words. b. A hidden element in a proposal, course of action, etc., designed to take advantage of another person; something concealed with the intention of catching someone out; (hence) an unforeseen difficulty or drawback, a ‘snag’. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > cunning > [noun] > a wile or cunning device > designed to trap or catch gina1325 pitfallc1390 train?a1400 catch1799 the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > [noun] > one who or that which hinders > a hindrance, impediment, or obstacle > unforeseen snag1830 snagging1880 catch1919 joker1935 1799 W. Taylor Effectual Remedy Disputes i. 7 The consequences, too, of such proposed changes, ought to be fairly and explicitly stated; and the limits accurately marked out..; that no catch, nor undue advantage may be taken. 1812 J. Bigelow & N. Hale Wars of Gulls ii. 16 The Gulls, at this intelligence, looked aghast at each other, and earnestly inquired if there was no catch. 1855 P. T. Barnum Life 120 The old farmer, who was pretty 'cute, was sure that there was some ‘catch’ in this offer. 1861 Cultivator Feb. 49/2 One man in particular is certain ‘there is some catch about such big stories’. 1919 P. G. Wodehouse Damsel in Distress x There's nobody I think a more corking sportsman than Maud, if you know what I mean, but—this is where the catch comes in—I'm most frightfully in love with somebody else. 1951 C. V. Wedgwood Last of Radicals iv. 83 I've just been reading your Henry George..and I..can't see the catch in it. 2001 Times 13 Nov. 15/3 (advt.) You have the chance to win one of these great prizes. There's no catch. †9. Something intended to attract popular attention or stimulate public demand. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > will > motivation > attraction, allurement, or enticement > [noun] > one who or that which > that which lurec1385 baitc1400 traina1425 allective1445 allurement1548 lodestone?1577 attractive1581 invites1615 magnetic1645 magnet1655 invitatory1666 track1672 glittering prize1713 catch1781 the rainbow's end1846 carrot1895 come-on1902 1781 W. Cowper Let. 5 Mar. (1979) I. 455 The Passage you object to I inserted merely by way of Catch. 1871 S. S. Jordan in Ess. & Lyrics (1878) 204 This is a ha'penny catch. 10. a. Phonetics. A glottal stop.See also glottal catch at glottal adj. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > speech sound by place or organ > [noun] > glottal catch1788 glottal catch (also stop1877 glottid1883 coup de glotte1909 recursive1924 stød1954 1788 R. Twining Let. 14 Aug. in Select. Papers Twining Family (1887) 153 Heynĕ (for the final e is pronounced with a catch) is about your size. 1867 A. M. Bell Visible Speech: Sci. Universal Alphabetics 46 An aspiration or a vocal sound follows the ‘catch’. 1925 P. Radin tr. J. Vendryes Language i. i. 30 It is directly after the vowels, when the emission of air is complete, that this catch or ‘stop’ occurs. 1964 D. Crystal & R. Quirk Syst. Prosodic & Paraling. Features Eng. iii. 43 One flap of tremulousness..is equivalent to a ‘catch’ in the voice (i.e. one flap or brief roll of glottal trill). 2009 A. Radford et al. Linguistics: Introd. (ed. 2) i. 34 In many dialects, this is pronounced without any intervention of the tongue, and comes out as a ‘catch’ in the larynx. b. A tightening or closing up of the throat during breathing or speaking, esp. as brought on by emotion, tension, etc.; a sudden checking or stopping of the breath or voice as a result of this. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disordered breathing > [noun] > shortness of breath > gasping gasping1440 sob?a1505 gaspa1529 glutting1733 kink1788 catching1873 gaspiness1883 catch1884 1798 Whitehall Evening Post 2–4 Aug. He was heard to give one catch in his throat as if sick at the stomach. 1857 C. Dickens Little Dorrit i. xix. 168 ‘I am in the twenty-third year of my life here,’ he said, with a catch in his breath that was not so much a sob as an irrepressible sound of self approval. 1884 J. Payn Thicker than Water vi. 42 There was a ‘catch’ in her breath. 1938 Partisan Rev. Jan. 48 Actors who have been playing for a long time in the same play will..‘hoke’ their performances more and more. A giggle becomes a laugh; a catch in the throat, a sob. 1979 A. Hailey Overload (new ed.) i. iii. 18 He was conscious of a catch in his voice, with tears not far away. 2005 B. Keating & S. Keating Blood Sisters (2006) xxix. 567 Hannah felt a catch in her throat as she saw the shrubs she had planted. c. A sudden spasm of intense localized pain; a stitch, a muscle cramp. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > pain > types of pain > [noun] > sudden pain stitchc1000 showera1300 shutea1300 gridea1400 gripa1400 shota1400 stounda1400 lancing1470 pang1482 twitch?1510 shooting1528 storm1540 stitching1561 stub1587 twinge1608 gird1614 twang1721 tang1724 shoot1756 darting1758 writhe1789 catch1830 lightning pain1860 twitcher1877 rash1900 the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > diseases of tissue > disorders affecting muscles > [noun] > spasm or cramp cramp1374 emprosthotonosa1398 spasmc1400 spasmusc1400 crickc1424 crumpa1500 misspringinga1500 spasma?1541 convulsion1585 catch1830 kink1848 tonus1891 1830 Edinb. Med. & Surg. Jrnl. 34 235 A sudden catch..owing to the head of the radius striking against the humerus. 1854 Med. Times & Gaz. 29 July 139/2 Coughing and deep inspiration caused a painful ‘catch’. 1920 Argosy-Allstory Weekly 13 Nov. 376/2 I got a catch in my side which made me wince. 1955 National Safety News June 40/1 He had, on several occasions, gotten a similar catch in his leg merely by moving it about while in bed. However, none of the previous catches had ever been as severe. 2006 A. M. Foley Having my Say ix. 50 My back got a catch right across it and ain't been right since. 11. a. A quantity of fish or other animals caught at one time, or during one season; a haul. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > fish to be caught or as catch > [noun] > catch of fish draughta1387 waithing1488 hale1572 tack1596 take1626 catch1792 haul1854 taking1855 fare1884 strike1887 voyage1897 shack1904 1792 Public Advertiser 25 July It is possible..to convert with certainty our annual catch of cod, &c. into hard fish. 1799 J. Robertson Gen. View Agric. Perth 377 The expence of fishing must be paid..after which the benefit of the catch is supposed to accrue to the proprietors. 1848 C. A. Johns Week at Lizard 173 The labours of the seiners..are rewarded by a catch of mackerel. 1875 F. T. Buckland Log-bk. Fisherman 12 The catch depends very much upon the weather. 1893 Aberdeen Jrnl. 31 Jan. 3/3 The catch of lobster for the week ran from 30 to 40. 1915 Sc. Geogr. Mag. Jan. 13 The catch was much smaller than the year before, whales being scarce. 1978 Evening Telegram (St. John's, Newfoundland) 13 Feb. As long as this surplus stock [of seal meat] is unsold they won't be buying any of this year's catch..from the landsmen. 2012 Economist 25 Feb. 11/1 When stocks are overfished, they yield a smaller catch. b. North American. Agriculture. A successful germination of a crop, esp. one sufficient to make further sowing unnecessary. Frequently with modifying word, esp. good. Cf. catch v. 45. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > sowing > [noun] > germination catch1798 take1921 1798 J. Madison Let. 15 Apr. in T. Jefferson Papers (2003) XXX. 276 Not half crops of wheat can be made... We have lately had a severe spell of N.E. rain, which..swept off at least 15 PrCt. of the Catch. 1849 Vermont Chron. 21 Mar. 48/1 He then laid it down to grass, and had never failed to get a ‘good catch’. 1868 G. Brackett Farm Talk 128 That's one reason why I sowed the field to barley—so as to get a good catch. 1898 L. H. Bailey Princ. Agric. 81 On hard and poor lands, it is often difficult to secure a ‘catch’ of clover. 1922 Price Current Grain Reporter 8 Feb. 25 /3 No easier method has been devised than to use ‘Nitragin’ to secure a quick ‘catch’. 1941 Harper's Mag. Aug. 329/1 My newly laid down field, where I didn't get a very good catch of grass. 2001 A. G. Bogue Farm North Talbot Road v. 92 We were working in a field that had initially held a good catch of alfalfa. c. A stretch of water in which fish may be caught. rare. ΚΠ 1891 Field 7 Mar. 342/1 I am standing by a charming catch on the noble Wye, which catch I have been thrashing for a good hour and a half. 1952 Chamber's Jrnl. Apr. 209/1 What angler has not his favourite fishing haunt or pool? I have one or two which I regard as outstanding and, of them all, the Island Run is to my mind the perfect salmon catch. †d. U.S. colloquial. Apparently: a place in which cattle are kept. Obsolete. rare. ΚΠ 1920 J. M. Hankins in J. M. Hunter Trail Drivers of Texas I. 98 Our camp was the catch and cut-out for all the other bosses. 12. Rowing. The placement of the oar in the water and the ‘grip’ of the water taken at the beginning of a stroke; (sometimes) the application of a firm propulsive force at this point. Also: the part of the stroke in which this takes place. Cf. to catch the beginning at catch v. Phrases 14. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > propelling boat by oars, paddle, or pole > [noun] > rowing > a stroke of or pull at the oars > grip of water at beginning of catch1865 1865 Pall Mall Gaz. 18 Nov. 10/1 University have again taught a lesson to Oxford that ‘catch’ at the beginning is the secret of success in rowing. 1877 Field 1 Dec. 660/1 Martin does not row his stroke out; he has a good deal of ‘catch’, but ‘catch’ is comparatively useless if the weight is at once taken off the oar. 1898 Earl of Suffolk et al. Encycl. Sport II. 296/2 Catch, the instant application of the weight and muscles of legs and body to the oar at the moment it enters the water. 1914 Outlook 18 July 636/2 This is the position for the ‘catch’ or ‘beginning’ of the stroke. 1985 D. Halberstam Amateurs iv. 41 His style of rowing..included a small backsplash at the catch when he drove his oar. 2008 Rowing News Feb. 35/1 The closer you move to the catch, the more weight you feel going onto the feet. 13. Australian and New Zealand. Sheep-shearing. A sheep taken by a shearer from the catching pen; spec. one taken just before the end of the run, so that it can be shorn at leisure, thus making an easy addition to the shearer's tally. Frequently in to get (also go for) a (or the) catch. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > genus Ovus > [noun] > Ovus Aries (domestic sheep) > defined in relation to shearing rosella1849 woolly1910 catch1933 snob1945 1933 L. G. D. Acland in Press (Christchurch, N.Z.) 23 Sept. 13/7 Catch. Just before stopping time in a wool shed, a shearer tries to finish the sheep he is on and catch another which he can finish at ease after knock-off. This is called getting a catch. E.g., ‘How many more can you do this run?’—‘Two and a catch.’ 1952 G. Meek Station Days 110 When a shearer takes a sheep from the catching pen, that's his catch. 1956 G. Bowen Wool Away! (ed. 2) 155 Catch, the last sheep of a mob. Very often this sheep produces one extra for the tally of the shearer who shears well enough to catch it first. 1965 J. S. Gunn Terminol. Shearing Industry i. 7 The ‘bell sheep’, or ‘the catch’ as it is often called, may be an easy one. 1987 H. Ogonowska-Coates Boards, Blades & Barebellies 95 Aiming to get a sheep before the bell is termed ‘going for the catch’. Phrases P1. a. at (also on, upon) the catch: on the lookout for an opportunity of catching or seizing something, esp. of seizing on person's words, finding fault, making objections, etc. Frequently in to lie at (the) catch. Now historical and rare. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > present difficulties [verb (intransitive)] > make difficulties > seek chance of catching out to lie at (the) catch1608 1608 W. Bishop Reproofe Abbots Def. 180 M. Abbot that lieth at the catch and wants better stuffe, is constrained to lay hold on them. 1630 R. Sibbes Bruised Reede 150 As one sitting at a catch for all advantages against them. 1656 H. More Antidote Atheism ii. xi. §7. 75 Scaliger lay at catch with him [sc. Cardan] to take him tripping wherever he could. 1706 tr. J. B. Morvan de Bellegarde Refl. upon Ridicule 251 They that are always upon the Ketch and Strategem. 1741 S. Richardson Pamela IV. xxx. 170 I saw he was upon the Catch, and look'd stedfastly upon me whenever I mov'd my Lips. 1766 W. Kenrick Falstaff's Wedding i. v. 7 The law is open, say'st thou? Ay, like a mouse-trap, on the catch for nibbling clients. 1824 Comic Songs & Recitations 29 They come,—as carrion-crows they watch, Or bloodhound-bayliffs on the catch. 1833 J. Kennedy Geordie Chalmers ii. 22 Why, sir, there's little fair play going. Every one is on the catch. 1879 C. H. Spurgeon Serm. XXV. 329 He only asks the question because it ought to be asked, and does not lie upon the catch. 1952 L. Hotson Shakespeare's Motley vii. 85 The countryman's..craft in ‘lying at catch’ under a feigned stupidity, and his pagan mistaking of the languages of the cultivated. b. on (also upon) the catch for: attempting or intending to attract or secure (somebody) as a partner or spouse. Cf. sense 6b, catch v. 10. Now archaic. ΚΠ 1710 R. Steele et al. Tatler No. 98. in Lucubrations Isaac Bickerstaff II. 296 Cleora is upon the Catch with her Charms, and has no particular Regard for Fabio. 1729 tr. A. R. Le Sage Devil upon Two Sticks (ed. 6) I. viii. 195 In the House next to these two Sisters, lives..a young Arragonian Lady who is upon the Catch for some rich Bubble. 1763 J. Spencer tr. L.-C. de Hautefort Mem. 152 In the first of those places are wenches of all nations and countries, drest like so many queens, who are always upon the catch for strangers. a1817 J. Austen Lady Susan xiv, in Wks. (1954) VI. 264 Miss Manwaring is absolutely on the catch for a husband. 1966 G. Heyer Black Sheep (1991) x. 144 I should think there must be scores of fashionable London-girls on the catch for him, wouldn't you? 2015 M. Moore Accidental Fiancée ii. 23 They are not only on the catch for a rich, titled husband for Lady Charlotte, they are also the biggest gossipmongers in all of London. P2. catch and bowl n. Cricket a catch made by the bowler after the ball has been struck by the batter and before it touches the ground; cf. to catch and bowl (a person) at catch v. Phrases 11a. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > dismissal of batsman > [noun] > manner of dismissal hit-wicket1773 stumping1844 run-out1851 stump-out1859 catch and bowl1868 obstructing the field (also the ball)1868 1868 Bell's Life in London 29 Aug. 9/4 He made a magnificent catch and bowl, a hard drive, low down, left hand. 1888 A. G. Steel in A. G. Steel & R. H. Lyttelton Cricket (Badminton Libr. of Sports & Pastimes) iii. 110 A catch in the slips or at point, or a catch and bowl, is not infrequently the result. 1907 Westm. Gaz. 20 July 15/1 Hence the number of catches-and-bowls he used to bring off. 1930 Times 13 June 6/3 Barling gave an easy catch-and-bowl to Smith. 2012 Northern Echo 7 May 45 Emerging all-rounder Andrew Coles..showed his prowess with the ball by claiming a career-best six for 32, including a superb catch and bowl to dismiss Jonny Bairstow. Compounds catch club n. now historical a club devoted to the singing of catches. ΚΠ 1690 (title) The Catch Club or Merry Companions being a Choice Collection of the most Diverting Catches for Three and Four Voices Compos'd by the late Mr. Henry Purcell Dr. Blow &c. 1757 (title) The Catch Club; or, Pleasant Musical Companion. 1807 Salmagundi 27 June 231 Straddle was..a member of a Catch-club. 2008 Times 29 July 55/3 He joined the Noblemen & Gentlemen's Catch Club, where he enjoyed singing catches and glees. catch limit n. a limit on the quantity, size, or type of fish that may be caught and killed in a given period or region, designed to protect and sustain fisheries; (also) a regulation governing this; cf. catch quota n.Sometimes (and in earliest use) applied to quotas on wildlife and game other than fish. ΚΠ 1891 Wichita (Kansas) Daily Eagle 11 June 1/4 (heading) The Seal Catch Limit... The government has notified agents on the seal islands to stop the killing of seals by the North American company when it has taken 7,500. 1897 Forest & Stream 8 May 370/1 This note from a New York correspondent has a bearing on the question of trout catch limit. 1926 Biennial Rep. New Hampsh. Dept. Fish & Game 8 There should be a catch limit on pout. No one person needs to catch from fifty to one hundred in a night. 1990 Field Jan. 39/1 There should be more awareness of the sensible catch limits to be taken by rods. 2010 Observer 1 Aug. (Mag.) 42/3 In 2007 every single member nation violated catch limits set by a kind of International Whaling Commission of tuna. catch maker n. now historical a person who composes catches. ΚΠ 1701 Town Display'd 14 The Divine Catch-maker has always been, a Ranting C—n, and a Drinking D—n. 1787 J. Wolcot Ode upon Ode in Wks. (1794) I. 385 (note) Though not a Purcell..a very pretty catch-maker. 1995 J. Keates Purcell iv. 136 The age's most accomplished catch-maker. catch quota n. a quota on the number of fish that may be caught and killed in a given period or region, designed to protect and sustain fisheries; a fishing quota; cf. catch limit n. ΚΠ 1933 Pacific Fisherman Oct. 32/2 The great flaw in the results of the program carried out in 1933 was that the catch quota was reached in Area 2 by mid-August, while that in Area 3 will not be attained until nearly Nov. 1. 1980 P. W. Purdom & S. H. Anderson Environmental Sci. x. 245/2 Closed seasons, catch quotas, nets with larger mesh size, and minimum fish size can help achieve a sustained yield. 2010 Observer 1 Aug. (Mag.) 42/3 In 2008 catch quotas [sc. of Mediterranean bluefin] were set at double what biologists on ICCAT's scientific committee recommended. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2018; most recently modified version published online June 2022). catchn.³ Brit. /katʃ/, U.S. /kɛtʃ/, /kætʃ/ Origin: A variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: kedge n. Etymology: Apparently an alteration of kedge n. (although this is first attested slightly later), probably by association with catch v. Now rare. More fully catch anchor. A small anchor with an iron stock for warping or hauling off after grounding; = kedge n., kedge-anchor n. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > anchoring equipment > [noun] > anchor > kedge-anchor kedger1497 kedge-anchor1704 catch1759 kedge1769 1759 in W. Wood Logs Conquest Canada (1909) ii. 217 Snow got foule of us by gitting her longside; clear'd hir; sent hir the catch anchor, she having no spaire one. 1791 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse §143 We immediately let go another small anchor or Catch..paying out the hawser of the catch-anchor. 2004 M. Zuehlke Juno Beach (2005) iii. 48 The craft got off the beach by riding the rising tide while the crew winched it back out to sea by reeling in the catch anchor's chain. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2018; most recently modified version published online December 2021). catchv. Brit. /katʃ/, U.S. /kɛtʃ/, /kætʃ/ Inflections: Past tense and past participle caught Brit. /kɔːt/, U.S. /kɔt/, /kɑt/; Forms: 1. Present stem. α. early Middle English kec (imperative), Middle English cacces (3rd singular indicative), Middle English cachche, Middle English cachie (south-eastern), Middle English cacþ (3rd singular indicative), Middle English cahch- (inflected form), Middle English caicche, Middle English cayche, Middle English ceche, Middle English kacche, Middle English kach, Middle English kachche, Middle English kakþe (3rd singular indicative, perhaps transmission error), Middle English kecch, Middle English kecche, Middle English keche, Middle English kyche, Middle English–1500s cacche, Middle English–1500s kache, Middle English–1500s katche, Middle English–1500s ketche, Middle English–1600s cach, Middle English–1600s cache, Middle English–1600s catche, late Middle English casche, late Middle English– catch, 1500s cath, 1500s keatch, 1500s–1600s katch, 1500s–1700s cetch, 1500s–1700s ketch, 1800s cotch (Irish English), 1800s kotch (Irish English); English regional 1800s cetch, 1800s keetch, 1800s kitch, 1800s– cotch, 1800s– ketch; U.S. regional 1600s caitch, 1800s– cotch, 1800s– ketch, 1800s– kotch; Scottish pre-1700 cach, pre-1700 cache, pre-1700 catche, pre-1700 kach, pre-1700 kaiche, pre-1700 katche, pre-1700 1700s– catch, 1900s– cooch (Fife), 1900s– cotch; also Caribbean 1900s– ketch. β. Scottish pre-1700 caucht, pre-1700 cawch, pre-1700 cawcht. 2. Past tense. α. early Middle English keihte, early Middle English keyte, Middle English caghte, Middle English caȝt, Middle English caȝte, Middle English cahte, Middle English caufte, Middle English cauȝhte, Middle English cauȝt, Middle English cauȝte, Middle English cauȝtte, Middle English cauhte, Middle English caut, Middle English caute, Middle English cauth, Middle English cauwght, Middle English cawhte, Middle English cawte, Middle English coght (north-west midlands, in a late copy), Middle English kaght, Middle English kaghte, Middle English kagte, Middle English kaȝt, Middle English kaȝte, Middle English kahte, Middle English kaught, Middle English kaughte, Middle English kauȝt, Middle English kauȝte, Middle English kauhte, Middle English kaute, Middle English kauth, Middle English kawghte, Middle English kawȝte, Middle English kecche, Middle English keȝte, Middle English keiȝt, Middle English–1500s caughte, Middle English–1500s cauht, Middle English–1500s cawght, Middle English–1500s cawghte, Middle English–1600s caght, Middle English– caught, 1500s keight, 1500s–1600s cought, 1600s cawth, 1800s keetch (English regional (Cheshire)); Scottish pre-1700 kauch, pre-1700 1700s– caught, pre-1700 1800s cacht, pre-1700 1800s– caucht, 1800s caght, 1800s caht, 1800s cawcht, 2000s– cocht; N.E.D. (1889) also records the forms Middle English cought, Middle English kaufte. β. Middle English cacchid, Middle English cacchit (in a late copy), Middle English cached, Middle English cachit (in a late copy), Middle English kacched, Middle English kacchid, Middle English katched, Middle English kecched, Middle English– catched (now regional and nonstandard), 1500s–1700s catcht, 1600s catch't, 1600s catchd, 1600s cetch'd, 1600s 1900s (Irish English (northern))– ketched; English regional 1800s catch'd, 1800s cetched, 1800s cotch'd, 1800s cotched, 1800s cotcht, 1800s ketch'd, 1800s ketcht, 1800s kitch'd, 1800s kitched, 1800s–1900s catch't, 1800s–1900s catcht, 1800s– ketched; U.S. regional 1800s cotch'd, 1800s–1900s cotcht, 1800s–1900s ketcht, 1800s–1900s kotched, 1800s– cotched, 1800s– ketched, 1900s– kitcht; also Scottish pre-1700 cachit, pre-1700 catchd, pre-1700 1900s– catchit, 1700s catch't, 1700s– catcht, 1900s– coocht (Fife). γ. 1800s cotch (English regional and Irish English (Wexford)); U.S. regional 1700s– cotch, 1800s– kotch, 1900s ketch, 1900s– catch; Scottish pre-1700 cawch, 1800s– cotch, 1900s– coutch. 3. Past participle. α. early Middle English icacht, early Middle English icaist, early Middle English ikeiht, early Middle English kahht ( Ormulum, in prefixed forms), early Middle English kehte, Middle English caȝt, Middle English caht, Middle English caiht, Middle English cauȝt, Middle English cauȝte, Middle English cauht, Middle English cauth, Middle English cawht, Middle English chaut (perhaps transmission error), Middle English icaht, Middle English icauȝt, Middle English icauȝte, Middle English ikauȝt, Middle English ikaut, Middle English kaght, Middle English kaȝt, Middle English kaughte, Middle English kauht, Middle English kawȝte, Middle English kawht, Middle English keghet, Middle English keȝte, Middle English keyt, Middle English kiȝt, Middle English kiht, Middle English kouȝt, Middle English kyth, Middle English ycaght, Middle English ycaȝt, Middle English ycaht, Middle English ycauȝt, Middle English ycauȝte, Middle English ycauȝth, Middle English ycauȝtt, Middle English ykauȝt, Middle English–1500s caut, Middle English–1500s cawght, Middle English–1500s cawghte, Middle English–1500s coughte, Middle English (1500s poetic) icaught, Middle English–1500s kaught, Middle English (1500s poetic) ycaught, Middle English–1600s caght, Middle English–1600s caughte, Middle English– caught, 1500s catht, 1500s cawte, 1500s ycought, 1500s–1600s cought, 1600s cavght, 1800s cowt (English regional Yorkshire); Scottish pre-1700 kaucht, pre-1700 kawcht, pre-1700 1700s– caught, pre-1700 1800s– caucht, pre-1700 1900s cacht, 1900s caacght (Shetland); N.E.D. (1889) also records the forms Middle English cought, Middle English kight. β. early Middle English kæchedd ( Ormulum, in prefixed forms), Middle English cacched, Middle English cacchid, Middle English cacchit (in a late copy), Middle English cacchyd, Middle English cachede, Middle English cachet, Middle English cachid, Middle English icacchyd, Middle English kacchid, Middle English kachyd, Middle English ycached, Middle English–1600s cached, Middle English–1600s katched, 1500s cacchide, 1500s catchid, 1500s–1600s cacht, 1500s–1600s catchte, 1500s–1600s ketched, 1500s–1600s ketcht, 1500s–1700s catcht, 1500s– catched (now regional and nonstandard), 1600s catch't, 1600s catchd; English regional 1800s catch'd, 1800s catch't, 1800s cotch'd, 1800s cotched, 1800s cotcht, 1800s ketched, 1800s ketcht, 1800s kitched, 1800s kitcht, 1800s–1900s catcht; U.S. regional 1700s cetched, 1800s cotch'd, 1800s ketch'd, 1800s–1900s cotched, 1800s–1900s cotcht, 1800s–1900s kotched, 1800s– ketched, 1900s ketcht, 1900s– kitcht; also Scottish pre-1700 cached, pre-1700 cacheit, pre-1700 cachid, pre-1700 cachit, pre-1700 cachitt, pre-1700 kachit, pre-1700 1700s– catcht, pre-1700 1900s– catchit. γ. 1800s kotch (Irish English), 1800s– cotch (English regional and Irish English); U.S. regional 1700s– cotch, 1800s– kotch, 1900s– catch, 1900s– kutch; Scottish pre-1700 kauch, 1800s cotch. δ. 1800s catchen (English regional (Yorkshire)), 1800s cotchen (Scottish), 1900s– caughten (U.S. regional). Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymons: French cacher, chacer. Etymology: < Anglo-Norman cacher, Anglo-Norman and Old French (northern) cachier (Middle French (northern) cachier , French regional (Picardy) cacher ), variant of Anglo-Norman chacer, Anglo-Norman and Old French chacier to hunt, pursue, to seek possession of (see chase v.¹). Compare becatch v. and chacche v.Anglo-Norman forms. Anglo-Norman cacher , Anglo-Norman and Old French (northern) cachier show distinctive northern French phonological developments of the initial consonant and the medial consonant cluster of the etymon, post-classical Latin captiare ; the central French developments of the same sounds led to the Old French type chacier* , which largely superseded the northern form type even in Anglo-Norman, and which is reflected in English by chase v.¹ Compare also Anglo-Norman chacher , chachier (see chacche v.), and caser , cacer , which show features of both types. Sense development. The French word is reflected in Old English by the early borrowing of a northern Old French variant of the compound chacepol (see discussion at catchpole n.¹), and was probably borrowed in its own right as early as the 12th cent. Prefixed derivatives are also already attested from the beginning; compare becatch v., and (with y- prefix) icacchen to capture (c1275, only in the past tense). In English, the original sense was probably ‘to hunt, chase’, as in French (see branch IV.), but in this sense it was superseded by the parallel borrowing chase v.¹ (disappearing in the early modern period). By contrast, catch v. was apparently associated from an early date with the older latch v.¹, with which it shows very considerable semantic overlap; in Middle English the two words often vary with one another in different manuscripts of texts (compare the variation cited at quot. c1230 at sense 4b), and catch v. eventually superseded latch v.¹ in most senses. Compare also catch n.², which appears in collocation with latch n.¹ in early use. Form development. catch v. was also formally assimilated to latch v.¹ (and probably also to other verbs with final /tʃ/, as teach v., reach v.¹, seech variant of seek v., thench variant of think v.², thinch variant of think v.², etc.) in the (now standard) formation of its past tense and past participle forms as caught (see Forms 2α. and 3α. ). The expected past tense and past participle form catched is also attested from the Middle English period and survives in regional varieties of English (compare Forms 2β. and 3β. ). The β. forms of the present tense are in turn influenced by the past tense and past participle type caught . Occasional regional past participle forms ending in -en (see Forms 3δ. forms) show association with the past participles of strong verbs (compare -en suffix⁶). The (erroneous) form chaut at α. forms could alternatively be interpreted as showing chacche v. I. To capture, grip, entangle, and related senses.For senses relating to catching something thrown or dropped, see branch VII. 1. a. transitive. To grip, trap, or entangle (a person or thing); to hold fast to, preventing or hindering movement. Chiefly in passive. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > types or manners of hindrance > hinder in specific manner [verb (transitive)] > by catching or gripping catchc1225 wrapc1412 heel1887 c1225 (?c1200) St. Katherine (Royal) (1981) l. 908 Þing þet ha [sc. the wheels] kahten [a1250 Titus cahten], þe oðer [wheels] walden drahen..hit duneward. a1450 ( tr. Vegetius De Re Militari (Douce) (1988) 173 Þei cacche þe hede bytwene þese blades and, for þe teeth ben scharpe, þei holdeþ that þei caccheþ. 1566 W. Painter Palace of Pleasure I. xlvii. f. 322^v Her fete and handes were caught in suche captiuitie that she could neyther run away nor yet defend herselfe. 1598 E. Guilpin Satyra Quarta 31 in Skialetheia A poore flye..Was caught in curled meshes of her haire. 1611 Bible (King James) Gen. xxii. 13 A Ramme caught in a thicket by his hornes. View more context for this quotation c1660 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1644 (1955) II. 254 A Chayre, which Catches fast any who but sitts downe in it, so, as not to be able to stirr out. 1694 tr. F. Martens Voy. Spitzbergen 40 in Narbrough's Acct. Several Late Voy. They [sc. the Ice-fields] crowd upon one another, not without great danger of the Ships, which are often catcht between, and broken by them. 1734 tr. C. Rollin Rom. Hist. III. 402 His arms were catched in the trunk of the trees. 1798 Weekly Mag. 26 May 118/2 Joseph Willis was caught by a plank across his legs..which held him fast for half an hour. 1898 H. E. Hamblen Gen. Manager's Story 32 I was caught between the corners of the cars..and heard my ribs cave in. 1931 Pop. Mech. June 891/2 The sealing ship caught in the ice..moves forward with it. 1968 Brazil (Indiana) Daily Times 29 Apr. 3/2 The single-engine plane..struck a tree and was caught among its branches 40 feet off the ground. 2002 Jrnl. Value Inq. 36 534 His long hair got caught in the machine. b. transitive. Of a nail, hook, branch, etc.: to become momentarily or permanently attached to (a person who or thing which is moving past). Also: to make contact with or brush against (a person or thing).intransitive in quot. a1500 with through. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > types or manners of hindrance > hinder in specific manner [verb (transitive)] > by catching or gripping > of a hook-like object catcha1500 a1500 (?c1450) Merlin iii. 53 A sharp planke of the brigge caught thourgh his garment, so that his legges and his reynes hengen above the water. 1596 T. Lodge Wits Miserie 59 He neuer walks abroad but in suspition, if a butchers hook do but catch him by the sleeue, he cries out, At whose sute? 1637 C. Fitzgeffry Compassion towards Captives 15 Every naile or bramble that catcheth him by the coate he conceives to be a catch-pole. 1694 Moxon's Mech. Exercises (ed. 2) 160 The tops of these Brads will not catch (as the Heads of Nails would) the Thrums of the Mops when the Floor is washing. 1739 tr. C. Rollin Anc. Hist. (ed. 2) VI. 79 His robe being catched by a bramble. 1791 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse §250 Our stone vessels were liable to be catched by the keel in going out from the Jetty Head in Mill Bay. 1868 E. E. A. Ross Violet Keith iv. 37 The gentleman..was on the point of leaving a second time, when one of the brass clasps of my trunk..caught his sack. 1880 W. Black White Wings II. i. 15 The back sweep of the oars sometimes caught the waves. 1905 J. M. Thomson Bush Boys N.Z. 36 A wretched creeper of the bramble species with a superabundance of barb-like hooks that catch and tear one most grievously. 1954 Holland (Mich.) Evening Sentinel 22 Nov. 1/4 A branch caught his glove causing his 30-30 Winchester rifle to discharge, shooting off the toe next to the big toe. 2006 L. St. John White Giraffe 169 As she entered, a nail caught her T-shirt sleeve and ripped a small hole in it. c. intransitive. To become trapped, entangled, or attached. Chiefly with preposition, as in, on, etc. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > absence of movement > [verb (intransitive)] > cease to move or become motionless > be arrested or intercepted in progress steek?a1400 sticka1450 lodge1611 intercept1612 catch1620 clog1633 jam1706 rake1725 fasten1744 set1756 hitch1897 seize1917 1620 T. Shelton tr. M. de Cervantes 2nd Pt. Don Quixote xxx. 198 As hee was lighting from Dapple, one of his feet caught vpon a halter of the packe-saddle. 1693 A. Pitfield tr. S. de La Loubère New Hist. Relation Kingdom Siam II. 155 Having one day thrown his Line, the Hook catch'd on a Tree fallen into the water. 1724 D. Defoe Tour Great Brit. I. ii. 23 The Lap of his Coat catching in a Block, was drawn so hard in by the running of the Rope in the Block, that it held the Man fast. 1796 T. Lindsey Let. 4 Jan. (2012) II. 367 As he was entring in his foot catched upon the carpet, which threw him down with such violence, that he dislocated his thigh bone. 1871 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues I. 82 The scythe end caught in the rigging. 1892 Ballou's Monthly Mag. Mar. 241/2 My jacket caught in a branch and tore like the dickens. 1909 Supreme Court Reporter (U.S.) 29 137/2 I had my hand on the feed board..and my hand caught and went right up with it. 1967 Princeton Alumni Weekly 18 Apr. 23/1 Once in a while the rope catches in trees, so he has to swing around to disentangle it. 2014 S. Khan Escape ix. 60 A twig caught in her hair and tugged. d. transitive. Of a person: to attach, trap, or entangle (a body part, item of clothing, etc.) on or in something by accident. Chiefly with in or on. ΚΠ 1773 Hadleigh Grove I. vi. 179 He pursued me, but catching his foot in a bramble, fell at his full length upon the ground. 1865 Sharpe's London Mag. Apr. 208/1 Having caught her hair in the branches of a tree. 1898 H. Avery Soldiers of Queen ii. 28 A quarter mile walking race..ended, to the great delight of the spectators, in Garston nearly tearing his nightshirt off his back by catching it on a broken bedstead. 1920 Northwestern Reporter 175 83/1 They started the elevator, and he caught his foot as he was getting in, and he could not help himself. He said he called to the elevator boy and said, ‘Stop, I am caught’. 1949 F. Towers Tea with Mr. Rochester 90 Katherine turned to flee, caught her foot in a root, and fell sprawling all her length. 1987 R. Altman Amer. Film Musical 161/2 In The Gay Divorcee, Astaire comes to the rescue of an embarrassed Rogers who has caught her dress while closing a trunk. 2003 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 9 Nov. v. 14/2 I'd caught a ski tip on a buried sapling and landed with a muffled thud. 2. transitive. figurative. To lead or entice (a person) into an undesirable situation, esp. by means of trickery or deception; to deceive, dupe. Frequently in passive in later use.Cf. to catch out 3b at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > snare, trap, entanglement > entrap, ensnare [verb (transitive)] shrenchc897 beswike971 betrapa1000 bewindOE undernimc1175 undertakec1175 bisayc1200 beguile?c1225 catchc1225 beginc1250 biwilea1275 tele?a1300 enginec1300 lime13.. umwrithea1340 engrin1340 oblige1340 belimec1350 enlacec1374 girnc1375 encumber138. gnarec1380 enwrap1382 briguea1387 snarl1387 upbroid1387 trap1390 entrikea1393 englue1393 gildera1400 aguilec1400 betraisec1400 embrygec1400 snare1401 lacea1425 maska1425 begluec1430 marl1440 supprise?c1450 to prey ona1500 attrap1524 circumvene1526 entangle1526 tangle1526 entrap1531 mesh1532 embrake1542 crawl1548 illaqueate1548 intricate1548 inveigle1551 circumvent1553 felter1567 besnare1571 in trick1572 ensnare1576 overcatch1577 underfong1579 salt1580 entoil1581 comprehend1584 windlassa1586 folda1592 solicit1592 toil1592 bait1600 beset1600 engage1603 benet1604 imbrier1605 ambush1611 inknot1611 enmesha1616 trammela1616 fool1620 pinion1621 aucupate1630 fang1637 surprise1642 underreacha1652 trepan1656 ensnarl1658 stalk1659 irretiate1660 coil1748 nail1766 net1803 to rope in1840 mousetrap1870 spider1891 c1225 (?c1200) St. Katherine (Royal) (1981) l. 117 Þe feont..mong alle his crokinde creftes, wið neauer an ne keccheð he creftluker cang men..þen þet he makeð men..to makien swucche mawmez..of stan. c1330 (?c1300) Speculum Guy (Auch.) (1898) l. 882 Deþ is gilour swiþe strong..sodeyneliche þu miht be caiht. c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 1 Cor. iii. 19 I schal catche wyse men in her fell wysdom. a1464 J. Capgrave Abbreuiacion of Cron. (Cambr. Gg.4.12) (1983) 147 Oþir lordis he cacchid or caute with fayre wordes. 1550 H. Latimer Moste Faithfull Serm. before Kynges Maiestye sig. Aii^v To catche him in his worde, that they myghte enforce some what agaynste hym. 1654 O. Cromwell Speech 4 Sept. in Writings & Speeches (1945) (modernized text) III. 437 For few have been catched with the former mistakes. 1699 R. Bentley Diss. Epist. Phalaris (new ed.) 283 To see how Error is propagated, even Petavius too was caught here. 1706 Fashionable Lover v. 58 I've heard the little Arts and Tricks you us'd to catch me. 1867 Northern Monthly Mag. July 233 No wonder the young and unwary were caught; and many a guileless heart was pledged to the undeveloped cause. 1887 Manch. Guardian 8 Mar. 8/4 With a dollar only minted in London (or England) someone would be ‘caught’. 1977 Yale French Stud. No. 55/56 186 The psychoanalytic reader is..the reader who would not be caught, who would not be made a dupe. 2011 Legal Newsline (Nexis) 22 Nov. Even sophisticated consumers can be caught by deceptive advertising. 3. a. transitive. To capture (a person who or animal which tries or would try to escape); to trap; to take (a person) captive; to apprehend. Also figurative and in figurative contexts.intransitive in quot. a1616. ΚΠ ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 217 Capite nobis uulpes paruulas..kec [c1230 Corpus Cambr. keche, a1250 Titus kech] us..þe ȝeunge foxes. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 15725 Ȝif he me mihte cacchen [c1300 Otho cache] he me wolde quellen. c1330 Simonie (Auch.) (1991) l. 457 Pride haþ in his paunter kauht þe heie and þe lowe. a1350 in R. H. Robbins Hist. Poems 14th & 15th Cent. (1959) 9 He may scape & we aren euer caht. a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vii. l. 4945 As the Tigre his time awaiteth In hope forto cacche his preie. c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Melibeus (Hengwrt) (2003) §211 He..setteth a Net biforn his feet to cacchen hym. 1486 Bk. St. Albans sig. eviii Theys houndes all Bayen and cryen when thay hym ceche shall. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 209 He purpast hym priuely..at his comyng to kacche hym olyue. 1593 Tell-Trothes New-yeares Gift (1876) 35 The siliest creatures are seldome catcht in ordinary trappes. a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) ii. iii. 61 Some dogs will catch well. View more context for this quotation 1642 D. Rogers Naaman 375 He had fished all night and catcht nothing. a1715 Bp. G. Burnet Hist. Own Time (1724) I. 368 He was early catched by the Jesuits, and bred many years among them. 1716 W. Trail Let. 11 Apr. in R. Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 143 He catched four or five of the rebels that were lurking in Angus. 1866 Notes & Queries 3rd Ser. 9 498/1 True amphibians, catching their prey in the water. 1895 Argosy Sept. 508/2 So you've caught the young burglar, have you? 1951 R. Campbell Light on Dark Horse ii. 36 As boys we used to catch snakes for the Zoo, for pocket money. 1967 Nation's Business Dec. 75 For every family taking the bankruptcy road, probably another dozen are caught in the debt trap. 2001 Smithsonian Dec. 28/3 He shows me how easy it is to catch fish at night, barehanded. b. transitive. In board games and card games: to take (another player's piece, card, etc.) during play. Cf. capture v. 2. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > board game > chess > [verb (transitive)] > tactics to shut up1474 to take upc1475 neck1597 catch1674 to discover check1688 attack1735 retreat1744 fork1745 pin1745 retake1750 guard1761 interpose1761 castle1764 retract1777 to take (a pawn) en passant1818 capture1820 decline1847 cook1851 undouble1868 unpin1878 counter1890 fidate1910 sacrifice1915 fianchetto1927 1674 C. Cotton Compl. Gamester v. 70 If you intend to catch [printed cath] the Queen with a Knight, imagine that the adverse King stands in his own place unremoved. 1735 J. Bertin Noble Game of Chess 38 (heading) The Queen's Gambet, which gives a Pawn, with a design to catch her adversary's Queen's Rook. 1868 W. B. Dick Mod. Pocket Hoyle 31 They argue, that by holding up the Ace, Queen suit, they stand a better chance of catching the King. 1879 A. W. Drayson Art Pract. Whist iv. 73 If you led the king, you might catch your partner's knave or ten, if not the ace. 1960 Carleton (Ottawa) 4 Mar. 7/3 He..caught the jack and king with his ace. 1985 tr. K. Yoshinori Graded Go Probl. for Beginners I. 198 If Black makes any other move, such as 1, White plays 2 and catches five black stones. 2009 Washington Post (Nexis) 26 Feb. (Extras section) 5 [They] gazed intently, each counting how many moves it might take to catch the other's rook and call checkmate. 4. a. transitive. To take hold of and snatch away (something); to take away suddenly; to grab. Frequently with from or out of. Also figurative and in figurative contexts. Now rare.Cf. to catch away 2 at Phrasal verbs 1, to catch off 1 at Phrasal verbs 1, to catch up 2a at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold [verb (transitive)] > lay hold of or grasp > suddenly or forcibly > and take away catchc1230 to catch offc1400 c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 167 Ha walden kecchen of þe al þet tu hefdest..& as ofte as þe dogge of helle kecheð [a1250 Nero keccheð] ei god from þe, smit him. a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1872) IV. 443 (MED) At þe laste, wyfes cauȝte [L. rapiebant] mete of hir housbondes mouþ. c1400 (?c1380) Patience l. 485 I keuered me a cumfort þat now is caȝt fro me. a1450 York Plays (1885) 329 (MED) My comforth was caught fro me clene..I was past all my powre. c1525 Vox populi 91 in W. C. Hazlitt Early Eng. Poems & Lives Saints (1862) III. 271 All men..Which can ketche any lande Out of the poore mans hande. 1556 N. Grimald tr. Cicero Thre Bks. Duties iii. f. 117 If euerieone of vs catche to himself the commodities of other. 1606 P. Holland tr. Suetonius Hist. Twelve Caesars 212 An Aegle caught out of his hands the inwards of the beasts, [and] caried them away. 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost xii. 88 Upstart Passions catch the Government From Reason. View more context for this quotation 1786 T. Boyce Harold iv. 56 Thy peaceful hands must catch the reins of empire, And shield awhile..The weak defenceless realm. 1852 J. F. Romaunt Island Home (1853) xxii. 207 Catching a club from the hands of a bystander, he rushed forward to renew the attack. 1864 Ld. Tennyson Enoch Arden in Enoch Arden, etc. 14 He..hastily caught His bundle..and went his way. 1908 W. T. Wilson For Love Lady Margaret xvi. 246 Fate, that old master, with a jerk caught the reins from my hands and mounted the box. 1970 J. L. Briggs Never in Anger ii. 99 Catching his snow knife out of the wall by the door as he passed, he ducked out. †b. intransitive. To make a sudden snatching or grasping movement in an attempt, or as if in an attempt, to take hold of something; to snatch or clutch at something. In early use with toward. Also figurative. Obsolete (rare in later use).Cf. to catch at —— 1 at Phrasal verbs 2. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold or grip [verb (intransitive)] > lay hold > seek to gripe971 catchc1230 rap1669 nab1794 claw1852 c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 54 Hweðer þe cat of helle cahte [?c1225 Cleo. clachte, a1250 Nero claurede, a1250 Titus lahte] eauer towart hire. a1250 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Nero) (1952) 147 Ase ofte ase eni keccheð [c1230 Corpus Cambr. lecheð] touward ðe & binimeð þe þine mete, nultu ase ofte smi-ten. 1553 J. Brende tr. Q. Curtius Rufus Hist. iv. f. 56^v How much more easly do our handes catche, then holde styll. 1581 C. Thimelthorpe Short Inuentory Certayne Idle Inuentions sig. h4^v Zeuxes..layd both his handes vppon it at both sides, catchinge to take holde of the sheete. 1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 105 How she [sc. a cat] beggeth, playeth, leapeth, looketh, catcheth. 1641 R. Carpenter Experience, Hist., & Divinitie v. xviii. 315 Catching and scraping for mony. 1749 T. Short Gen. Chronol. Hist. Air II. 271 Constant picking or gathering the Bed cloaths with the Fingers, or catching in the Air, as at Flies. 1909 Jrnl.-Rec. Med. (Atlanta) Oct. 382 Mrs. H.,..falling on her knees catching with her hands not letting the hip strike anything at all, broke the neck of femur. †c. intransitive. figurative. To criticize. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > criticism > criticize [verb (intransitive)] > captiously apeluchier1340 pinchc1387 pick-fault1544 carp1548 cavil1548 snag1554 nibblea1591 catch1628 momize1654 niggle1796 nag1828 to pick on ——1864 snark1882 knock1892 nitpick1962 1628 J. Earle Micro-cosmogr. xxiii. sig. E6 Hee comes..not to learne, but to catch. 5. a. transitive. To take hold of and detain or restrain (a person), esp. suddenly or forcibly; to seize and hold on to (a person or thing); to grasp. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold [verb (transitive)] > lay hold of or grasp > suddenly or forcibly catcha1250 titc1330 beclapc1386 clutch1393 clitcha1400 cleekc1440 cletch1612 click1651 get1831 to seize hold of1839 a1250 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Nero) (1952) 44 Hweðer þe cat of helle..cauhte [?c1225 Cleo. lachte] mid his cleafres hire heorte heaued? a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1965) Tobit vi. 4 Þe aungil seide to hym, cacche his fyn & drawȝ it to þee. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) l. 18379 Oure lord bi þe hond adam cauȝt. a1450 St. Edith (Faust.) (1883) l. 4122 (MED) After he dude go And anon by þe harme his sustre dude cayche. 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement iii. f. ccclxv I snappe at a thyng to catche it with my tethe. 1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene iii. ii. sig. Dd3 Betwixt her feeble armes her quickly keight. 1611 Bible (King James) Matt. xiv. 31 Iesus stretched foorth his hand, and caught him. View more context for this quotation 1676 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Iliads ii. 23 The Serpent catcht her by the wing. 1743 Child's New Play-thing (ed. 2) 104 He catched her in his Arms, and wish'd himself with her in some desert Place alone. 1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield II. ii. 44 I..caught the dear forlorn wretch in my arms. 1842 Ld. Tennyson Day-dream in Poems (new ed.) II. 151 The page has caught her hand in his. 1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days ii. v. 327 He may throw him if he catches him fairly above the waist. 1921 Canad. Mag. Aug. 333/1 He caught her strongly, and lifted her from the saddle, and held her close. 1958 F. E. Ward Cowboy at Work x. 60 Once the calf is down, the rastler catches its top foreleg and holds it down. 2003 I. Zabytko When Luba leaves Home 124 Another man caught me by the waist. †b. transitive. Without implication of force: to take hold of (something); to take; to pick up. Obsolete.figurative in quots. 1605, a1631.See also to catch hold at Phrases 6, to catch up 2a at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ the mind > possession > taking > take [verb (transitive)] nimeOE haveeOE atleada1000 latchc1000 take?a1160 takec1175 hentc1300 catcha1382 privea1387 nighc1400 betakec1420 fonc1425 prend1447 win1515 a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Prov. xxxi. 19 Hir fingris caȝten the spindle. a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1959) Exod. xxxii. 20 Catching þe calf þat they hadde maade: he brennte & grond it all to dost. a1500 (?a1390) J. Mirk Festial (Gough) (1905) 104 (MED) He kaght a lofe and..cast at þys begger. 1558 T. Phaer tr. Virgil Seuen First Bks. Eneidos vii. U.j^v Another caught a clubbe, with heauy knobbes. 1605 W. Camden Remaines i. 18 So they called parchment which wee have catcht from the Latine Pergamenum. a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1954) VII. 296 And so the Roman Church hath catched a Trans, and others a Con, and a Sub, and an In, and varied their poetry into a Transubstantiation, and a Consubstantiation, and the rest. 1661 J. Bramhall Serm. Dublin 38 Go Souldiers, catch your swords, and make the cradles swim with blood. 1792 Massachusetts Spy 1 Mar. 3/1 [He] caught a fire-dog, which he threw with such force that he knocked down one of the ruffians. 1854 Rep. Supreme Court Tennessee 2 21 The prisoner caught the rolling-pin and struck Scott several blows with it. †6. transitive. To capture (a castle, ship, town, etc.); to take by force. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > victory > make victorious [verb (transitive)] > capture or acquire by conquest i-wina1000 wina1122 fang?c1200 catchc1275 conquer1297 geta1400 stealc1400 conquer1475 conquest1485 conques1488 evict1560 carry1579 intake1646 constrain1700 capture1796 the mind > possession > taking > seizing > catching or capture > catch or capture [verb (transitive)] i-lecchec1000 fang1016 hentOE takeOE alatchlOE catchc1275 wina1300 to take ina1387 attain1393 geta1400 overhent?a1400 restay?a1400 seizea1400 tachec1400 arrest1481 carrya1500 collara1535 snap1568 overgo1581 surprise1592 nibble1608 incaptivate1611 nicka1640 cop1704 chop1726 nail1735 to give a person the foot1767 capture1796 hooka1800 sniba1801 net1803 nib1819 prehend1831 corral1860 rope1877 c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 2269 Monie scipen he þer cahte. a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 370) (1850) 4 Kings xiv. 7 And he cauȝte [a1425 L.V. took] the place, that hatte Petra, in bateyl. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 25 To cache a castell þat was kene holdyn. 1583 R. Greene Mamillia 5 His beauty is not it that moueth me, nor his wit y^e captayne which shall catch the castle. 1630 T. May Contin. Lucan i. sig. B3^v Had but one more of Caesars Ships beene caught Th' Aegyptian fleet a fatall prey had sought. 1654 Vindiciæ Veritatis 59 Running to Hereford and up and down to other places, to catch Towns and plunder them. 7. †a. transitive. To attach (something); to secure (something) to something else. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > fact or action of being joined or joining > attachment > attach or affix [verb (transitive)] fastenOE fasta1225 tachec1315 to-seta1340 catcha1350 affichea1382 to put ona1382 tacka1387 to put to1396 adjoina1400 attach?a1400 bend1399 spyndec1400 to-tachc1400 affixc1448 complexc1470 setc1480 attouch1483 found?1541 obligate1547 patch1549 alligate1563 dight1572 inyoke1595 infixa1616 wreathe1643 adlige1650 adhibit1651 oblige1656 adent1658 to bring to1681 engage1766 superfix1766 to lap on1867 accrete1870 a1350 Recipe Painting in Archæol. Jrnl. (1844) 1 65 Hit wol moysten aȝeyn, ant thenne hit wol cachen the foyl fast and stike wel the betere. c1475 ( Surg. Treat. in MS Wellcome 564 f. 16 (MED) Þe nayl is meneli hard..If he were riȝt neische, he ne schulde not haue strenkþe to holden faste þat þing þat he mai cacche. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 19 Þai..Kaste ancres..Cogges with cablis cachyn to londe. b. transitive. To hold and fix in place (one's hair, a part of a garment, etc.); to fasten. Chiefly in passive. Frequently with back or up. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > fastening > fasten [verb (transitive)] > back or up buckle1460 catch1622 1622 L. Digges tr. G. de Céspedes y Meneses Gerardo i. iii. 206 Her haire was caught and shut vp in a Net of Gold, a Cawle. 1806 La Belle Assemblée Oct. 57/1 A flowing border of deep lace, caught up in front with a pearl ornament. 1843 Godey's Lady's Bk. Sept. 144/1 Pelerine cape..gathered and caught with a band over the shoulders. 1882 Frank Leslie's Pleasant Hours 33 412/2 A broad band of gold crossed her head, and caught back her hair as in the pictures of the old crowned queens. 1903 Smart Set 9 110/1 A diaphanous white gown, caught at the throat by a diamond sunburst. 1977 Crescent-News (Defiance, Ohio) 16 May 12/4 A gown of shrimp chiffon detailed with teardrop sleeves..and a hemline flounce caught up in the back to form ruffles. 2013 J. Echols Star Crossed xvi. 317 She'd caught her hair back in a long, loose ponytail. 8. transitive. To captivate, charm, or delight (a person). In later use chiefly in passive.Cf. sense 10 and take v. 8b. ΘΚΠ the mind > will > motivation > attraction, allurement, or enticement > attract, allure, or entice [verb (transitive)] > fascinate or enchant enchantc1374 charmc1380 catchc1405 witch1499 bewitch1526 captive1528 allure?1532 captivate1535 disarm1553 enthral1562 sirenize1592 enamour1600 infascinate1687 fascinate1742 capture1796 besiren1861 c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Physician's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 127 So was he caught with beautee of this mayde. 1541 T. Paynell tr. Felicius Conspiracie of Catiline i. sig. Bii Catiline caught with the loue of Aureliie Orestilla,..slewe his owne wyfe. 1623 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Henry VIII ii. iii. 77 Beauty and Honour in her are so mingled, That they haue caught the King. View more context for this quotation a1658 A. Farindon LXXX Serm. (1672) II. xxxvii. 1028 A shame it is..that we should read of Joseph's Chastity, and be caught with every smile. 1700 J. Dryden Chaucer's Palamon & Arcite iii, in Fables 61 The soothing Arts that catch the Fair. 1771 ‘Junius’ Stat Nominis Umbra (1772) II. lxi. 288 A concession merely to catch the people. 1818 S. E. Ferrier Marriage III. v. 79 There was Adelaide so sweet..the poor gull was caught, and is now..as much in love as it is in the nature of a stupid man to be. 1850 R. Browning Christmas-eve & Easter-day xxxiii.142 She still each method tries To catch me. 1931 Times 6 Oct. 7/5 (advt.) Not one who goes to its pages for entertainment or instruction can fail to be caught by its charm. 2009 New Straits Times (Malaysia) (Nexis) 26 Nov. I was caught by the beauty of the language, something I did not appreciate during my school days. 9. a. transitive. To discover or surprise (a person) in a particular state or act, esp. one regarded as objectionable or reprehensible. Chiefly with in or at, or with present participle. Also reflexive: to discover oneself doing something unexpected or unwelcome.See also catch me (also him, her, etc.)! at Phrases 10b, you won't catch me (also him, her, etc.) —— at Phrases 10a, to catch out 3a at Phrasal verbs 1, to catch someone in the act at act n. Phrases 1. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > expectation > surprise, unexpectedness > surprise, astonish [verb (transitive)] > take by surprise oppressa1382 susprisea1400 swikec1400 supprisec1405 catchc1425 to take (a person) at advantage(s)1523 to take (also rarely catch, find) a person tardy1530 to take tarde1547 to take (a person) short1553 to catch (also take) (a person) nappinga1576 preoccupate1582 surprise?1592 overcomea1616 to take (or catch)‥unawaresa1616 to take at a surprise1691 to catch (also take) on the hop1868 to catch (a person) bending1910 wrong-foot1957 c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) ii. l. 3285 And eke Fortune..And vnkynde to þe Troyan blood..With blynde a-waites to cache hem in a traunce. 1483 Mirk's Festial (Caxton) sig. piij^v In his deth bed he sawe the fende sittyng and spyeng yf he myght haue caught hym in his ende with ony defaute. 1586 E. Hoby tr. M. Coignet Polit. Disc. Trueth xxviii. 130 He caught him in a lye, & told him that Rome the mother of truth could not permit a lyar to possesse a kingdom. 1612 B. Jonson Alchemist v. iii. sig. L4 What shall I doe? I am catch'd . View more context for this quotation 1683 A. Oldys London Jilt II. 38 You may well fear the Effects of my just Anger, if ever I catch you in a Fault. 1732 tr. A. F. Prévost d'Exiles Life Mr. Cleveland (new ed.) I. 148 I used to catch my self, as it were, with my eyes gazing languishingly upon her, when I wou'd immediately cast 'em on the ground. 1791 J. Boswell in Life Johnson anno 1772 I. 360 [Johnson:] I never catched Mallet in a Scotch accent. 1864 Ladies' Compan. 26 58/1 Jist let me catch him stealing the cream on my tea-tray again, an I'll hang him as high as the door-post. 1883 ‘G. Lloyd’ Ebb & Flow II. xxvi. 94 I used to catch myself saying ‘Where's Frank?’ 1914 Delineator Mar. 26/1 I felt instinctively that she wasn't ready to write...The master had snubbed her unmercifully when he first caught her at it. 1951 L. Casper in H. Brickell O. Henry Prize Stories of 1951 50 He remembered catching himself many times sitting dully at the supper table. 2011 P. A. Francke Memory True Sopranos 98 If we catch you lying three times, we're going to lock you up. b. transitive (in passive). With complement expressing state of mind or circumstances, and frequently with get. To find oneself unexpectedly in an uncomfortable or unwelcome situation.Cf. to catch out 3b at Phrasal verbs 1. ΚΠ 1835 ‘Aristides’ Mod. Tyranny 13 All the companions of the once prudent prince, who ought not to have been caught in such a predicament. 1863 J. S. Hittell Resources Calif. 254 The pipemen must stand far off, for fear that they will be caught in the avalanche. 1889 Standard 20 Mar. 6/1 The creditors of some of the unfortunate brokers who have been caught in the French collapse had offered a composition. 1908 Daily Northwestern (Oshkosh, Wisconsin) 17 Dec. 12/3 Don't get caught in the last minute Christmas rush. 1928 Times 25 June 18/1 (advt.) When caught in traffic, note the quick pick-up without change of gear. 1955 G. Greene Quiet Amer. i. iv. 60 They must have been caught in a cross-fire, trying to get back. 2010 Star Tribune (Minneapolis) (Nexis) 20 Apr. (Business section) 1 d It's a very well-operated business that got caught in..some bad economic times. 10. transitive. To secure (a husband, wife, or partner); to attract (someone, especially one who is wealthy or otherwise desirable) as a spouse or partner. Cf. catch n.² 6b. ΚΠ c1450 C. d'Orleans Poems (1941) 83 (MED) Als wele is him this day that hath him kaught A valentyne that louyth him. 1665 R. Brathwait Comment Two Tales Chaucer 65 Her old Husband must no sooner be dispatch'd, than a new one must be catch'd. 1788 tr. C. M. Dupaty Trav. Italy lxiii. 188 The girls employ their early youth in practising, under the eyes of their mothers, the lessons they have received from them, on the art of catching a husband. 1857 J. Kavanagh Hobbies ii. 24 I say, man, if you can catch a wife with money, do—but let her be rich—never mind the rest. 1866 Galaxy 15 Sept. 146 That all her great aspirations had been attributed to..a desire to catch Jim Lake... She was utterly indifferent to Jim Lake. 1964 J. A. Kaplan Alligator Man 13 He thinks I'm just jealous... Because I'm too unattractive to catch a husband. 1997 R. J. Gunn Without a Doubt 17 ‘That isn't the way to catch a boyfriend.’ ‘I'm not trying to catch a boyfriend.’ 2012 R. Parameswaran I am Executioner 79 It is tricky maneuvers to catch a wife at my age, also being one time divorced. 11. a. (a) transitive. Of a blow, a missile, a person, etc.: to strike (a person) on, under, etc., a particular part of the body; to hit.For similar uses with the blow, beating, etc., as object see sense 19. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > impact > striking > striking on specific part of the body > strike on specific part of body [verb (transitive)] lay1530 catch1583 1583 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Serm. on Deuteronomie clvi. 965 Wee must not thinke to escape the scourges of God..wee shall euer bee caught by the backe, if God bee against vs. 1827 Morning Chron. 17 Oct. The blow caught him under the ear with terrific force. 1834 Gentleman's Mag. Dec. 587/2 One figure, in the act of catching the Saint with the hot iron under the right ear, is particularly expressive. 1882 Times 15 May 9/6 Before reaching the door a projectile caught him on the side of the head. 1946 C. Bush Case Second Chance (1948) ix. 111 What he did was to catch me clean in the wind with a short-arm jab that doubled me up. 1969 W. Gass Pedersen Kid i. i. 4 When his arm came up I ducked away but it caught me on the side of the neck. 2002 S. Holmes B-More Careful xx. 216 The first blow from his fists caught her directly on the temple. (b) transitive. With direct and indirect object: to give (a person) (a blow, smack, etc.). Chiefly with on, across, etc., specifying the part of the body struck. ΚΠ 1825 Bell's Life in London 17 July 230/3 Brown..stopped him cleverly, and caught him a terrific smack on his right eye. 1889 Bird o' Freedom 7 Aug. 3 An absinthe tumbler which caught him a nasty crack across the dial. 1922 Forest & Stream Aug. 344/1 The boom caught me a good one on the pate. 1988 G. Patterson Burning your Own iii. viii. 239 She launched out an open hand and caught him a crack at the side of the head. 2011 D. Jackson Defender of Rome (2012) v. 54 The third [thrust] caught him a glancing blow on the inner thigh. b. transitive. To knock (a part of the body, oneself) against an object or surface by accident. Chiefly with on. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > impact > striking > strike [verb (transitive)] > succeed in striking hentOE hitc1275 atreachc1330 reacha1400 attain1477 attaint1523 nail1785 catch1820 1820 Boston Recorder 7 Oct. 164/3 Catching his foot against some part of the vessel, he was precipitated overboard. 1857 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 6 June 473/1 She caught her toe when going up stairs. 1917 G. R. Noyes tr. A. Ostrovsky It's Family Affair iii. ii. in Plays 268 Get along, get along, my darling; don't catch yourself on the sides of the doorway. 1945 W. Wilcox Everything is Quite All Right 90 Seems to me I'm always catching myself on that table. 1962 S. Corbett Cutlass Island iv. 30 ‘Watch out, Harv!’ warned Skip, but it was too late. Harvey had already caught his toe on a wooden stake. 2010 L. Kagen Tomorrow River xxx. 291 She tips sideways, catches her head on the sharp edge of the bedside table, and collapses onto the floor. 12. transitive. Of rain, a storm, etc.: to come upon (a person or thing), esp. unexpectedly, and in a way which causes inconvenience or danger. Chiefly in passive. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > bad weather > [verb (transitive)] > of bad weather: overtake a person catch1600 1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. xxi. 426 They were driven to..pitch their camp in that verie place where they were so suddainely caught and overtaken by tempest. 1657 E. Revett Poems 17 (title) Vpon a Gentlewoman caught in a shower of Haile. 1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 317. ¶9 Caught in a Shower..Returned home and dryed my self. 1791 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse §234 The stone vessels, if catched by a storm..retreat into Weymouth Harbour. 1823 Ld. Byron Let. 14 Dec. (1981) XI. 79 Yesterday I was caught in the rain and ‘I ache etc.’. 1882 S. M. Heckford Lady Trader in Transvaal xvi. 152 As we saw that a storm was brewing we pushed along briskly, but it caught us just as we touched the top of the randt. 1935 J. Lindsay Runaway 9 The Batavians, caught in bad weather, had had to throw some of their cargo overboard. 1963 Times 9 Aug. 8/5 They began the return journey, but next day a blizzard caught them on an island in the Robinson group. 2015 A. Ragsdale Crossing River xv. 105 I had gone..to a Cambridge grocery store to buy snacks and got caught in a downpour carrying them home. 13. a. intransitive. Of a lock or other mechanism, or a part of this: to engage; to move into position so as to operate correctly. Sometimes with on or upon. Also transitive: to engage with (something). ΚΠ 1659 J. Leak tr. I. de Caus New Inventions Water-works 18 After the said Wheel D hath catcht the first Tooth of F, it shall continue to the ninth. 1727 A. Motte Treat. Mech. Powers ii. 114 As its Teeth go round they catch successively upon those of the Pinion B. 1788 tr. H. Decremps Conjurer Unmasked (ed. 2) xxiv. 53 The Caddies are made with a copper flap, which has a hinge at the bottom, and opens against the front, where it catches under the bolt of the lock. 1823 Times 3 May 3/7 The thieves..pulled to the door, the spring of the lock caught, they thus accidentally shut themselves out. 1847 Boy's Own Bk. (Amer. ed. 6) 108 A notch..must be cut in one end of it, to catch the lower end of No. 2. 1889 Eng. Mechanic & World of Sci. 8 Nov. 219/1 The pinion catches on a projecting part of the axle, and is made to revolve along with the flywheel. 1921 Pop Sci. Monthly Nov. 48/2 To reset the device it is necessary only to push the doors shut and see that the spring lock catches. 1971 R. Langley Elem. Teacher's Treasury Sci. Lesson Plans iii. iii. 107 Allow the children to examine the egg beater... The big wheel catches the smaller wheel and turns the blades. 2010 D. Fesperman Layover in Dubai (2011) xv. 196 Sharaf pulled the door shut, but the lock wouldn't catch. †b. transitive (in passive). Fastened or held with a catch. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > industry > working with tools or equipment > fastening > fasten [verb (transitive)] > with catch catch1881 1881 W. W. Greener Gun & its Devel. 160 The Vernier is..catched under the sliding bar. 14. transitive (reflexive). To curb one's impulse to say or do a particular thing; to check oneself in the act of saying or doing something regarded as foolish or careless.Cf. to catch up 4 at Phrasal verbs 1, to take up 11a at take v. Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > speech > interruption > interrupt (speech) [verb (transitive)] > interrupt (a person) to fang upa1400 interrupt1413 interpel1541 catch1670 to take up1885 to draw up1905 1670 C. Cotton tr. G. Girard Hist. Life Duke of Espernon iii. xii. 623 Not that I do (he presently caught himself) in the least confess those wherewith they have charg'd my Son. 1694 Jrnl. G. Fox 277 Catching himself, and looking aside, he said; Heark! I am using the word [Sirrah] again; and so check'd himself. 1726 in W. Penn Coll. Wks. I. App. 233 Saying one Day thus..he immediately catch'd himself, and fell into this Reflection. 1792 Frederica (new ed.) II. xxiii. 10 There had been a woman in the house..ever since the lady—she was going to say, died—but catching herself, said—quitted it. 1861 Ladies' Compan. & Monthly Mag. 2nd ser. 20 3/1 I was at the old perchancing work again, and my brain was reeling..but I caught myself, and would no more of it. 1899 S. P. Brooks Bivouac of Life 42 ‘Why, yes; Miss B——’ but she caught herself before any name was uttered. 1952 J. Thompson Killer inside Me viii. 49 It was a crazy idea, of course, and it was gone in a moment. But I started a little before I could catch myself. 1982 A. Tyler Dinner at Homesick Restaurant i. 11 Once Pearl almost..said. ‘Emmaline Listen. I feel so horrible, Emmaline.’ But, fortunately, she caught herself. 2013 E. Pass ACID viii. 61 Then I catch myself and take a deep breath. ‘Screw this,’ I say. ‘I'm going for a run.’ 15. transitive (in passive, frequently with get). colloquial. To become pregnant; spec. to have an unplanned pregnancy.Cf. to catch out 3c at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ the world > life > biology > biological processes > procreation or reproduction > conception > conceive [verb (intransitive)] trima1325 conceivec1375 greatenc1390 to fall with child (also bairn)a1464 impregnate1711 start1846 catch1858 fall1891 click1936 to be caught out1957 to fall for ——1957 big1982 1858 Queen Victoria Let. 15 June in Dearest Child (1964) 115 The pride of giving life to an immortal soul is very fine..perfectly furious as I was to be caught. 1898 H. Kingsford in Eng. Dial. Dict. I. (at cited word) I'm ketched again. 1919 M. C. Stopes Let. to Working Mothers 4 Very often it happens that you get ‘caught’, and you know that the baby that you feared might come has really begun. 1955 ‘C. Brown’ Lost Girls xiii. 142 She's been caught..she's about five months gone. 2008 M. Fontain Are you having Sex for Fun & Babies? Introd. 7 Even adults are oftentimes engaged in having unprotected sex secretly until they get caught. It's cheaper to buy protection. 16. intransitive. Of the voice: to falter, esp. as a result of strong emotion; to be produced in a halting or stuttering manner; to be interrupted or checked. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > speech > defective or inarticulate speech > speak inarticulately or with a defect [verb (intransitive)] > stammer or speak hesitantly stammerc1000 wlaffe1025 stotec1325 humc1374 mafflea1387 stut1388 rattlea1398 famble14.. mammera1425 drotec1440 falterc1440 stackerc1440 hem1470 wallowa1475 tattle1481 mant1506 happer1519 trip1526 hobblea1529 hack1553 stagger1565 faffle1570 stutter1570 hem and hawk1588 ha1604 hammer1619 titubate1623 haw1632 fork1652 hacker1652 lispc1680 hesitate1706 balbutiate1731 haffle1790 hotter1828 stutter1831 ah1853 catch1889 1889 Albert Lea (Minnesota) Enterprise 24 Jan. Her voice caught and fell into lower tones. 1913 ‘E. Mordaunt’ Lu of Ranges xxxvi. 237 ‘The pain—the pain was awful:’ Orde's voice caught in a sob, then trailed wearily. 1985 Times Reporter (Dover, Ohio) 23 Aug. a11/4 The words caught in his throat as he was speaking about his family. 2015 A. L. Ford Poor Children 68 ‘Baby,’ I began, my voice catching 'cause I was scared she was going to start crying. II. To receive, be affected by; to meet with, encounter. †17. transitive. To obtain, derive, or receive (comfort, grace, honour, etc.), esp. as a result of the actions or influence of another person or other people. Cf. sense 32. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > possession > acquisition > obtain or acquire [verb (transitive)] > obtain or acquire in a certain way > by or from another's action catch?c1225 ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 122 Neauerȝete in monne floc ne cachte he swich biȝete. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 5408 Hu he hauede þene nome icaht. c1330 (?c1300) Speculum Guy (Auch.) (1898) l. 903 He may kacche grace To biþenke him on godes face. a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 5267 Sone þei cauȝt cumfort. a1425 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 143) (1978) C. Prol. l. 134 Þe cardinales at court þat caught [c1400 Huntington HM 137 chaut] han such a name. c1450 (c1405) Mum & Sothsegger (BL Add. 41666) (1936) l. 284 He is priuy with þe pruttist and þere þe price caicchet. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 35^v Myche comforth he caght or þaire kynd speche. 1614 W. Browne Shepheards Pipe sig. B4^v Wise women can..in short while put vnto the flight All sorrow & woe, and catch againe comfort. 18. transitive. To experience or incur (harm, mischief, trouble, etc.).See also to catch a fall at fall n.² Phrases 3. ΘΚΠ the world > existence and causation > causation > [verb (transitive)] > bring something upon > oneself underliec960 catch?c1225 to run in ——1403 to run into ——?a1425 incurc1460 to run upon ——1583 contract1598 ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 54 Ha huntet efter Pris & kechet lastunge. c1475 (?c1425) Avowing of King Arthur (1984) l. 252 Os he hade keghet scathe. 1550 R. Sherry tr. Erasmus Declam. Chyldren in Treat. Schemes & Tropes sig. L.v There be manye that foolyshely do feare leste their chyldren shulde catche harme by learnynge. 1607 T. Dekker & J. Webster West-ward Hoe v. sig. G2 One of the poore instruments caught a sore mischance last night: his most base bridge fell downe. 1678 J. Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress 84 He..went by, and catcht no hurt. View more context for this quotation 1750 Wks. Beaumont & Fletcher (rev. ed.) III. 197 Lest harmless People catch Mischief or sad Mischance. 1766 D. Hume Let. 19 Jan. (1932) II. 2 He passed ten hours in the night time above deck during the most severe weather..and he caught no harm. 1830 W. Clarke Three Courses & Dessert 206 He gives a bit of a cough, and says he's asthmatic, and might catch harm if he stripped himself to shew them. 1872 C. A. Bartol Trial by Fire 14 They who build on the sides of Vesuvius..run a risk and catch mischief. 1914 Lippincott's Monthly Mag. July 101 I like to think that she caught no harm from me and some happiness. 2006 S. Nunez Last of Kind 339 In prison it's no different from the street. The younger you are, the more likely you are to catch trouble. 19. transitive. To receive or suffer (a blow, beating, wound, etc.). colloquial in later use.For similar uses with the blow, beating, etc., as subject see sense 11a(a).See also to catch hell at hell n. and int. Phrases 5i, to catch a packet at packet n. 1f. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > impact > striking > strike [verb (transitive)] > be struck by catchc1300 receive1551 the world > action or operation > operation upon something > have effect on [verb (transitive)] > be subjected to or undergo an action > encounter the force or effect of catchc1300 receive1551 c1300 (?c1225) King Horn (Laud) (1901) l. 884 He keyte duntes ynowe. a1400 (?c1300) Amis & Amiloun (Egerton) (1937) l. 2468 Al þat þey þere arauȝt, Grete strokes þere þey cauȝt [a1500 Douce caufte]. c1450 (c1425) Brut (Cambr. Kk.1.12) 369 Þere he cauȝt his deth-wownde. ?1529 R. Hyrde tr. J. L. Vives Instr. Christen Woman ii. iv. sig. X.iiij Her husbande in warre agaynst the Syryans, had catched a great wounde in his arme with a venomed sworde. 1595 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 iii. ii. 23 Fight close or..you catch a clap. 1635 T. Hooker Poore Doubting Christian (ed. 2) 117 It is the fashion of parents, if their children runne abroad and catch a knock, they tell them that they are well enough served. 1783 J. Cave Poems Var. Subj. 50 I wish I'd learn'd the art of fencing, Least while at John you aim to throw, My nob should chance to catch the blow. 1859 Harper's New Monthly Mag. Nov. 852/2 If I ever see you there, or hear of your being there,..you will be sure to catch a flogging. 1887 C. A. Partridge Hist. Ninety-sixth Regiment x. 170 Five minutes later Captain Blodgett had caught a bullet in his shoulder, but did not at once go back, although the wound was painful. 1959 A. Sillitoe Loneliness of Long-distance Runner (1962) 141 I was more afraid of the good hiding I would catch from my father's meaty fist at home. 2013 D. J. Monti Engaging Strangers v. 110 If you stole a kid's bike, you caught a beating... Steal a woman's purse. You caught two. 20. a. transitive. To be exposed to and experience the effects of (heat, frost, a breeze, etc.).For similar uses with the frost, heat, etc., as subject see sense 43.See also to catch a chill at chill n. 2, to catch the sun at sun n.¹ Phrases 2c(c). ΘΚΠ the world > existence and causation > causation > [verb (transitive)] > bring something upon > oneself > through exposure catchc1325 the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > coldness > be cold [verb (intransitive)] > become cold > of person catcha1470 c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 664 Þer of it cacþ [a1400 Trin. Cambr. cachchet; c1425 Harl. cacheþ] hete. a1450 ( G. Chaucer Bk. Duchess (Tanner 346) (1871) l. 781 As a white wall or a table..is redy to kecche and take All that men ther-yn will make. a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) III. 1240 Thys wounde on youre hede hath caught overmuch coulde! 1535 Bible (Coverdale) Matt. xiii. 6 Whan the Sonne arose it [i.e. the seed] caught heate. a1616 W. Shakespeare Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623) i. ii. 136 Here they shall not lye, for catching cold. View more context for this quotation 1694 N. H. Ladies Dict. 167/2 Crude and Viscid Humours, arriving from several Inward Causes, and many times from outward ones, as eating raw Fruit, catching wet on the Feet, [etc.]. 1704 Dict. Rusticum at October Least the Carnations catch too much wet. 1705 J. Addison Remarks Italy 382 Others to catch the Breeze of breathing Air, to Tusculum or Algido repair. 1848 E. C. Gaskell Mary Barton II. xvii. 251 His face had caught..the ghastly fore-shadowing of Death. 1878 R. B. Smith Carthage xi. 231 A thick curtain of mist..hid from view the base of the adjoining hills, while their tops were catching the first rays of the rising sun. 1914 C. DuFay Robertson Down Year 93 Up near the top a single bough has caught the frost that has not yet penetrated to the glade. 1960 H. Pinter Caretaker 35 You want to mind you don't catch a draught. 2006 Washington Post (Nexis) 13 Dec. (Food section) f2 An eastern exposure allows the grapes to catch the warmth of the morning sun. b. Nautical. (a) transitive. Of a sail: to be filled with (wind, a breeze, etc.); (of a ship) to receive (the wind, a breeze, etc.) into the sails so as to move forwards.In figurative context in quot. 1601. ΚΠ 1601 J. Marston et al. Iacke Drums Entertainm. i. sig. A4^v I long not to be squeasd with mine owne waight: Nor hoyse vp all my sailes to catch the winde Of the drunke reeling Commons. 1638 F. H. in L. Roberts Merchants Mappe of Commerce 2 Steel'd was his Courage..Who first spread Sailes to catch the nimble winde. 1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Bunt, the Bag, Pouch, or middle Part of a Sail, which serves to catch and keep the Wind. 1764 O. Goldsmith Traveller 4 Ye lakes, whose vessels catch the busy gale. 1805 R. Southey Madoc (1806) II. xxv. 217 Twelve vessels there, Fitted alike to catch the wind, or sweep With oars the moveless surface, they prepare. 1898 North-Eastern Daily Gaz. 5 Jan. Her flapping sails caught the wind, and with a sound like cannons they left the spars and vanished to leeward. 1907 Sunday School Jrnl. 29 Dec. 950/1 ‘Throw her off, sir,’ they cried to me, as the sails went up and the good ship caught the breeze. 2011 W. C. Hammond Power & Glory xiv. 228 Headsheets were shifted over and foresails braced around to catch the wind. (b) intransitive. Of a sail: to fill with wind.In quot. 1794 with aback (see aback adv. 3). ΚΠ 1794 D. Steel Elements & Pract. Rigging & Seamanship II. x. 292 The ship will be entirely stopped as soon as all her sails begin to catch a-back. 1885 ‘H. Collingwood’ Congo Rovers xxi. 326 The enormous idly flapping sails caught and lost again. 1942 M. H. Vorse Time & Town iv. 39 Wilbur Steele and I finally launched her—paid out her sheet, saw her sail catch, and floated off on the shining surface of the bay. 1992 S. Dalton Pieces of Eight 24 The sails caught, and the Plentitude surged forward. 2013 A. Kontis Hero v. 72 Saturday held fast to the railing and turned her face into the wind as the sails caught and moved them out to sea. †21. transitive. To be filled with or affected by (desire, fear, fury, or other emotion). Obsolete (poetic and rare in later use). ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > [verb (transitive)] > be emotionally affected by yfeeleOE catcha1350 feelc1450 surprise1485 relisha1616 the mind > will > wish or inclination > desire > [verb (transitive)] willeOE wilnec897 desirec1230 catcha1350 appetec1385 appetitec1385 to wait after ——1393 to set (also have, keep, turn) one's mind onc1450 list1545 exopt1548 to have a mind1553 desiderate1646 lust1653 to have eyes for1657 like1685 want1698 choose1766 to be stuck on1878 a1350 in R. H. Robbins Hist. Poems 14th & 15th Cent. (1959) 9 Þus y kippe & cacche cares ful colde, seþþe y counte & cot hade to kepe. c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Summoner's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 295 She hath caught an Ire. ?c1410 T. Hoccleve Balade to Lord Chancellor l. 19 in Minor Poems (1970) i. 58 O my lord gracious... Let see now cacche a lust and a talent Me to haue in your fauour & cheertee. c1430 (c1386) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women (Cambr. Gg.4.27) (1879) l. 1746 [He] caughte to this lady swich desyr. ?1577 F. T. Debate Pride & Lowlines sig. Aiii Loue or feare, Which any wight..hath icaught. 1614 S. Latham Falconry i. iii. 10 Her perceiuing of one thing or other may prouoke her to take dislike, or to bate from you, and thereby catch some sodaine feare. 1718 A. Pope tr. Homer Iliad IV. xv. 439 Presumptuous Troy..catch'd new Fury at the Voice divine. 1871 G. Meredith in Fortn. Rev. Jan. 87 Laughter-dimpled countenance Whence soul and senses caught desire! 22. transitive. To become infected with (a disease, parasites, etc.); to contract; to be afflicted with. Frequently with †of or from, indicating the source of the infection.See also to catch cold at cold n. Phrases 1, to catch a cold at cold n. Phrases 1. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > cause to be ill [verb (transitive)] > catch illness catcha1393 enticec1400 engender1525 get1527 to take up1629 to come down1837 to pick up1889 start1891 to go down1895 a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) ii. l. 1746 He..hath caght The maladie. c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xiii. l. 339 (MED) I cacche þe crompe, þe cardiacle some tyme. a1464 J. Capgrave Abbreuiacion of Cron. (Cambr. Gg.4.12) (1983) 82 He caute a feuyr and deied. a1549 A. Borde Fyrst Bk. Introd. Knowl. (1870) 126 Bycause I do go barlegged, I do cach the coffe. 1568 V. Skinner tr. R. González de Montes Discouery Inquisition of Spayne f. 82 Some caught vncurable diseases and paines in the head, & became almost brainlesse. a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) i. ii. 386 I cannot name the Disease, and it is caught Of you. View more context for this quotation 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost x. 544 They..the dire form Catcht by Contagion. View more context for this quotation 1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 517. ¶1 The old Man caught a Cold at the County Sessions. 1794 S. T. Coleridge Coll. Lett. (1956) I. 89 I was sore afraid, that I had caught the Itch from a Welch Democrat. 1806 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 15 219 The small-pox raging here, he caught the infection from some neighbouring children. 1865 Victoria Herald 1 238/2 He appeared so absent and strange that she began to think he had caught a fever which was turning his brain. 1948 N. Cassady Let. 16 June (2005) 77 Picked up young girl—caught crabs from her. 1980 R. Bushby in K. Thear & A. Fraser Compl. Bk. raising Livestock & Poultry vi. 156/2 Any young pigs which catch the disease will die very quickly. 2018 South China Morning Post (Hong Kong) (Nexis) 5 Feb. 2 Persistent chilly weather has led to more people catching flu, leaving hospitals struggling to cope. 23. transitive. figurative and in figurative contexts. To be influenced or affected by (an idea, prevailing mood, etc.); to acquire (something) by sympathy or imitation. ΘΚΠ the world > existence and causation > existence > intrinsicality or inherence > introduction or bringing in > introduce or bring something in [verb (transitive)] > receive or imbibe receivec1384 conceivea1450 catch1533 suck1586 to suck ina1640 the world > existence and causation > existence > intrinsicality or inherence > introduction or bringing in > introduce or bring something in [verb (transitive)] > infuse > be imbued with catch1533 taste1559 1533 tr. Erasmus Enchiridion Militis Christiani xiv. sig. Lvi^v The disposycion of man is frayle and prone to vyces, he catcheth mischeuous ensample at ones. 1600 W. Shakespeare Midsummer Night's Dream i. i. 189 My tongue should catch your tongues sweete melody. View more context for this quotation 1698 G. Granville Heroick Love iv. 65 My Soul has caught thy Fears, I tremble too I know not why. 1711 A. Pope Ess. Crit. 24 Some ne'er advance a Judgment of their own, But catch the Spreading Notion of the Town. 1778 W. Robertson Hist. Amer. (ed. 2) I. ii. 112 He seemed to have catched the same spirit with his subjects. 1827 W. Wordsworth Excursion in Poet. Wks. V. 38 Her infant Babe Had from its Mother caught the trick of grief, And sigh'd among its playthings. 1872 W. H. Dixon W. Penn (rev. ed.) viii. 67 The man had lived in Spain and caught the manner of a grandee of that formal and punctilious country. 1915 A. S. Neill Dominie's Log xvi. 181 ‘I wouldn't do it again.’ ‘Caught religion?’. 1960 C. Day Lewis Buried Day iii. 50 There could have been no trace of anti-semitic infection in our household, or..I should surely have caught it. 2010 Washington Post (Nexis) 17 Dec. t21 Because they're so passionate about their craft, you're sure to catch their enthusiasm. 24. transitive. Esp. of a translucent or faceted object: to reflect or refract (light) with a glinting, glittering, or flashing effect. ΚΠ 1777 tr. Petrarch Sonnets & Odes 73 The clear rain-drops catch the light, Glitt'ring on all the foliage nigh. 1845 Bentley's Misc. Jan. 533 Stars of brilliant pieces of metal hung by short invisible threads from the ceiling, and as they caught the light on their different facets with the slightest vibration, had the appearance of twinkling. 1863 D. Cook Prodigal Son III. iii. 99 The wire supporting her was hardly visible from the stalls,..except now and then when it caught the light. 1907 Harper's Mag. Aug. 329/1 Chandeliers of crystal..catching the illumination, glittered in prismatic fragments with all the varied colors of the rainbow. 1983 T. Hoover Moghul 239 The heavy jewels of his ear-rings momentarily caught the morning sunshine and sent streams of light flashing outward. 2004 Daily Mail (Nexis) 13 Nov. 24 She laughs loudly, the diamonds at her neck and on her fingers sparkling as they catch the light. III. To obtain, seize, or attain, in figurative or metaphorical uses. 25. transitive. Of an emotion, vice, disease, etc.: to take possession of (a person); to afflict. Also: to have a detrimental effect on (a thing). rare in later use.In quot. c1325 intransitive with on. ΘΚΠ the world > existence and causation > occurrence > [verb (transitive)] > suddenly or violently overgoOE ofseche?c1225 catcha1275 henta1375 to come upon ——a1382 seizec1381 takea1382 to catch to ——c1400 overpass?a1513 re-encounter1523 to come over ——1726 to come on ——1850 a1275 in C. Brown Eng. Lyrics 13th Cent. (1932) 23 Ic am icaist bo day ant naist dolore. c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 4372 Hii wende wel hor owe sleuþe on ȝou abbe ycaȝt. c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Micah iv. 9 Sorewe hath cachid thee. c1426 J. Audelay Poems (1931) 12 Þai be caȝt with couetyse. ?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 160 (MED) Such hevynese haue vs cawght. 1539 R. Taverner tr. Erasmus Prouerbes sig. B.i^v Whan..the disease catcheth ones strength. a1616 W. Shakespeare Othello (1622) iii. iii. 91 Perdition catch my soule, But I doe loue thee. View more context for this quotation 1789 ‘P. Pindar’ Expostulatory Odes iii. 11 Perdition catch the money-grasping wretch. 1888 J. A. Symonds tr. B. Cellini Life II. ii. lxvi. 308 May the plague catch you and all who dare to think I shall not finish it! 1977 Wellsville (N.Y.) Daily Reporter 26 July 7/3 Greed has caught him and he will take any risk to reach his goal of $10 million in tax-free bonds. 2005 C. Foster Sharing God's Planet ii. 27 People can still find themselves caught by desire, which is by its nature voracious. 26. a. transitive. Originally: to get (rest, sleep, etc.). Later: to take (a short sleep) usually in an unplanned way, and often between other activities.See also to catch a nap at nap n.³ Phrases, to catch some zeds at zed n. 3, to catch some z's at Z n. 4b. ΚΠ c1330 Simonie (Auch.) (1991) l. 162 Anon þerafter he fondeþ to kacche reste. a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iv. l. 3283 That I mai cacche Slep. c1400 Simonie (Peterhouse) (1991) l. 168 For to cache hys reste. a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1959) ix. v. 3 The othir bestis..Ful sownd on sleip dyd cawcht thar rest. 1578 T. Churchyard Disc. Queenes Entertainem. sig. H.ii^v And thus in my delay I caught a slumber sweete. 1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. xxxii. 811 All others, during the time that they could catch any repose and rest, refreshed their spirits and bodies with some recreations. 1658 J. Coles tr. G. de Costes de La Calprenède Hymen's Preludia: 6th Pt. iii. 152 In this place, he used some vain endeavours to catch some sleep. 1793 W. B. Stevens Jrnl. 6 July (1965) i. 90 Caught a little come-and-go sleep and at 7 took Coach for York. 1856 E. K. Kane Arctic Explor. II. iv. 54 Catching cat-naps as I could in the day. 1887 Friends' Intelligencer with Friends' Jrnl. 28 May 350/2 We used to..lie down for a little under the olives, in the hope of catching a few moments of thoroughly sweet and untormented slumber. 1974 State (Columbia, S. Carolina) 8 Mar. b19/7 Giving the lawmakers a chance to eat breakfast, shave and catch a few winks. 2009 D. Grant in J. O'Reilly et al. Best Trav. Writing 248 We wished each other a good night, and I settled in to catch some sleep. b. transitive. To find time for (a part of one's routine, such as a meal, shower, etc.); to have (a meal, etc.) quickly or hurriedly. ΚΠ 1899 World (N.Y.) 29 Sept. 2/4 He had call after call, without a chance to catch a bite to eat. 1951 Edwardsville (Illinois) Intelligencer 8 Jan. 1/8 The early bird husband managed to catch a shave this morning but later sleepers went to work grizzly. 1991 Post-Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.) 10 Jan. (Accent Suppl.) 6/4 They barely had time to catch a shower before heading straight to work the next day. 2013 N. Clarke Stormy Hill's Challenge 102 The coffee shop was jammed with students catching a quick snack before they dashed off to their next classes. 27. transitive. To be inspired with (valour, spirit, etc.), esp. by observing the actions or qualities of another person. Chiefly in to catch courage.See also to take courage at courage n. 4d, to take heart at heart n., int., and adv. Phrases 3k(a). ΚΠ c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) l. 5185 (MED) Þan was þar non..þat ys herte ne bygan to cacche. c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Parson's Tale (Ellesmere) (1877) §689 Agayns this..synne of Accidie..sholde men..manly and vertuously cacchen corage wel to doon. a1450 ( tr. Vegetius De Re Militari (Douce) (1988) 155 Þei þat ben putte to fliȝt cacche herte to hem by good counfortinge of here duke. 1548 W. Patten Exped. Scotl. sig. H.iii^v Y^e Scottes again, wel considering hereby how weak thei remayned, caught courage a fresh. 1764 T. Smollett et al. tr. Voltaire Henriade viii. in Wks. XXIV. 191 Before the van d'Aumale his station took, And the closed lines caught courage from his look. a1796 J. Maclaurin Wks. (1798) I. 167 The horse,..by the cavalier bestrode, And, catching spirit from his load, From harmless, warlike grown. 1844 Metrop. Mag. May 345 With the same daring courage, from which even faint hearts caught valour, he drove back the enemy. 1896 C. Scollard Skenandoa 37 The men caught heart at his courage. 1911 Eng. Rev. Oct. 479 Only so had Englishmen caught heart to sally forth, discover and dominate the world. 2005 K. Kelly Other Lands have Dreams i. 29 Very ordinary people, from Iraq and the U.S., who caught courage from one another during a time of war. †28. a. transitive. To obtain with effort (something pursued or fought for); to attain; to get possession of. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > possession > acquisition > obtain or acquire [verb (transitive)] > obtain or acquire in a certain way > by care or effort begeteOE findOE bewinc1175 getc1175 conquerc1230 reachc1275 procurec1325 makec1350 fishc1374 catchc1384 furneya1400 attainc1405 tillc1440 to pick out1577 to get a gripe ofa1586 secure1743 raise1838 to get one's hooks on (also into)1926 c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 1 Tim. vi. 12 Catche euerlastyng lyf [1526 Tyndale laye honde on, 1582 Rheims apprehend, 1611 King James lay hold on]. 1573 J. Daus tr. H. Bullinger Hundred Serm. vpon Apocalipse (rev. ed.) xxi. f. 61 A feruent zeale to follow and catch thy saluation. a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 (1623) iii. ii. 179 I..Torment my selfe, to catch the English Crowne. View more context for this quotation 1661 J. F. Rewards of Vertue i. i. 3 Other men With trembling hands have caught a victory, And on pale fore-heads worn triumphant bayes. 1712 W. Diaper Nereides xii. 53 When we at length have caught The mighty Prize, which we so impatient sought. 1884 Phi Gamma Delta May 174/1 This is an age of speed, and fleet must be he who would catch success in the mad chase. b. transitive. To gain or obtain (money, wealth, etc.) as a result of personal effort or ingenuity. Frequently with negative connotations. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) v. l. 2242 Wher thei the profit mihten cacche. c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xi. l. 168 For no cause to cacche siluer þere-by. 1530 Bible (Tyndale) Deut. iii. f. xiv All the catell and the spoyle of the cities, we caughte for oure selues. a1563 J. Bale King Johan (1969) i. 421 Besydes that ye cache for halowed belles & purgatorye. 1630 T. Johnston Christs Watch-word 225 Beware that thou hunt not after all occasions, & prosecute all meanes of catching riches. 1662 B. Gerbier Brief Disc. Princ. Building 17 The various devices of Smiths, to catch Money out of the Builders Purses. 1778 tr. L.-A. Caraccioli Trav. Reason in Europe xxviii. 142 The common people in Italy seek only to live at the expence of strangers, and..lavish titles and bows only to catch money. 1794 T. Rutledge Pract. Serm. ix. 231 They make use of Religion..to catch wealth and preferment. 1833 Chambers' Edinb. Jrnl. 15 June 156/1 Every lure is set, every trap is baited, to catch the contents of the Cockney's purse. 29. a. transitive. To perceive (something) with the senses; to hear, see, taste, or smell; (sometimes) spec. to succeed with effort in hearing (something).See also to catch sight of at Phrases 9b(a). ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > perception or cognition > perceive [verb (transitive)] acknowOE keepc1000 feelOE findOE seeOE yknowc1275 apperceivec1300 descrivec1300 knowc1300 perceivec1330 taste1340 tellc1390 catcha1398 scenta1398 devisea1400 kena1400 concernc1425 descrya1450 henta1450 apprehend1577 scerne1590 to take in1637 discreevec1650 recognize1795 absorb1840 embrace1852 cognizea1856 cognosce1874 the mind > mental capacity > understanding > understand [verb (transitive)] yknoweOE acknowOE anyeteOE latchc1000 undernimc1000 understandc1000 underyetec1000 afindOE knowOE seeOE onfangc1175 takec1175 underfindc1200 underfonga1300 undertakea1300 kenc1330 gripea1340 comprehend1340 comprendc1374 espyc1374 perceivea1387 to take for ——?1387 catcha1398 conceivea1398 intenda1400 overtakea1400 tenda1400 havec1405 henta1450 comprise1477 skilla1500 brook1548 apprend1567 compass1576 perstanda1577 endue1590 sound1592 engrasp1593 in1603 fathom1611 resent1614 receivea1616 to take up1617 apprehend1631 to take in1646 grasp1680 understumblec1681 forstand1682 savvy1686 overstand1699 uptake1726 nouse1779 twig1815 undercumstand1824 absorb1840 sense1844 undercumstumble1854 seize1855 intelligize1865 dig1935 read1956 the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > hear [verb (transitive)] > succeed in hearing perceivea1382 catcha1398 receivec1430 touch?1611 a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. v. xii. 190 The eere..haþ þat name auris of haurio ‘to kacche’ for he kacchiþ voys. 1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost ii. i. 70 Euery obiect that [his eye] doth catch. a1616 W. Shakespeare Antony & Cleopatra (1623) i. ii. 131 Cleopatra catching but the least noyse of this, dies instantly. View more context for this quotation 1648 J. Beaumont Psyche viii. clxxx. 129/2 Her large thin Ear stood always prick'd upright To catch each Sound and Whisper that came neer. 1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield II. i. 18 Listening to catch the glorious sounds. 1788 T. Jefferson Let. 10 Aug. in Papers (1956) XIII. 497 The presence was so numerous that little could be caught of what they said to the king. 1822 W. Greenwood Vale of Apperley 151 Borne on the gusty-breeze, I caught the smell; Inhal'd the rich perfumes,—and lov'd them well. 1871 B. Jowett in tr. Plato Dialogues II. 50 I only caught the words, ‘Shall we let him off?’ 1921 J. Galsworthy To Let 69 He..caught the comic lift of her eyebrow just like their father's. 1989 St. Petersburg (Florida) Times (Nexis) 31 Aug. (Food section) 1 d I'd notice a taste of chili pepper or coriander, then catch a hint of lemon grass, peanut and so on. 2008 M. Budman My Life at First Try 111 He introduced himself, but I didn't catch his name. b. To grasp or understand (an idea, the meaning of something, etc.); to succeed in understanding (something).See also to catch a person's drift at drift n. Additions. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > understanding > understand [verb (transitive)] > reach understanding of conceive1340 grope1390 tellc1390 catchc1475 reacha1500 make1531 to make sense of1574 to make outa1625 apprehend1631 realize1742 finda1834 reify1854 recognize1879 to get (something) straight1920 to pick up1946 to work out1953 c1475 (c1399) Mum & Sothsegger (Cambr. Ll.4.14) (1936) iii. l. 67 (MED) Hard is þi nolle To cacche ony Kunnynge. 1593 G. Markham Disc. Horsmanshippe ii. sig. C Those [Horses] that be light, nimble, couragious, apt, that wil catch a lesson from his Rider ere it be fully taught him. 1633 G. Herbert Temple: Sacred Poems 48 Must all be vail'd, while he that reades, divines, Catching the sense at two removes? 1746 V. Desvoeux tr. J. P. R. de La Bléterie Life Julian Apostate II. vi. 239 How could he say that the Poets themselves did not catch the meaning of the good things they uttered? 1837 W. Whewell Hist. Inductive Sci. I. 30 It does not appear..easy to catch his exact meaning. 1848 E. C. Gaskell Mary Barton I. x. 184 Catching the state of the case with her quick-glancing eyes. 1915 R. G. Moulton Mod. Stud. Lit. (1919) vi. xxvi. 483 Suddenly the Chorus catch the significance of Cassandra's vision, up to that point hidden from them. 1950 E. Kemler Irreverent Mr. Mencken xii. 186 Those who couldn't or didn't buy the paper caught the gist of Mencken's reporting at second hand. 2013 Opasquia (Manitoba) Times 17 Apr. 10/2 Old and cautious I may be, but it was the later that lead to the former, if you catch my meaning. †30. transitive. To appropriate (knowledge, wisdom, etc.); to adopt or embrace (a course of action). Obsolete. ΚΠ c1405 (c1387–95) G. Chaucer Canterbury Tales Prol. (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 500 Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte. a1450 St. Francis (Bodl.) 148 in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1889) 82 315 Ic þe wole finde I-nouȝ..ȝif þat þou wolt cacchen wit & don al after me. a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) i. v. 17 Thy Nature..is too full o' th' Milke of humane kindnesse, To catch the neerest way. View more context for this quotation 31. transitive. To seize or take (a chance, opportunity, etc.).Cf. to catch at —— 2 at Phrasal verbs 2. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > advantage > an opportunity > give opportunity for [verb (transitive)] > take (opportunity) catchc1425 to take‥vantage (of)1573 apprehend1586 to take odds of1596 to catch at ——1610 feea1616 seize1618 nick1634 to jump at1769 c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) ii. l. 3709 (MED) Sche may cachen opportunyte, With hym to speke. c1450 (?a1449) in Minor Poems J. Lydgate (1934) ii. 457 Aungelis three From Hell[e] gates..haue my-silf conserued..Whan I to wedde caught first occasioun. 1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Matt. xix. f. xcv Thinkyng that they had caughte nowe an occasion to catche Iesus. 1623 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Henry VIII v. i. 111 I..am right glad to catch this good occasion Most throughly to be winnowed. 1658 Sir T. Browne Hydriotaphia: Urne-buriall Ep. Ded. sig. A3 We..catched the opportunity to write of old things. 1734 H. Fielding Don Quixote in Eng. ii. iv. 25 His Design is to rob the House, if he could catch an Opportunity. a1764 R. Lloyd tr. Voltaire Henriade in Poet. Wks. (1774) II. 224 The Guises..Catch'd the fair moment which his weakness gave. 1803 Ann. Agric. 40 179 Catch the moment of the first heavy rain that falls, and go instantly to work. 1880 N. Amer. Rev. June 555 As no provision is made for the court to sit expressly for hearing divorce cases, the petitioners are obliged to catch the opportunity between sessions. 1903 Short Stories 52 22 Catching an opportune moment when there was a lull in the storm. 2012 Washington Post (Nexis) 14 Nov. a13 The regime will collapse..if the new leaders don't catch this chance to reform. 32. transitive. To obtain or attract (praise, approval, etc.), esp. by seeking to provide pleasure, entertainment, etc., to others. Cf. sense 17. ΚΠ 1567 T. Harding tr. Pope Clement I in Reioindre to M. Iewels Replie against Masse iv. f. 87 The first high Bisshop then by nature is Christe.., who caught not honour vnto himselfe, but was constituted of his Father. 1595 H. Clapham Sommons to Doomes Daie 62 I vsed not my guifts to the praise of God the giuer, but laboured thereby to catch praise vnto my selfe. 1622 J. Heigham tr. P. d'Outreman True Christian Catholique i. vi. 117 The proud man looseth all the good he hath in his soule, to catch a litle honor and humain praise. 1680 ‘Philalethes’ tr. G. Buchanan De Jure Regni apud Scotos 71 Can he conciliat the people, and catch their applause by rewards, games, pompous shewes. 1727 W. Warburton Crit. & Philos. Enq. Causes Prodigies & Miracles i. 42 It would be endless to recount the several Engines, Historians of all Ages have invented to catch the Applause of the People. 1777 H. Blair Serm. vi. 157 How often have the despicable and the vile, by dextrously catching the favour of the multitude, soared upon the wings of popular applause? 1847 Morning Chron. 20 May 6/2 They caught the applause of Europe by exalting themselves on the personal interests of their own countrymen. 1872 J. Morley Voltaire iv. 150 He sought to catch some crumb of praise. 1976 Shaw Rev. 19 80 The things with which he caught their praise and attention were in humorous types of character-drawing. 2003 Variety (Nexis) 16 June 42 As to catching the approval of the critics,..McIntyre pointed to one hopeful omen. 33. transitive. To capture or engage (a person's attention, imagination, interest, affection, etc.); to attract (the eye, ear, etc.).See also to catch the eye at eye n.¹ Phrases 2c, to catch the fancy of at fancy n. 8a. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > attention > attracting attention > engage the attention [verb (transitive)] exercisea1538 entertainc1540 replenish1548 rouse1583 catcha1586 amuse1586 detainc1595 attract1599 grope1602 concerna1616 take1634 stay1639 engage1642 meet1645 nudge1675 strike1697 hitcha1764 seize1772 interest1780 acuminate1806 arrest1835 grip1891 intrigue1894 grab1966 work1969 a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1593) iii. sig. Hh6 Beautie hath force to catche the humane sight. 1593 Passionate Morrice sig. I2 Their pregnant wits and cunning deuices to catch womens affections. 1609 W. Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida iii. iii. 177 Things in motion sooner catch the eye. View more context for this quotation a1625 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Two Noble Kinsmen (1634) iv. iii. 75 Say you come..to Commune of Love; this will catch her attention, for This her minde beates upon. 1712 J. Hughes Spectator No. 467. ⁋5 It is below him to catch the Sight with any Care of Dress. 1772 W. Jones Seven Fountains in Poems 52 Melodious notes..Caught with sweet extasy his ravish'd heart. 1832 H. Martineau Homes Abroad vii. 100 A rustle outside the door..caught her excited ear. 1880 B. Thomas Violin-player II. ix. 210 ‘What a pretty little thing!’ cried Amy, her admiration caught by Cherubina's silken hair. 1966 T. Capote In Cold Blood ii. 126 Dewey paused at an upstairs window, his attention caught by something seen in the near distance. 2006 Place in Sun May 60 If you've never been to Turkey then you're missing a trick. The country's Mediterranean coast has well and truly caught the public imagination. †34. transitive. To seize upon (a person's words). Obsolete. rare. ΚΠ 1611 Bible (King James) 1 Kings xx. 33 The men did diligently obserue whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it. View more context for this quotation 35. transitive. To reproduce or evoke (a likeness, gesture, style, etc.), esp. in painting, music, or other creative activities; to perceive so as to be able to reproduce. Cf. capture v. 3. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > the arts in general > [verb (transitive)] > express or represent catch1658 sport1693 interpret1880 capture1901 1658 W. Sanderson Graphice ii. 63 The curious Artist must watch and catch the lovely graces, witty smilings, short and suddain, which pass like Lightning. 1753 H. Walpole Let. Sept. in Corr. (1837) I. 210 Sir Christopher Wren, who built the tower of the great gate-way at Christ-church, has catched the graces of it [sc. the Gothic] as happily as you could do. 1805 W. Scott Lay of Last Minstrel i. Introd. 8 When he caught the measure wild. 1883 ‘G. Lloyd’ Ebb & Flow II. 256 The attitude had evidently been caught from life. 1916 H. S. Wright Valley Lebanon xviii. 136 Dorothy..stood looking at the canvas critically. ‘You have caught my likeness wonderfully,’ she remarked. 1982 B. Trapido Brother of More Famous Jack xviii. 67 Jonathan enacted the episode for his father, catching his grandmother's speech and gesture with..wicked accuracy. 2005 Vanity Fair Dec. 174/1 The subconscious mentality of the uncontrollably well-off was deftly caught by the novelist Joyce Cary. 36. transitive. To capture or record (the image of a person, scene, or event) in the form of a photograph or film, often with the sense of preserving fast-moving action or a fleeting appearance. ΚΠ 1839 Northern Star & Leeds Gen. Advertiser 21 Sept. 7/6 Every stationary object, however minute, every tone of light and shade, every variety of surface, all, in fact, that a mirror could produce, was here caught and rendered permanent. 1882 St. Nicholas Nov. 18/1 All this took only a few seconds, but the photographer caught the strange scenes just as they passed. 1930 Motion Picture News 28 June 74/1 Never staged for drama, it is nevertheless as breath-taking a piece of dramatic realism as has ever been caught on celluloid. 1950 Washington Post 8 Mar. 23/1 The camera had caught him scoring, his rubber shirt stretched taut across a swelling chest, a look of undefiled bliss on his dark face. 1977 P. Rock Flickers vi. 93 Mannerisms. You have to develop mannerisms. The camera catches the little things, Mister Wells. 2015 Ottawa Citizen (Nexis) 10 Sept. c11 We've all had our chuckles now over the hapless, Toronto-area Tory candidate who peed in a cup, got caught on camera and then was dumped by his party. †IV. To chase. 37. transitive. To chase (a person or thing); to drive. Frequently with from. Also: to urge (on); to incite. Obsolete.Recorded earliest in to catch away 1 at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > progressive motion > order of movement > following behind > follow [verb (transitive)] > pursue followOE driveOE to go after ——OE to come after——c1275 pursuec1300 suec1300 catcha1325 chasec1330 enchasec1380 to pursue aftera1387 ensuea1513 subsecute1548 prosecute1549 jass1577 course1587 to make after ——a1592 scorse1596 chevya1825 to take out after1865 shag1913 the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > causing to go away > command to go away [verb (transitive)] > drive away feezec890 adriveeOE aflemeeOE off-driveeOE flemeOE withdrivec1000 adreveOE to drive outOE biwevea1300 chasec1300 void13.. catcha1325 firk1340 enchasec1380 huntc1385 to catch awayc1390 forcatch1393 to put offa1398 to cast awaya1400 to put outc1400 repel?a1439 exterminate1541 chasten1548 propulse1548 keir1562 hie1563 depulse1570 band1580 bandy1591 flit1595 ferret1601 profugate1603 extermine1634 a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 949 Gredi foueles fellen ðor-on, Đat ðogte abram wel iwel don, Kagte is wei. 1340 Ayenbite (1866) 178 Efterward uor to cachie and uerri þane dyuel uram him. c1390 in F. J. Furnivall Minor Poems Vernon MS (1901) ii. 614 Þe Iewes from þe cros me keiȝt. ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) ii. l. 5776 Sir Edward herd wele telle of his grete misdede, þer power forto felle it cacchis him to spede. ?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 122 (MED) Þai ryde comounly withouten spurres; bot þai hase owþer in þaire hand a whippe..for to cacche [Fr. chacer] þaire horsez with. a1450 York Plays (1885) 510 Caytiffis ȝe cacched [a1500 Towneley Plays chaste] me fro youre ȝate. 1553 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Eneados i. i. 4 Ouer land and se, cachit [L. iactatus] with meikill pyne. 1563 N. Winȝet Certain Tractates (1890) II. 53 With quhou grete troublous blastis ar thai cacheit and careit. 1602 in J. M. Thomson Registrum Magni Sigilli Scotorum (1890) VI. 475/1 Ane commoun gait and lone to catche and call guidis. 38. intransitive. To hurry, rush, dash; to run; to make one's way. Frequently with preposition or adverbial phrase expressing direction. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > move swiftly in specific manner [verb (intransitive)] > move with urgent speed rempeOE fuseOE rakeOE hiec1175 i-fusec1275 rekec1275 hastec1300 pellc1300 platc1300 startc1300 buskc1330 rapc1330 rapec1330 skip1338 firk1340 chase1377 raikc1390 to hie one's waya1400 catchc1400 start?a1505 spur1513 hasten1534 to make speed1548 post1553 hurry1602 scud1602 curry1608 to put on?1611 properate1623 post-haste1628 whirryc1630 dust1650 kite1854 to get a move on1888 to hump it1888 belt1890 to get (or put) one's skates on1895 hotfoot1896 to rattle one's dags1968 shimmy1969 c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) l. 629 He cached to his covhous [emended in ed. to cou-hous] & a calf bryngez. a1529 J. Skelton Magnyfycence (?1530) sig. Ei^v Hercules..with his stobburne clobbyd mase That made Cerberus to cache. 1572 (a1500) Taill of Rauf Coilȝear (1882) 33 He cachit fra the court. a1614 J. Melville Autobiogr. & Diary (1842) 489 That mater of the ministerie of Edinbruche keipit me catching heir an ther all that winter. V. To manage to reach or attend. 39. transitive. To reach or arrive at (a place). In later use (chiefly in form ketch) U.S. regional (in African-American usage) and Caribbean; also intransitive in to ketch home. ΘΚΠ society > travel > aspects of travel > arrival > arrive at or reach [verb (transitive)] to come toOE reachOE hita1075 ofreachlOE catchc1330 latchc1330 recovera1375 getc1390 henta1393 win?1473 fetch1589 to fetch up1589 obtain1589 attainc1592 make1610 gaina1616 arrive1647 advene1684 strike1798 the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > movement towards a thing, person, or position > reaching a point or place > reach (a point or place) [verb (transitive)] areach1014 reachOE ofreachlOE overtakec1225 catchc1330 acomec1350 touchc1384 getc1390 to come at ——a1393 henta1393 overreacha1400 win?1473 aspire1581 obtain1589 attainc1592 make1610 gaina1616 acquire1665 advene1684 c1330 Otuel (Auch.) (1882) l. 444 Ouer þe water þe stede swam, & to londe saf he cam. Anon riȝt als roulond Hadde ikauȝt þe druþe [read druye] lond. a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) v. l. 7557 Til thei the havene of Troie cauhte. a1425 (a1349) R. Rolle Meditations on Passion (Uppsala) (1917) 43 A dowfe pursued of an hawke, ȝif she may cacche an hole of hir house, she is siker I-nowȝ. a1475 (?a1430) J. Lydgate tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage Life Man (Vitell.) l. 554 (MED) They han the hevene kauht. 1888 C. C. Jones Negro Myths from Georgia Coast 8 So eh tek eh calabash an hop off fuh de spring. Wen eh ketch de spring, eh see de Tar Baby. 1945 L. Bennett in Kingston (Jamaica) Gleaner 3 June 8/7 Curry goat an rice an bread! All like how yuh licky-licky, Yuh hood ketch home dead! 1996 R. Allsopp Dict. Caribbean Eng. Usage (at cited word) By the time we catch Goyave the radiator Blow. 2008 Sunday Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica) 19 Oct. (Outlook Mag.) 21/2 When him ketch home de night, my pupa laff till him nayly dead. 40. a. transitive. To succeed in reaching (a person who or thing which is travelling in a particular direction); to draw level with.Now more usually as to catch up 5b at Phrasal verbs 1.Sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense 40b. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > rate of motion > move at specific rate [verb (transitive)] > gain (ground) upon > catch up or overtake betakea1000 oftakelOE overtakec1225 ofgoc1300 under-get1390 attain1393 overget?a1400 overgoc1425 gaincopec1440 overhiec1440 overhalec1540 overcatch1570 overhent1590 win1596 to grow on or upon1603 catcha1616 to fetch up1622 to fetch of, upon1659 overhaul1793 to meet up with1837 to catch up1838 to get past1857 a1616 W. Shakespeare Tempest (1623) v. i. 319 Saile, so expeditious, that shall catch Your Royall fleete farre off. View more context for this quotation 1688 in A. Behn tr. M. de Fontenelle Discov. New Worlds 65 As this kind of Vessel was very subject to be over-set very often, they were necessitated to swim to catch their Boat again. 1767 A. H. Mills Bagatelles (ed. 2) 213 Many of us were often on foot, a head of the boat..and, at the locks, we were sure of catching our boat. 1791 ‘G. Gambado’ Ann. Horsemanship xii. 51 He made a loose..and catch'd them within twenty yards of the ending post. 1848 E. C. Gaskell Mary Barton II. x. 142 You'll be down the river in no time, and catch Will, I'll be bound. 1870 Field Q. Mag. & Rev. Aug. 202/2 The latter appeared unable to catch Griffith, who..passed the post first by a couple of lengths. 1921 Adventure (U.S.) Aug. 99/2 She caught the leadin' horse and passed it 'sif it were gallopin' backwards. 2010 S. Cowell Claude & Camille (new ed.) 21 She took her things and hurried from the class. He caught her on the stairs, taking her in his arms. b. transitive. To be in time to reach, see, etc., (a person or thing) before the possibility of doing so has passed.Sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense 40a. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > movement towards a thing, person, or position > reaching a point or place > reach (a point or place) [verb (transitive)] > before some person or thing moves away catcha1633 a1633 Visct. Falkland Hist. Edward II (1680) 76 They gape to catch the turning tide, and would have moved, but find no one would give them heart or leading. 1786 J. Woodforde Diary 9 Mar. (1926) II. 230 My nephew took a ride this Morn' to Mr. DuQuesne [and] caught him at home. 1794 J. Robinson Sydney St. Aubyn II. xlvi. 170 I send this express across the country, to catch the mail on its way to Holyhead. 1826 B. Disraeli Vivian Grey II. iv. iv. 192 I was afraid my note might not have caught you. 1887 W. B. Yeats Lett. (1954) 54 I must finish to catch the post. 1915 P. MacGill Rat-pit ii. 35 If they don't catch the tide when it's out they'll have to sleep on the rocks of Dooey all night. 1982 Miami Herald 24 Oct. h10 We're in time to catch a few marsh pinks in flower. 2003 Vogue Apr. 280/1 I caught her the day before her flight to the Marbella Club in Spain. c. transitive. To be in time for and board (a train, bus, plane, etc.). Also more generally: to use (a train, taxi, etc.) as a means of transport; to take. ΚΠ 1812 Edinb. Advertiser 21 Apr. 250/3 Passengers in the morning will catch the Coach..for Woodhaven, and Passengers by the North Coach from Woodhaven, will catch the Boat in the Afternoon. 1842 Patriot 22 Aug. 562/2 He arrived at the station of the Manchester and Birmingham railway..almost too late to catch the train. 1869 J. Ball Central Alps (new ed.) II. 4/1 Travellers..bound for Lausanne must descend at the Auvernier station, close to Neuchâtel, and there catch the train to Lausanne. 1942 T. Rattigan Flare Path i. 9 She'll go and catch the wrong bus. 1978 Newsweek (U.S. ed.) (Nexis) 6 Nov. (Arts section) 102 He caught a taxi to the airport and took the next plane back to Los Angeles. 2016 New Yorker 4 Apr. 32/1 One Sunday morning, my husband and I caught the seven-forty-two train to Paris. 41. transitive. colloquial (originally U.S.). To attend, watch, or listen to (a performance, television or radio programme, etc.), sometimes with implication of chance or good fortune; to manage to attend, watch, or listen to. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > hear [verb (transitive)] > listen to listenc950 hearOE hearkenc1000 listc1175 to-heara1250 tend1340 attenda1400 to lay ear toa1400 receivea1425 intenda1500 ear1582 exhause1599 auscultate1892 catch1906 the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > watch a performance seea1387 side-box1689 catch1906 1906 H. Green At Actors' Boarding House 150 Where are you on the bill at Moctor's this week? I must come in an' ketch you guys. 1937 Amer. Speech 12 45/2 I caught Wright's band last night and are they tough. 1965 Listener 7 Oct. 551/2 This modest programme..was the kind of late-evening music item that is so often well worth catching. 1969 Oxf. Times 15 Aug. 13/1 You can have a cigarette or a drink, read the newspaper or catch the television news. 1986 C. Guisewite in Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 3 Feb. (Comics section) 5 b/1 Want to catch a movie with us tonight, Andrea? 2014 Time Out London 2 Dec. 81/2 If you catch his headline show at Oslo in February, this modern bard will..inspire you. VI. To affect, begin to have an effect and derived senses. 42. a. Of fire, flames, etc. (a) transitive. To spread to (something); to cause to burn; to set alight. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > burning > burn or consume by fire [verb (transitive)] > of fire: seize on catcha1450 a1450 in J. Evans & M. S. Serjeantson Eng. Mediaeval Lapidaries (1933) 28 (MED) Also þe auctorites seyn þat, who-so berith berill nere his flesche ayeins þe sonne, þt þe fire þat cometh oute cacheth þe flesche. 1553 J. Brende tr. Q. Curtius Rufus Hist. viii. f. 169^v The flame wherof caught the sepulchres belonging to the citye, which..were sone set on fire. 1628 G. Sandys tr. Ovid Metamorphosis (rev. ed.) i. 9 He fear'd lest so much flame should catch the skie, And burne heauens Axeltree. 1734 tr. C. Rollin Anc. Hist. I. 214 The fire catched all the engines. 1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield II. iii. 59 The flames were just catching the bed. 1862 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia III. xii. vi. 233 The fire caught many houses. 1892 Century Oct. 849/1 The coals brightened; tiny flames shot from them, and in a moment the blaze caught the dry fagots. 1978 ‘M. M. Kaye’ Far Pavilions vii. liii. 756 He watched the grass flare up and catch the sticks of wood. 2004 J. Winspear Maisie Dobbs (2005) ix. 82 As flames licked up and caught the kindling, Maisie leaned forward and balanced bricks of coal..on the spitting wood. (b) intransitive. To take hold; to spread; to begin to burn more strongly. Also in figurative contexts. ΘΚΠ society > communication > [verb (intransitive)] > seize on anything to be communicated catch1530 the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > burning > burn or be on fire [verb (intransitive)] > catch fire or begin to burn > of fire: to catch overtakea1400 take1523 catch1530 1530 Bible (Tyndale) Exod. xxii. 6 Yf fyre breake out and catch in the thornes, so that the stoukes of corne..be consumed therwith. 1577 R. Holinshed Hist. Scotl. 116/1 in Chron. I The fire catching in the strawe and twigges whiche they had couched togither vnder them. 1630 Bp. J. Hall Occas. Medit. §xxvi Let but some sparke of hereticall opinion bee let fall vpon some..busie spirit, it catcheth instantly. 1696 tr. A. Duquesne New Voy. E.-Indies xiv. 54 The ship continually burning for three hours, when at length the flames catching in the powder room, it blew up all at once. 1713 J. Addison Cato ii. 31 Do's the Sedition catch from Man to Man, And run among their Ranks? 1768 L. Sterne Sentimental Journey I. 107 The fire caught—and the whole city, like the heart of one man, open'd itself to Love. 1857 E. Bennett Border Rover xxv. 359 At last a spark caught, which I hurriedly blew to a flame. 1865 J. K. James tr. T. Tasso Jerusalem Delivered II. xviii. lxxxiv. 229 The stench is poisonous, the flames catch and spread. 1979 Austral. Women's Weekly 25 July 106/3 As the sunset burned the sky his own fires kindled and caught to a blaze. 2005 C. Chieng Long Stay in Distant Land 47 It was the spark that caught, and Melvin and Bo whooped it into a small fire. b. intransitive. Of a building, substance, etc.: to ignite; to begin to burn; = to catch fire at Phrases 5. Also (and in earliest use) in figurative contexts. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > burning > burn or be on fire [verb (intransitive)] > catch fire or begin to burn quicka1225 kindle?c1225 tindc1290 atend1398 to catch fire (also afire, on fire)c1400 quickenc1425 enkindle1556 fire1565 to set on fire1596 take1612 catch1632 conflagrate1657 to fly on fire1692 to go up1716 deflagrate1752 flagrate1756 inflame1783 ignite1818 to fire up1845 1632 F. Quarles Divine Fancies ii. 64 My Tinder apt to catch, Soone sets on fier ev'ry profer'd Match. 1685 J. Northleigh Triumph Monarchy vi. 709 To..set our Neighbours House a fire, for fear it should catch of it self and consume our own. a1750 A. Hill Wks. (1753) III. 106 Shorten the task, and point thy happy sight, To catch, and kindle, at a living light. 1825 in W. Hone Every-day Bk. (1827) II. 1378 The powder soon may catch. 1898 Every other Sunday 16 Jan. 79/3 The barn was doomed. The hay had caught, and was burning fiercely inside. 1906 Metal Worker, Plumber & Steam Fitter 22 Dec. 60/1 On the adjoining building the roof caught and the center of the roof was entirely burned out. 1981 N. Kea Scorpion i. i. 49 It took a full three hours to start a fire..the sticks were far too green to catch. 2015 P. Rickman Friends of Dusk xvii. 95 In the stove, the new flames were pale and vaporous, the kindling wouldn't catch. c. intransitive. Of food: to char or burn slightly during cooking. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > cooking > undergo cooking [verb (intransitive)] > burn or catch on bottom of cooking pot to set toa1610 burn1725 catch1767 to sit on1824 1767 A. Shackleford Mod. Art Cookery Improved 143 A sheet of paper laid on the top, will prevent it [sc. a venison pasty] from catching, and the crust will be of a fine colour. 1826 ‘M. Dods’ Cook & Housewife's Man. v. 70 Let the stew-pot be deep, and very close covered. Set it over a sharp fire to catch and brown. 1891 R. P. Chope Dial. Hartland, Devonshire 91 The pud'n 's onny jis ketcht a bit 'pon top. 1996 S. Raichlen High-flavor, Low-fat Chicken 58 The secret to making a rich brown gravy is to let the onions ‘catch’ and caramelize several times before adding more water. 43. transitive. Of frost, the sun, etc.: to attack and cause damage to (a person or thing, esp. a plant).For similar uses with the frost, heat, etc., as object see sense 20a. ΚΠ 1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 127 Beyond the riuer Ganges..the people are caught with the Sun, and begin to be blackish. a1640 T. Risdon Chorogr. Surv. Devon (1811) (modernized text) §216 225 A place so wild..where it is to be doubted you have taken the cold, or the cold hath caught you. 1794 Kentish Reg. Dec. 452/1 The apprehension of frosts (by which, if the tops are caught, after breaking the surface, they pine and sicken..) sometimes operate against this early season. 1810 W. Pybus Man. Useful Knowl. 53 No more clay should be prepared for the gravel than can be laid and covered the same day, as heat or frost will be equally apt to catch it. 1889 Rep. Statistician Yield Crops per Acre U.S. Dept. Agric. Rep. No. 68 452 The early frost caught much of the top cotton, which was not ripe; it has not opened well. 1925 G. H. L. Mallory in E. F. Norton et al. Fight for Everest: 1924 213 The wind and sun between them have fairly caught us all these last three days. 1990 Country Homes & Interiors Nov. 80/3 The wisteria was badly caught by the April frost this year. †44. intransitive. Of rain: to begin in earnest; to set in. Obsolete. rare. ΚΠ 1686 J. Goad Astro-meteorologica ii. ii. 168 Rains when they once Catch, are apt to last. 45. intransitive. Originally and chiefly U.S. Of seed or a crop: to germinate and grow. Frequently with adverb complement, as well, best, etc. Cf. catch n.² 11b, catch crop n. 2. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > grow crops [verb (intransitive)] > be produced catch1843 1843 W. Oliver Eight Months Illinois 95 Putting in hayseed without ploughing the ground... The seed catches quick and grows well. 1895 Cultivator & Country Gentleman 5 Sept. 643/4 The seed didn't catch, and last year it was mowed. 1922 Farm Jrnl. May 19/1 Ten acres..seeded with oats the next spring, since rye didn't catch well. 1947 Tipton (Indiana) Daily Tribune 1 Mar. 5/6 In seeding alfalfa it is safest to seed red clover with it—since alfalfa makes better stands in dry seasons and clover catches best in wet seasons. 1971 Lake Centre News (Arborg, Manitoba) 19 Feb. 6/7 A good stand was established in all plots even though Reed Canary did not catch well. 46. intransitive. In later use North American. Of water, a stretch of water, etc.: to freeze; to begin to freeze; (of ice) to form a solid layer on a stretch of water.Cf. to catch over at Phrasal verbs 1. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > coldness > be cold [verb (intransitive)] > become cold > freeze it freezes971 congealc1400 gealc1440 frigitate1635 conglaciate1646 take1781 catch1879 1879 R. Jefferies Wild Life 382 Causing the water to catch—that is, the slender, thread-like spicules form on the surface, and, joining together, finally cover it. 1927 St. Lawrence Waterway Project 38 in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (69th Congr., 2nd Sess: Senate Doc. No. 183) Even with the present current velocities the ice has at various times caught across the river in the quieter reaches. 1975 J. Gould Maine Lingo 45 Caught, frozen, as a water pipe. ‘If we don't get a fire started the pipes'll catch!’ 1986 J. Feltham Islands of Bonavista Bay 105 The tickles separating Bragg's Island, Deer Island and Greens Island ‘caught’ only when it was extremely cold and when there was an absence of ocean swell. 47. intransitive. Of a combustion engine: to begin ignition of the fuel mixture and hence come into operation; to fire (fire v.¹ 10d). ΚΠ 1928 Industr. & Engin. Chem. 20 849/2 As soon as the engine catches it must depend for lubrication upon its regular lubricating system. 1958 Pop. Sci. Oct. 208/1 The engine caught instantly. 1984 Observer 22 July (Grand Prix Suppl.) 4/2 You hold the throttle down until you feel the engine catch, and then you quickly back off. 2014 S. Hartnett Golden Boys (2016) 95 If the engine won't catch make sure that the radio and headlights are off. VII. To intercept and take hold of and related senses. 48. a. transitive. To intercept and hold, esp. in the hands, (something which has been thrown, dropped, etc.). Also occasionally intransitive. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold [verb (transitive)] > catch something moving or falling receive1485 recueil1490 catcha1500 latch1530 snare1942 a1500 (a1450) Generides (Trin. Cambr.) l. 5376 (MED) To hym she threw the dog..Mirabell kaught it sodenly. a1535 T. More Boke Fayre Gentylwoman (a1556) sig. B^v Downe her gyftes fall Catche who so may, she throweth great and fine. 1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie iii. xix. 194 We do..catch the ball..before it come to the ground. 1602 R. Carew Surv. Cornwall i. f. 73^v Some indifferent person throweth vp a ball, the which whosoeuer can catch, and cary through his aduersaries goale, hath wonne the game. 1690 Pagan Prince xiv. 42 These Arch Angels will guard ye.., and when they see a Cannon Bullet coming toward ye.., will catch it like a Stool Ball, and throw it to the Devil. 1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 160. ¶11 Tossing up Eggs, and catching them again without breaking them. 1752 Game at Cricket in New Universal Mag. Nov. 582 So as to hinder the bowler from catching her. 1840 H. Willis in K. Meadows Heads of People I. 277 He next threw a rusty sword into the air, and catching it as it descended, balanced it on his chin. 1875 Our Boys & Girls Mar. 179/2 Throw up the jack, catch it on the back of the hand. 1944 W. S. Maugham Razor's Edge v. 186 By sheer luck I caught the plate, but the bread and butter was scattered on the floor. 1969 Sunday Dominion-Post (Morgantown, W. Virginia) 20 July 2 d/1 They say he can't catch. 2015 J. Niven All Bright Places 204 He catches a ball that comes zinging our way. b. transitive. To collect (a liquid or other substance which is dripping, precipitating, etc.), esp. in a container. Also of a container or a surface such as a filter, etc.: to intercept and retain (a liquid or other substance). ΚΠ 1627 Continued Iovrnall Proc. Duke of Bvckingham in Isle of Ree 30 Aug. 5 They are forst to set vp Sheets in many places of the Fort to catch Raine water to drinke. 1684 T. Burnet Theory of Earth i. 59 They [sc. Earthy particles] might be catcht and stopt there in their descent. 1734 G. Sale Preliminary Disc. i. 3 in tr. Koran The inhabitants are obliged to use rain water which they catch in cisterns. 1784 R. Kirwan Elements Mineral. iv. xiii. 339 The sulphur may be caught on the filter. 1867 G. MacDonald Ann. Quiet Neighbourhood III. vii. 166 Find a basin or plate..and put it to catch the drop here. 1888 W. W. Fisher Elem. Chem. vii. 72 In order to catch any nitric oxide which would otherwise pass away, and be lost in the air, a tower..filled with coke is interposed. 1906 Automobile 11 Oct. 489/1 A dust-pan covered with canvas..protects the working parts, helps to deaden sound and catches dripping oil. 1955 K. Hutton & A. Swallow Chem. for Gen. Sci. i. 5 Pour the contents of the tube into a fluted filter and catch the filtrate in a porcelain dish. 2014 Star Tribune (Minneapolis) (Nexis) 22 Apr. 1 a Water that's first used to cool machinery is caught and piped to filtering tanks, then reused. 49. transitive. Cricket. To dismiss (a batter) by catching the ball after it has been struck and before it touches the ground. Frequently in passive. See earlier to catch out 2a at Phrasal verbs 1.Cf. also to catch and bowl (a person) at Phrases 11a, to be caught behind at behind adv., prep., and n. Phrases 3. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > dismissal of batsman > put out [verb (transitive)] > manner of dismissal bowl1719 to run out1750 catch1789 stump1789 st.1797 to throw out1832 rattle1841 to pitch out1858 clean-bowl1862 skittle1880 shoot1900 skittle1906 trap1919 society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > fielding > field [verb (transitive)] > catch to catch out1712 hold1752 catch1789 take1836 pouch1910 1789 Morning Star 27 June Pilcher, 4 caught by Beldam. 1814 Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury 19 Aug. 3/2 Rutland Cricket-match...Rev. Williams. 14 runs. Bowled out by Sherwin. Mr. Black. 0. Ditto by King. Mr. Keal. 31. Caught by Hammon. 1851 J. Pycroft Cricket Field ii. 29 Old Robinson..had six unlucky innings in succession: once caught by Hammond, from a draw; then bowled with shooters, or picked up at short slip. 1897 K. S. Ranjitsinhji Jubilee Bk. Cricket iii. 135 A man is put to catch him between where square-leg might be and where long-on is. 1930 Times 15 Aug. 4/2 Riley was caught at the wicket..before he had had time to avoid his pair. 1963 A. Ross Australia 63 viii. 153 Barrington made 33,..before flicking at an outswinger and being caught at slip. 2013 Cricketer Sept. 58/3 Robinson and Rice were both caught on the leg side while trying to steady the required run-rate. 50. a. In baseball and softball. (a) intransitive. To play in the position of catcher (catcher n. 3b). ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > baseball > play baseball [verb (intransitive)] > catch catch1870 1870 Daily Cleveland (Ohio) Herald 11 June Mart. King, who was catching in the game between the Chicago and Garden City clubs. 1890 W. Carleton City Legends 37 ‘An' will you pitch or catch?’ Says I, ‘I'll catch, if so desired’. 1950 Bath (Maine) Independent 4 May 4/5 Weeks used three pitchers..with W. Munsey catching. 1987 G. Carter & J. Hough Dream Season ii. 13 I was catching when Scott fanned Jesse Barfield..with a pitch that must have shot sideways four feet. 2009 Progress (Clearfield, Pa.) 14 July 10/4 I haven't caught in a long time... I'm not sure I want make my first All-Star appearance as a catcher. (b) transitive. To act as catcher for (a pitcher). ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > baseball > play baseball [verb (transitive)] > catch catch1887 trap1892 shag1913 1887 Courier-Jrnl. (Louisville, Kentucky) 26 May 2/6 Young Love Cross caught Ramsey in fine style, and Greer also handled Porter's delivery as well as could be desired. 1907 Des Moines (Iowa) Daily News 28 Mar. 10/4 George Graham..found the task of catching the thirteen pitchers in the local contingent entirely beyond his strength. 1966 Northwest Arkansas Times 28 July 8/1 Trying to make heads or tails out of that Far Eastern League is tougher than catching Koufax with a golf glove. 2009 Progress (Clearfield, Pa.) 14 July 10/3 For catchers that have not caught a knuckleball pitcher, a knuckleball, it's really not fun. b. intransitive. figurative. U.S. slang (originally Prison slang). To act as the receptive partner in (esp. homosexual) anal intercourse. Frequently contrasted with pitch (pitch v.² 15b). ΚΠ 1967 M. Braly On the Yard xiv. 250 ‘They say, if you pitch, you'll catch. Any truth in that?’ ‘I ain't been tempted yet... But maybe if you give me a little kiss on the ear.’ 1976 T. Capote in Esquire May 122/1 ‘Tell me, Jones. Is there anything you won't do?’ ‘I won't catch. I'll pitch. But I won't catch.’ ‘Ah, so?.. Is this a moral prejudice?’ ‘Not really. Hemorrhoids.’ 1994 W. Deverell Kill all Lawyers (1995) xlii. 312 Brovak decided against hasty action. The correct approach was not to ask this fruit fly whether he preferred to pitch or catch. 2017 @OfTheTides 8 May in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) I don't bat sloppy seconds, dear. And..If I'm honest, I prefer to catch rather than pitch. 51. transitive. U.S. regional (chiefly southern and Midwest). To assist in the birth of (a baby). ΚΠ 1878 Defiance County (Ohio) Express 8 Mar. The Doctors report brisk business catching babies, all boys. 1928 J. M. Peterkin Scarlet Sister Mary xxiv. 282 ‘I been catchin chillen all night.’ ‘How much you catch, Auntie?’ Maum Hannah held up both hands to the sky. ‘Three. Mary had triplets.’ 1977 R. R. Parfitt Birth Primer iv. 101 Worldwide, 80% of newborns are caught by midwives. 2002 P. Vincent Baby Catcher ii. 75 While she caught babies among the redwoods in Mendocino, I assisted laboring women in a white-tiled delivery room. Phrases P1. to catch one's death: (originally) to die; to be killed; (later) (more fully to catch one's death of cold): to catch cold and die; (hence, in weakened sense) to suffer from being exposed to the cold; to catch a severe cold. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > be in ill health [verb (intransitive)] > fall ill > fatally to catch one's deathc1325 to catch one's death of cold1739 the world > health and disease > ill health > injury > injure [verb (intransitive)] > be injured > be wounded > suffer mortal wound to catch one's deathc1325 the world > life > death > [verb (intransitive)] > receive fatal illness or injury to catch one's death of cold1739 the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disorder of respiratory organs > have disorder of respiratory organ [verb (intransitive)] > catch cold to catch a coldc1460 to get, have, or take a cold1537 to catch one's death of cold1739 to catch one's death1861 c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 7708 Richard caȝte þer is deþ. c1475 (a1400) Sir Amadace (Taylor) in J. Robson Three Early Eng. Metrical Romances (1842) 30 (MED) I traue I haue keȝte my dede. 1573 G. Gascoigne Hundreth Sundrie Flowres 357 By too too much Dan Croesus caught his death, And bought with bloud the price of glittering gold. 1599 W. Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet ii. iv. 52 Beshrewe your heart for sending me about To catch my death with iaunsing vp and downe. 1691 G. Miege New State Eng. i. xiii. 179 The beautifull Rosamond..catched her Death, by the poysonous Dose the jealous Queen forced upon her. 1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 517. ¶2 I am afraid he caught his Death the last County Sessions. 1739 Gentleman's Relig. 46 Having caught her Death of Cold in a large Room, or being stewed to Death in a small one. 1851 N. Hawthorne Memoria 53 I must take care of this little girl immediately, or she will catch her death-a-cold. 1861 Southern Lit. Messenger Nov. 343/2 You'll ketch yer death in this bad night air. 1908 R. B. Newman Belle Islers xxxvi. 374 She waded through the slush and caught her death of cold, and that was the end of her. 1986 D. Koontz Strangers i. i. 25 You shouldn't come out on a night like this without a sweater. You'll catch your death. 2016 Facts (Clute, Texas) 4 Apr. 20/2 Do get into dry clothing before you catch your death of cold. †P2. In various idiomatic expressions in which catch is equivalent in meaning to take. a. to catch one's leave: to say goodbye; to take one's leave. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 1053 Wiþ clipping & kessing þei kauȝt here leue. c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 1118 Þay..Kysten ful comlyly & kaȝten her leue. a1500 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Trin. Dublin) l. 1693 (MED) Þan bowys he..Keches lufly hys leue. b. to catch haste: to hurry; to make haste. Obsolete. rare. ΚΠ a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1957) iii. x. l. 51 The scharp dreid maid ws so to cach haist. c. to catch council: to seek consultation. Obsolete. rare. ΚΠ c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 50^v Counsell was kaght of knightes & oþer. d. to catch the field: to occupy a battlefield. Obsolete. rare. ΚΠ c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 127^v Thre thowsaund full þro þrang into batell..kaghten the fild. P3. catch as catch can and variants. a. Used in various constructions to refer to a situation in which one is free to take what one can, or (more generally) to exploit the opportunity for personal gain, esp. disregarding rules or moral principles; (in later use also) with reference to a disorganized situation in which one does the best one can. (a) In predicative use, and as a noun. ΘΚΠ the world > existence and causation > causation > chance or causelessness > [noun] > haphazardness or randomness catch as catch cana1393 die1548 hazard1548 random1565 haphazard1569 chance-medley1583 lay1584 lottery1593 haphazarding1787 randomness1803 haphazardness1857 happy-go-luckiness1866 chanciness1870 flukiness1888 haphazardry1910 randomicity1936 society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > fighting sports > wrestling > [noun] > types of wrestling catch as catch cana1393 in-play1713 Cumberland and Westmorland (style, etc.)1823 Cornish wrestling1824 arm-wrestling1846 professional wrestling1884 sumo1893 all in1934 mud-wrestling1936 lucha libre1943 wrist-wrestling1973 a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vii. l. 4422 Among thebreus was non insihte, Bot cacche who that cacche myhte, And ech of hem hise lustes soghte. 1653 S. Fisher Παιδοβαπτιζοντες Παιδιζοντες: Baby-baptism 605 Among whom [sc. the Clergie] its catch as catch can too, so that some get all..and some none. 1656 J. Harrington Common-wealth of Oceana 135 An occasionall Committee, exposed unto the catch that catch may, of the parties interested. 1787 W. Pick Sportsman & Breeder's Vade Mecum 186 The Deep-one..plays catch as catch can, And he who out-schemes us is held the best man. 1858 S. Austral. Weekly Chron. 23 Oct. (Suppl.) 1/5 Mr. Babbage..has treated the Government to a game of ‘Catch who catch may,’ having packed up his traps and set out..on a three months' expedition. 1997 J. Sallis Eye of Cricket xxxvii. 188 I..quit trying to force patterns..onto the catch-as-catch-can of what I actually lived, the rigorous disorder of my days. (b) In the verb phrase to catch as catch can (and variants). ΚΠ a1529 J. Skelton Why come ye nat to Courte (?1545) sig. A.ii^v So That rage must make pyllage To catche that catche may. 1673 J. Arrowsmith Reformation iii. ii. 30 Here Gallants take these keys. Now you may enter and catch who catch can a la mode d' Angleterre. 1752 S. Johnson Rambler No. 197. ⁋3 In a world where all must catch that catch can. 1833 Age 15 Sept. 293/2 The young gemmen's plan was to catch as catch can. 1907 Medico-pharmaceutical Critic & Guide Dec. 167 There are many things taught in the colleges, so that the young physician is bewildered and catches as catch can. 1985 Listener 7 Mar. 14/2 The concept of broadcasting based on cities..leaves large areas in between to catch-as-catch-can, by cable television or home earth terminal. 2010 C. Read Rise & Fall Econ. Empire xxx. 262 Financial and industrial capitalists alike tried to expand what was theirs... Everyone was catching as catch can. (c) Used as a parenthetic proverbial phrase. ΚΠ 1540 J. Palsgrave tr. G. Gnapheus Comedye of Acolastus Prol. sig. Bij^v Yea Terence bearyng wytnes, is set forth in the myddes. i. set forth free for all men (catche who catche maye) it can not, not be to prayse. i. it can not be but prayse worthy, [etc.]. 1555 J. Heywood Two Hundred Epigrammes with Thyrde sig. E.i^v Catch that catch may. 1616 F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Scornful Ladie i. sig. B4^v Men, weomen, and all woe: catch that catch may. 1821 J. Edmeston Anston Park vi. 59 I might, perhaps, have been a lady, if I had been like some servants—catch as catch can;—but I always loved to wait upon you. 1935 Winnipeg Free Press 22 Mar. 15/6 A good name is better than gold. A penny saved is a penny gained...Catch that catch may. (d) As an adjectival phrase (chiefly in attributive use). Now usually with hyphens. ΚΠ 1833 Standard 8 Feb. A ‘catch and catch can’ game among the youths and sages to whom is intrusted the destiny of Great Britain. a1854 E. Grant Mem. Highland Lady (1988) I. xiv. 300 At the schools it is a sort of catch who can system, get all you can, deceive all you can, conceal all you can. 1907 J. H. Moore With Speaker Cannon through Tropics xiii. 359 We finished our catch-as-catch-can breakfast, and began to make plans for another day on the island. 1974 Washington Post 15 Dec. b5/2 Moser..views the clinical training as ‘very unstructured, very catch-as-catch-can. If they happen to get with a physician who is a good teacher, they are fine’. 1993 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 3 Mar. 6/2 The catch-as-catch-can atmosphere of Lombard Street and Wall Street. 2013 J. Lotz Pilgrim Souls i. iv. 80 I had adapted to the catch-as-catch-can life of a freelancer, becoming a snapper-up of unconsidered trifles. b. Wrestling. Now usually with hyphens. Used to indicate a manner of wrestling in which few holds or throws are barred. (a) As an adverbial phrase.The phrase is used in quot. 1617 in the context of wrestling, but probably shows the use covered at Phrases 3a. ΚΠ 1617 T. Middleton & W. Rowley Faire Quarrell ii. sig. E2 Chaw. Ile wrastle with any man for a good supper. Trim. I marry sir, ile take your part there, catch that catch may.] 1836 Bell's Life in London 20 Mar. Wrestling.—A match has been made between the Oldham and Bolton champions, for £20 a-side, the best out of three fair back-falls, catch as catch can. 1879 St. Louis (Missouri) Globe-Democrat 18 Apr. 2/3 John McMahon..challenged Prof. Wm. Miller to wrestle, ‘catch as catch can’, with the use of the feet, for $500 a side. 1938 Daily Mail 22 Aug. 13/5 Wright is here to wrestle catch-as-catch-can with Earl McCready. (b) As an adjectival phrase (in attributive use). ΚΠ 1867 Standard 13 Aug. 6 The other sports included wrestling in the ‘catch who catch can’ style. 1898 Earl of Suffolk et al. Encycl. Sport II. 548/2 The principal chips associated with catch as catch can wrestling are the double Nelson, the half Nelson, the heave [etc.]. 1905 Daily Chron. 21 Dec. 9/5 A catch-as-catch-can wrestler needs to be wonderfully active. 1992 Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 31 Aug. 4 Robert McNamara received the McPherson Challenge Trophy for his two wins in the catch-as-catch-can and Cumberland-style unlimited weight categories. (c) As a noun; (sometimes) spec. a style of wrestling first introduced in the 1870s, deriving principally from Lancashire wrestling (now historical). Also figurative. ΚΠ 1901 Black & White Budget 30 Nov. 315/1 The Lancashire style of wrestling, with which the Catch-as-Catch-Can is largely identical, is perhaps the roughest in the world. 1935 C. Isherwood Mr. Norris changes Trains xv. 243 Arthur's orientally sensitive spirit shrank from the rough, healthy, modern catch-as-catch-can of home-truths and confessions. 2011 Sunday Times (Nexis) 20 Mar. (London 2012 Suppl.) Freestyle wrestling developed in part from catch-as-catch-can, a form popular in the 19th century at fairs in Britain and America. P4. to catch one's breath and variants. a. (a) To inhale; to take a breath or breaths; to breathe freely. In later use: esp. to rest and recover one's normal rate of breathing, after a period of vigorous activity. ΘΚΠ the world > life > the body > respiratory organs > breathing > breathe [verb (intransitive)] > recover to take (one's, a) breatha1398 to catch one's breath1806 a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iii. l. 1461 Sche cawhte breth and seide thus. 1482 W. Caxton tr. Higden's Prolicionycion vi. xxi. f. cccx^v Atte laste by prayers of goode men that stode aboute hym he caught breth and sente for the clerke. 1763 J. Johnson New Royal & Universal Eng. Dict. II. To respire, to breathe. To catch breath. 1794 W. Billings Continental Harmony p. xvii Instead of saying, that you may stop to take breath, I should have said that you may stop to catch breath; and even that must be done without losing time. 1806 N. Curtis in T. M. Harris Disc. delivered before Humane Soc. 26 In about ten minutes he was observed to gape and catch his breath, and gradually recovered. 1817 J. Riley Authentic Narr. Loss Amer. Brig Commerce iii. 30 The billows..following each other in quick succession, scarcely gave us time to catch a breath before we were again literally swallowed by them. 1882 S. R. Watkins 1861 vs. 1882 ‘Co. Aytch’ xiii. 169 We had been charging and running, and had stopped to catch our breath right under their reserve and main line of battle. 1920 S. Lewis Main St. x. 112 She hastened from shelter to shelter, catching her breath in the lee of a barn. 2005 R. Horsfall Dancing on Thorns xviii. 277 Michel..leant over and propped his hands on his knees, struggling to catch his breath. He was soaked in sweat. (b) figurative. To take a (short) pause in which to reflect, relax, or restore one's equilibrium after a period of intense activity, emotional upheaval, etc.; to regain one's composure sufficiently to assimilate or evaluate changed circumstances. ΚΠ 1833 J. Downing Let. 10 June in Newburyport Herald 18 June 1/3 When we've been on the road I couldn't catch my breath hardly long enough to write my name. 1882 C. E. L. Riddell Daisies & Buttercups III. v. 127 Banks closed, and duns keeping quiet within their own houses, and debtors trying to catch their breath. 1918 U.S. Investor June 1000/1 When it was over and you had caught your breath, you did your full share in Red Cross and other campaigns. 1975 M. Mayer Nature of Beast vi. 331 The prolongation of adolescence..indicates a year or two off, before or during college, for kids to catch their breath, write poetry, sling hash. 2012 H. D. Winokuer & D. L. Harris Princ. & Pract. Grief Counselling v. 70 This is all just too much to absorb—it is too many losses and too many adjustments without a chance to catch your breath in between. b. To check the breath suddenly, esp. as a result of feeling surprise, joy, desire, or other strong emotion; to gasp (cf. to hold one's (also the) breath at breath n. Phrases 5a). Also in to catch a person's breath: to cause a person to check his or her breath suddenly or gasp. ΚΠ 1701 J. Norris Of Relig. Disc. in Common Conversat. 39 Without any Sighing or Winking, or Catching the Breath, or Skrewing up the Mouth. 1760 Ordinary of Newgate's Acct. iv. 6/1 Even when arraigned she sobbed and caught her breath, as if foretasting the death she expected. 1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple III. ix. 120 ‘I see her,’ replied I, catching my breath with joy. 1855 Ld. Tennyson Maud xiv. iv, in Maud & Other Poems 49 I..Felt a horror..Prickle my skin and catch my breath. 1883 M. Oliphant Hester III. ii. 37 What even if it did not succeed? It blanched his countenance and caught his breath to think of this. 1932 G. Greene Stamboul Train i. i. 12 A face..that made her catch her breath with longing. 1948 C. Rice Big Midget Murders viii. 63 He glanced around at the walls, caught his breath, and said, Great Jumping Joshua. 2012 T. Hardie House of Wind Prol. 1 The vista to each side of the narrow road will catch your breath at any hour, in any season. P5. to catch fire (also afire, on fire). a. To ignite; to begin to burn; to burst into flames.Cf. to take fire at fire n. and int. Phrases 2l(a). ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > passion > ardour or fervour > become ardent or fervent [verb (intransitive)] > become inflamed with passion heata1225 tind1297 lowea1333 anheat1340 to catch firec1400 kindlea1450 to take firea1513 inflame1559 broil1561 calenturea1657 the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > burning > burn or be on fire [verb (intransitive)] > catch fire or begin to burn quicka1225 kindle?c1225 tindc1290 atend1398 to catch fire (also afire, on fire)c1400 quickenc1425 enkindle1556 fire1565 to set on fire1596 take1612 catch1632 conflagrate1657 to fly on fire1692 to go up1716 deflagrate1752 flagrate1756 inflame1783 ignite1818 to fire up1845 c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xvii. l. 219 A candel þat cauȝte hath fyre & blaseth. 1558 T. Phaer tr. Virgil Seuen First Bks. Eneidos v. sig. P.iv His arow swift from him did flie, In sight it caught a fyer, and flamyng forth it went in skie. 1587 J. Polemon 2nd Pt. Bk. Battailes sig. J The barrelles of Gunpouder that were in one of the shippes caught on fire. 1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 45 In Illyricum there is a cold spring, ouer which, if ye spread any clothes, they catch a fire and burne. 1687 J. Clayton Let. in R. Boyle Corr. (2001) VI. 220 We found a shelly coale, the Candle being then put down into the hole, the Air catched fire. 1761 W. Lewis Mat. Med. (ed. 2) 445 Fine petroleum catches fire on the approach of a flaming body. 1796 H. Hunter tr. J.-H. B. de Saint-Pierre Stud. Nature (1799) I. 480 But how comes it, that air and water, though agitated ever so much, never catch fire? 1826 Asiatic Jrnl. & Monthly Reg. Oct. 379 A number of rockets were thrown at the car, until at length it caught fire and blew up. 1880 Baltimore Underwriter 5 Mar. 105/1 The heroine gets too near an open grate and the train of her dress catches fire. 1950 M. F. McKeown Them was Days iv. 74 It was the only way to put out a fire once one of them stick chimneys caught on fire inside. 1971 in R. Allsopp Dict. Caribbean Eng. Usage (1996) (at cited word) One building obliquely opposite the service station-restaurant caught afire, and the roof and first storey..were destroyed. 2006 St. Petersburg (Florida) Times (Nexis) 22 Sept. 5 a An underground electrical cable caught fire Thursday, sending smoke billowing into the streets. b. figurative. Of a person, a person's temperament, etc.: to be filled with passion, enthusiasm, energy, etc.; to become inflamed with strong emotion; (of an emotion) to be aroused suddenly; to flare up. Also (in later use) of a campaign, an idea, etc.: to grow or develop rapidly; to flourish.Cf. to take fire at fire n. and int. Phrases 2l(b). ΚΠ 1533 tr. Erasmus Enchiridion Militis Christiani xiv. sig. Lvi^v The disposycion of man is frayle and prone to vyces, he catcheth mischeuous ensample at ones: none otherwyse than thou catchest fyre if it be put to. 1653 Z. Bogan Medit. Mirth Christian Life ii. 181 As if hatred could no sooner be kindled; but sorrow, and trouble must presently catch a fire. 1734 I. Watts Reliquiæ Juveniles lii. 208 His Soul catch'd Fire. 1872 ‘G. Eliot’ Middlemarch I. ii. xxii. 402 I have a hyperbolical tongue: it catches fire as it goes. 1886 ‘H. Conway’ Living or Dead x. 106 Now, don't catch on fire like that, Philip. 1937 Montana Standard 12 June 8/1 No one figured he would catch afire. But he did. Knocking 'em a mile, chipping 'em dead and rolling 'em in, he blazed the first nine in 33. 1955 Titusville (Pa.) Herald 13 Jan. 2/4 Sparked by enthusiastic workers, the recreation park campaign caught on fire from the start. 1982 S. K. Penman Sunne in Splendour (1984) i. viii. 101 His normally phlegmatic temperament suddenly caught fire. 2015 Wall St. Jrnl. 11 Apr. c4/5 Dozens of gender-neutral pronouns have been put forth over the years, including ‘thon’, ‘xe’ and ‘ze’, but all have failed to catch fire. P6. to catch hold and variants. a. Chiefly with of, †at, or on. To take hold of (a person or thing) with the hands; to seize; to grasp. Also of a thing: to become attached to.Cf. to take hold at hold n.¹ Phrases a. ΘΚΠ the mind > possession > taking > seizing > seize [verb (transitive)] gripea900 afangOE to lay hands (or hand) on or upon (also in, to)OE repeOE atfonga1000 keepc1000 fang1016 kip1297 seize1338 to seize on or upon1399 to grip toc1400 rapc1415 to rap and rendc1415 comprise1423 forsetc1430 grip1488 to put (one's) hand(s) on (also in, to, unto, upon)1495 compass1509 to catch hold1520 hap1528 to lay hold (up)on, of1535 seisin?c1550 cly1567 scratch1582 attach1590 asseizea1593 grasp1642 to grasp at1677 collar1728 smuss1736 get1763 pin1768 grabble1796 bag1818 puckerow1843 nobble1877 jump1882 snaffle1902 snag1962 pull1967 the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold [verb (transitive)] > lay hold of or grasp i-fangc888 gripc950 repeOE befongOE keepc1000 latchc1000 hentOE begripec1175 becatchc1200 fang?c1200 i-gripea1225 warpa1225 fastenc1225 arepa1250 to set (one's) hand(s onc1290 kip1297 cleach?a1300 hendc1300 fasta1325 reachc1330 seizec1374 beclipc1380 takea1387 span1398 to seize on or upon1399 getc1440 handc1460 to catch hold1520 to take hold1530 to lay hold (up)on, of1535 grasple1553 to have by the backa1555 handfast1562 apprehend1572 grapple1582 to clap hold of1583 comprehend1584 graspa1586 attach1590 gripple1591 engrasp1593 clum1594 to seize of1600 begriple1607 fast hold1611 impalm1611 fista1616 to set (one's) hand to1638 to get one's hands on1649 1520 Dyetary Ghostly Helthe sig. a.v Beware that the deuyll in no wyse fynde you in this snare, but yf ye be caught therin, breke out betymes before he catche holde vpon you. 1529 T. More Supplyc. Soulys ii. f. xxxvi^v He wold gladly cach hold of sum small handell to kepe hys money fast. 1537 W. Tyndale Expos. Epist. John 80 The deuel can ketch no hold on them. 1607 N. Geffe tr. O. de Serres Perfect Vse Silke-wormes 96 The threeds wil catch hold at the said broome, or bushes. 1645 G. Walker Sermon 3 That is the Dog-bryar, and of all Brambles is most full of sharp hooked pricks,..so that they rend and teare where they catch hold. 1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 249 I catch'd hold of Friday. 1772 R. B. Sheridan Let. July (1966) I. 31 I stept up and caught hold of his wrist or the hilt of his sword. 1862 Knickerbocker Feb. 202 Wait till they ‘ketch hold on 'im’—‘that's all.’ 1879 Scribner's Monthly Dec. 228/1 The tender rootlets catch hold of this at once, and in a day or two the plant is growing as well as ever. 1956 R. Chase Amer. Folk Tales 37 That tree..had a few low branches to it, so she caught hold on them and cloomb right on up. 1972 B. K. Wilson Tales told to Kabbarli 30 Catch hold, catch hold, and I will pull you out! 2009 C. Unsworth Bad Penny Blues xxx. 297 Jackie caught hold of my hand and squeezed it. b. figurative. Without construction. Of disease, a fire, etc.: to begin to spread; to take hold. Also of an idea, initiative, etc.: to gain support or popularity; to become established.Cf. to take hold at hold n.¹ Phrases b. ΚΠ 1529 T. More Supplyc. Soulys ii. f. xxix^v The fyre..shall..in the sowlys that are vnclensyd..hastely catch holde and kepe them fast & burne them wyth incessaunt payn. 1554 J. Gwynneth Declar. State wherin Heretikes leade Liues xxii. f. 12 It pleaseth the goodnes of god, that trewe faith, with good zele, shall yet catche holde. 1600 J. Perrott 1st Part Consideration Humane Condition ii. i. 29 If thou be noble borne, then commonly pride and presumption catch holde and lay such violent handes on thy will. 1656 Duchess of Newcastle Natures Pictures x. 294 Fire having a nature to catch hold, and to dilate, and so to feed it self upon all things. 1784 D. Young Observ. Fire 46 They threw earth upon the lint stacks that were close by the mill, which prevented the fire from catching hold. 1894 Rocky Mountain News (Denver) 27 Aug. 2/4 ‘Do it again!’ rose above the din, and the idea catching hold developed into a loud roar, ‘Do it again!’ 1922 Theatre Mag. Feb. 110/1 It is interesting to see how this idea caught hold and spread. 1989 H. Johnson Story of Wine xxxv. 357 Fungus diseases caught hold and ravaged the vineyards. 2008 St. Petersburg (Florida) Times (Nexis) 6 Apr. 1 b Despite backing from several top civic leaders and the chamber of commerce, the initiative never caught hold. c. figurative. Chiefly with of. To seize, grasp, or appropriate (an idea, a fact, etc.); (also) to gain control over.Cf. to take hold at hold n.¹ Phrases b. ΚΠ 1581 R. Mulcaster Positions v. 32 It is more then likely, wherof so euer the first charact came, that necessitie caught hold of it, to serue her owne tourne. 1610 T. Morton Encounter against M. Parsons ii. xi. 158 The impietie whereof..durst more boldly seeke refuge at Gods sanctuary euen the holy Scripture, and there to catch hold at the examples of Christ his speeches. 1692 J. Washington tr. J. Milton Def. People Eng. ii. 26 This Saying you catch'd hold off, thinking it would make for your purpose. 1782 in Asiatic Ann. Reg. 1808 (1811) 591/2 I saw that there would be people enough cooly to catch hold of his idea. 1806 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 5 Apr. 481 To catch hold of some of the prominent facts will be sufficient for every present purpose. 1865 Evangelical Repository Dec. 101 Libertinism and indulgence and vice have caught hold of multitudes of the world's youth. 1935 C. Beaton Diary in Self Portrait with Friends (1979) vi. 48 Mrs Simpson proved an exceptionally difficult woman to draw. I found nothing facile to catch hold of. 1990 G. Claridge et al. Sounds from Bell Jar Pref. p. xi Dr Claridge..caught hold of our airy assumptions..and tethered them to the firm ground of his own discipline. 2001 Independent (Nexis) 11 June (Features section) 7 In Japan they think I'm an angel, and I don't think that's entirely accurate. Hopefully they won't catch hold of that idea in England. P7. Proverb. you can't catch an old bird with chaff and variants: a wise or experienced person cannot easily be deceived. Also in allusive use. Now rare. Π c1600 Timon (1980) iv. ii. 56 An olde birde is not caught with chaffe Hee that will cheate mee must arise betimes. 1674 J. Golborne Friendly Apol. 17 If you resolve to be wise, and to laugh At all his follies, are not catch'd with chaff Of vain pretences. 1732 Compl. Coll. Rep., Lyes, & Stories i. 49 Others said, that the Whigs were old Birds, they would not be catch'd with Chaff. 1815 D. Humphreys Yankey in Eng. i. 21 I guess, he is trying to ketch me—but it won't du. I'm tu old a bird to be ketch'd with chaff. 1855 W. M. Thackeray Newcomes II. xv. 144 They ogled him as they sang..with which chaff our noble bird was by no means to be caught. 1936 C. F. Gregg Danger at Cliff House v. 45 Henry Prince was too old a bird to be caught with such chaff. 1975 Miami (Okla.) News-Record 30 Mar. b11/3 Saul of Tarsus, not a man to be caught with chaff, heard this message and believed. †P8. to catch the air: to pant; to struggle for breath. Obsolete. rare.Cf. to catch one's breath at Phrases 4. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disordered breathing > have or cause breathing disorder [verb (intransitive)] > become short of breath > gasp or catch breath gape1352 gaspa1393 to catch the aira1616 kink1691 keck1721 a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 2 (1623) iii. ii. 375 A greeuous sicknesse..That makes him gaspe, and stare, and catch the aire, Blaspheming. View more context for this quotation P9. In phrases with nouns denoting acts of seeing. a. to catch a glimpse (also a sight, a view, etc.) of and variants: to see suddenly or briefly. Also figurative.Cf. phrases with have and get at have v. 10b(b) and get v. 8b. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > succeed in seeing or catch sight of underyetec1000 aspya1250 kenc1275 ofyetec1275 choosea1300 akenc1300 descrivec1300 ofkenc1300 readc1300 espyc1320 descryc1330 spyc1380 discernc1405 discover1553 scan1558 scry1558 decern1559 describe1574 to make out1575 escry1581 interview1587 display1590 to set sight of (in)c1595 sight1602 discreevec1650 glance1656 to catch a glimpse of1679 steal1731 oversee1735 glimpse1779 twig1796 to clap eyes on1838 spot1848 sky1900 1679 tr. M.-C.-H. de Villedieu Unfortunate Heroes 258 Nerisa had convey'd her self away with such speed, that I could not catch a sight of her. 1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones II. v. x. 203 Caught a View of the Lovers just as they were sinking out of Sight. 1761 Kept Mistress 135 You catch a Sight of a pretty Face in a broken Glass. 1825 A. Knapp & W. Baldwin Newgate Cal. IV. 378/1 My daughter caught a sight of me. 1872 W. H. Dixon W. Penn (rev. ed.) i. 2 He caught some glimpses of the pirate holds. 1944 ELH 11 139 In Byron's social career we catch glimpses of the true Regency buck in all his glittering aspects. 2010 C. Karras & S. M. Zusy Motorcycle Touring in Pacific Northwest viii. 79 On a short stretch of the highway about 10 miles southeast of Sisters, you may also catch a brief view of Mount Jefferson. b. to catch sight of.Cf. to lose sight of at sight n.¹ 4c. (a) To see suddenly; to come suddenly in view of. ΚΠ a1726 M. Ashley-Cooper tr. Xenophon Cyropædia (1728) I. ii. 204 An Eagle of happy Omen flying towards them, caught Sight of the Hare as it run. 1797 J. Douglas Hist. Julia D'Haumont I. xi. 198 Being placed with her head towards the fire, lest, catching sight of the portrait, she might again relapse into a fit. 1845 J. Coulter Adventures Pacific ix. 115 I caught sight of a huge seal waddling up out of the water. 1888 West Shore (Portland, Oregon) Mar. 144/2 How I strained my eyes to catch sight of him ahead, as I rounded every curve and angle! 1971 V. Canning Queen's Pawn ii. 32 She caught sight of her face in the small mirror over the kitchen table. 2014 New Yorker 27 Oct. 13/2 The disconcerting change in perspective that occurs when an astronaut first catches sight of the Earth from space. (b) figurative. To perceive intellectually; to understand; to gain insight into. ΚΠ 1824 tr. E. De Jouy Sylla Hist. Preamble p. xxvii A theory by which I think I have caught sight of the solution of the great dramatic question which at this moment shares the attention of the literary world. 1885 Cent. Mag. May 76/1 Emerson apparently never caught sight of the fact that in humanity there is a reversal of those laws by which matter and brute-life led up to man. 1902 B. Kidd Princ. Western Civilization x. 343 We catch sight..for the first time in history, of a conception round which a practical system of world-politics..is actually slowly beginning to centre. 1969 A. Lingis tr. E. Lévinas Totality & Infinity 21 Does not lucidity..consist in catching sight of the permanent possibility of war? 2005 N.Y. Times (Nexis) 27 Feb. (Late ed.) (Film section) 1 The show reveals what the industry is thinking in the moment and lets us catch sight of the future. c. to catch a look and variants: to manage to see, esp. by putting oneself in a particular position or situation. Chiefly with at. ΚΠ 1757 Poems Several Gentlemen Oxf. 19 Each Student..runs thro' ev'ry Street in Town, To catch a Look at Polly. a1763 T. Godfrey Prince of Parthia (1765) i. ii. 106 Didst thou observe the croud, their eagerness, Each put the next aside to catch a look? 1848 E. C. Gaskell Mary Barton I. vii. 120 He turned to catch a look at her sweet face. 1964 R. Gover Here goes Kitten 21 I swing about on that stool, catch one look at that face—jes keep right on a-swingin till the stool's facin the bar again. 2008 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 26 Mar. (Today section) 42 This collection is a wonderful opportunity for fans of Olley to catch a look at her amazing works. P10. colloquial. In phrases expressing emphatically that a person would never do a particular thing. Cf. sense 9a. a. you won't catch me (also him, her, etc.) —— and variants. Chiefly with present participle. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > impossibility > desire the impossible [phrase] > absence of possibility you won't catch me1698 not a cat (in hell)'s chance1796 pigs might fly1840 there is (also was, etc.) no way (that)1908 not a hope (also chance) in hell1923 it's (just) not on1935 pigs have wings1936 that'll (also that will) be the day1941 not on your Nelly1959 1698 J. Turner Phisico-theol. Disc. Divine Being 32 I must tell you, that you shall never catch me making Resolutions what to do when I am dying. 1704 Rehearsal of Observator 2 Sept. They shall ne'r Catch me Believing or not Believing, but as serves the Cause. 1741 B. Mills Exam. Remarks Curate of Canterbury 39 He shall never catch me entering the Lists with him again. 1839 Metropolitan Aug. 432 Hackney, to-night!!! a hundred miles to-night!!! sure you are mad!..You'll not catch me doing it, I can tell you. 1870 E. Warren Bloomfield x. 96 All I say is, I hope he'll give part of it [sc. the money] to the poor; but you'll not catch him at that. 1916 W. O. Bradley Stories & Speeches 18 You'll never ketch me hollerin' at no Republican gatherin'. 1952 Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.) 13 Dec. 9/4 He answered in the booming terms typical of his stalwart type, ‘You don't catch me wearing any of those old-fashioned nightshirts!’ 2015 Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 24 Oct. 19 If this is what the voters of England want, anyone would think they'd gone mad. You wouldn't catch me saying such a thing, of course. b. catch me (also him, her, etc.)!; (formerly also) †catch me (also him, her, etc.) at it! and variants. ΚΠ 1738 J. Swift Treat. Polite Conversat. 15 Ay, Miss, catch him at that, and hang him. 1821 I. Hoole Scenes at Brighton II. i. 7 ‘You had nothing to do but to have sported an upper benjamin, and you could have played the ruffian's part in a minute.’ ‘Catch me at it,’ said Lovelace. 1830 J. Galt Lawrie Todd II. v. iv. 143 Catch me again at such costly daffin. 1886 W. H. Mallock Old Order Changes II. x. 58 He never did a stroke [of work], as you say. Catch him! 1903 Evangelical Episcopalian Aug. 224 ‘Catch me going to the country!’ she said. ‘Why, I'd die of lonesomeness!’ 1936 N. Coward Fumed Oak i, in To-night at 8.30 II. 41 Mrs. Rockett: I can always go to a boarding-house or a private hotel. Doris: Catch you! 2005 J. B. Glad Improbable Solution (2006) xii. 108 Catch her going up those stairs to his apartment at the time of day when there was more foot and automobile traffic on Main Street than any other hour! P11. Cricket. a. to catch and bowl (a person): (of a bowler) to dismiss (a batter) by catching the ball after it has been struck and before it touches the ground. Chiefly (and in earliest use) in passive. Cf. sense 49. ΚΠ 1838 Standard 30 Aug. G. Cary, Esq., caught and bowled by Russell. 1883 in Daily Tel. 15 May 2/7 Peate..caught and bowled Hearn. 1904 P. F. Warner How we recovered Ashes v. 78 Rhodes missed catching and bowling Gregory. 1959 Times 7 Aug. 4/2 He was caught and bowled off a steepler. 2011 Independent (Nexis) 7 Mar. (Sport section) 10 Tahir had Trott caught and bowled for 52 from 94 balls. b. caught and bowled (a) n. an instance of dismissing a batter in which the bowler catches the ball after it has been struck and before it touches the ground; (b) adj. (of a catch) that is made by the bowler (rare). ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > dismissal of batsman > [adjective] > manner of dismissal b.1769 leg before wicket1795 lbw1843 caught and bowled1875 spreadeagled1920 1875 Standard 21 Aug. 6 Remnant was got rid of by an easy caught and bowled for a really well hit innings of 25. 1924 J. B. Hobbs My Cricket Mem. 169 Then Mr. Simms got rid of Woolley with a magnificent ‘caught and bowled’. 1950 W. Hammond Cricketers' School v. 52 I have seen Larwood take some of the speediest single-handed caught-and-bowled catches ever put up on any cricket field. 2017 Sun (Nexis) 10 Sept. 58 Broad dropped a caught and bowled offered by Shane Dowrich before the Windies wicketkeeper mispulled Toby Roland-Jones to mid-on. P12. to catch it. a. colloquial. To be reprimanded or scolded; to be punished.See also to catch it hot at hot adj. and n.¹ Phrases 5, to catch it in the neck at neck n.¹ Phrases 2b. ΚΠ 1821 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Sept. 162/2 I would therefore have you stand clear the next time, otherwise you'll catch it. 1834 F. Marryat Jacob Faithful III. ix. 161 We all thought that Tom was about to catch it. 1872 W. Black Strange Adventures Phaeton xvi. 218 He catches it if he does not bring home a fair proportion to his wife. 1921 B. K. Seymour Intrusion (1922) iii. iv. 263 I ran into him to-day coming along to you. I said he'd catch it for coming home before time and disturbing you. 1940 M. de la Roche Whiteoak Chron. i. xii. 107 Good lord..we shall be late for the party and I shall catch it. 2006 Washington Post (Nexis) 12 July b1 She was very, very angry... I just knew from past experience he was going to catch it. b. Originally Military slang. To be killed or wounded in an attack, esp. by gunfire. ΚΠ 1837 United Service Jrnl. Aug. 480 The following stave..I wrote myself when I was laid up in ordinary in Greenwich:..At Teneriffe we caught it there, and Nelson lost his good right arm; But all the shots they blazed away, they never did myself much harm. 1886 C. Bell tr. L. Tolstoy War & Peace I. xv. 234 Our hussars will catch it now; they are within range of the guns. 1920 P. Gibbs Now it can be Told iii. 168 ‘We caught it badly,’ said some of them I met later in the day, bandaged and bloody,..while gassed men lay on stretchers about them. 1951 M. Spillane Long Wait v. 66 I don't like the way Minnow died. He was sitting there and bang, just like that he caught it. 1988 L. Sanders Timothy's Game (1989) iii. iv. 328 ‘One of my guys caught it.’ ‘Ah, Jesus,’ Cone says. ‘Bad?’ ‘I think so. It looked bad... Oh, God, what am I going to tell his wife?’ P13. Originally U.S. to be caught short. a. To be taken by surprise (originally by a change in the stock market); to be put at a sudden disadvantage; to be caught unawares. ΚΠ 1855 Bangor (Maine) Daily Whig & Courier 26 June With the exception of the few who are caught short in this turn of the market, there is a strong feeling among the brokers that the ‘good time’..is approaching. 1866 Nation 8 Mar. 316/2 The clique has..bought up all the floating Erie, and expects to realize its profit by supplying the luckless speculators who are ‘caught short’. 1920 Econ. Jrnl. 30 118 It is like a ‘bear squeeze’ on a stock market, when bulls have been caught short. 1955 Pacific Stars & Stripes (Tokyo) 10 Oct. 6/4 The signal school wasn't caught short. The ablutions were spotless. 1973 ‘E. Ferrars’ Foot in Grave (1990) vi. 93 If for some reason she happened to be caught short when the bank was closed, the grocer would always cash a cheque. 1996 Independent 15 Jan. 7/3 Mr Handy encouraged young people to build up a ‘portfolio of skills’ so they are not caught short when employment ends suddenly. 2004 Jrnl. Courier (Jacksonville, Illinois) 6 Feb. 6/2 [The father] was caught short when the boy asked, ‘Dad, what's erectile dysfunction?’ b. To be caught by an urgent need to urinate or defecate, especially when there are no toilet facilities available. ΚΠ 1930 S. J. Perelman Let. 31 Oct. in Don't tread on Me (1987) 7 The gent caught short in Central Park, slips into the bushes and lets down his galluses. 1969 ‘W.A. Ballinger’ Men that God made Mad xvii. 166 She'd made the English think she was caught short out there in the country and she had put them to flight with their faces red. ?1972 R. Galton & A. Simpson Best of Steptoe & Son (1989) 39 I'm sorry to hear about your illness. If you get caught short, the bog's outside. 1991 R. Rendell Kissing Gunner's Daughter (1992) xvi. 198 She could only have been ten minutes from her own house but..it was possible even then, one could be ‘caught short’. 2006 Teen Now Spring 59/3 I was known as ‘pee boy’ growing up because I was always getting caught short. P14. Rowing. to catch the beginning and variants: to grip the water with the oar at the beginning of a stroke. Cf. catch n.² 12. Now rare. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > propelling boat by oars, paddle, or pole > propel boat by oars, paddle, or pole [verb (transitive)] > row (a boat) > make a stroke > grip water at the beginning of stroke to catch the beginning1865 1865 Sporting Gaz. 8 Apr. 253/3 Cambridge..have a fair idea of catching the beginning, but they row the first part of their stroke too much in the air. 1898 Earl of Suffolk et al. Encycl. Sport II. 273/2 The beginning must be caught with full power. 1902 Encycl. Brit. XXXII. 307/2 Swivel rowlocks..are considered unsuitable to eight-oared rowing, where the beginning of the stroke has to be firmly and smartly caught. 1938 Times 19 Mar. 6/7 Stewart, at No 3, was rowing light and was not catching the beginning, but the rest of the crew were keeping a splendid length against the wind. P15. Surfing. to catch a wave and variants: to move towards and then drop into a wave, so as to be able to ride it. Also figurative and in figurative contexts. ΚΠ 1907 Evening Jrnl. (Washington, Iowa) 19 Sept. I shall never forget the first big wave I caught out there in the deep water. 1968 W. Warwick Surfriding in N.Z. 2 The Duke..caught a wave and rode it until a short distance from the shore. 1972 Proc. ABA National Marketing Conf. 27 My hope is that this can assist the banking industry in catching the wave of consumerism and riding its crest smoothly to shore. 2016 Independent (Nexis) 7 May 82 Never caught a wave before? No problem. Escape and recharge at one of these beginner-friendly camps. P16. (I'll) catch you later (also tomorrow, again, etc.) and variants: (as an expression at parting) ‘I'll see you later, tomorrow, etc.’; goodbye for the moment, until tomorrow, etc.See also catch you later alligator in quot. 1978 at alligator n.² 5b, and see you later at later adv., adj., and int. Phrases 1. ΚΠ 1938 Valley Sunday Star-Monitor-Herald (Brownsville, Texas) 4 Dec. 8/3 Gotta game today, but I'll catch you tomorrow. 1949 Collier's 12 Nov. 55/1 Britten lost a little of his affability. ‘We're around,’ he said. ‘We'll catch you later.’ 1972 G. Trudeau Doonesbury (comic strip) in Sarasota (Florida) Herald-Tribune 3 Oct. 6 c/7 ‘Please! Go away!!’ ‘O.K... Catch you tomorrow.’ 1997 I. Sinclair Lights out for Territory (1998) 192 Lovely to meet you. Catch you again sometime. 2003 S. Brooke 2cool2btrue xvii. 156 ‘Catch you later,’ she purrs, squeezing his arm. P17. Caribbean. to catch (one's) arse (also ass): to suffer or undergo misfortune, hardship, or difficulty.Cf. catch-arse n. and adj. ΚΠ 1956 S. Selvon Lonely Londoners 8 I catching my arse as it is, how I could help them out? 1970 M. Hodge Crick Crack, Monkey (1981) iv. 15 Them that walketh in the paths of corruption will live to ketch dey arse. 2019 @trinimarn 25 Nov. in twitter.com (accessed 30 May 2020) Many folks don't know how he started, but he real ketch arse in the early days. P18. colloquial (chiefly U.S.) to catch feelings: to develop or experience romantic feelings.Originally in the language of hip-hop. ΚΠ 1991 ‘Naughty by Nature’ O.P.P. (transcribed from song) in Naughty by Nature She kept on coming back and catchin' feelings. 2001 M. Major 4 Guys & Trouble ii. 31 Hey, hos can be some of the best people on this planet, as long as you don't catch feelings for them. 2011 N. Flowers & C. Parker He was my Man First v. 36 Boning was one thing, but catching feelings for a chick was an entirely different story. P19. In various idiomatic phrases. to catch (a person) bending: see bend v. 9d. to catch a crab: see crab n.¹ 10. to catch the eye (of): see eye n.¹ Phrases 2c(a). to catch (a person) napping: see nap v.¹ 2. to be caught red-handed: see red-handed adj. 1c. to catch a Tartar: see Tartar n.² 4. to catch (a person) with his or her trousers down: see trousers n. Phrases 4. to catch unawares: see unawares adv. 2b. Phrasal verbs PV1. With adverbs in specialized senses. to catch away †1. transitive. To chase or drive (a person or thing) away. Cf. sense 37. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > causing to go away > command to go away [verb (transitive)] > drive away feezec890 adriveeOE aflemeeOE off-driveeOE flemeOE withdrivec1000 adreveOE to drive outOE biwevea1300 chasec1300 void13.. catcha1325 firk1340 enchasec1380 huntc1385 to catch awayc1390 forcatch1393 to put offa1398 to cast awaya1400 to put outc1400 repel?a1439 exterminate1541 chasten1548 propulse1548 keir1562 hie1563 depulse1570 band1580 bandy1591 flit1595 ferret1601 profugate1603 extermine1634 a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 949 Gredi foueles fellen ðor-on, Đat ðogte abram wel iwel don, Kagte is [= them] wei.] c1390 (c1300) MS Vernon Homilies in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1877) 57 256 Non of hem lykeþ my play, But alle þei cacche [a1400 Coll. Phys. kache] me away. c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xii. l. 178 Contricioun is commended, for it caccheth awey synne. Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 57 Cachyn a-way, abigo. 1528 tr. Aristotle De Cursione Lune xiv. sig. bii If thou that day sekenesse lache No medecyne shal it away catche. 2. transitive. To seize and take away (a thing, or occasionally a person); to snatch or carry away; to take possession of. Also in extended use. Now rare. ΘΚΠ the mind > possession > loss > taking away > take away [verb (transitive)] > forcibly or suddenly reaveOE bereavec1320 atreachc1325 ravisha1398 reach?a1400 to catch awayc1400 rendc1450 ravena1513 pull1530 despoila1533 snatch1597 reap1634 extort1785 to pounce away1821 erept1865 the world > space > place > removal or displacement > remove or displace [verb (transitive)] > remove or take away > seize and remove plitchOE hentOE to catch awayc1400 snip1577 c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) l. 1275 Þay [sc. Nebuchadnezzar's army] caȝt away þat condelstik. ?a1425 (a1415) Lanterne of Liȝt (Harl.) (1917) 52 Þei cacchen awey þe goodis of þise celi widowis. 1533 T. More 2nd Pt. Confut. Tyndals Answere iv. p. cii As it were a babe that..waxeth angry wyth the kyghte, for catchynge awaye hys brede and butter. 1583 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Serm. on Deuteronomie xv. 575/2 When a man hauing that regard to selfeprofite, indeuoureth to catch away the poore mans possessions. 1611 Bible (King James) Matt. xiii. 19 Then commeth the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sowen. View more context for this quotation a1641 T. Heywood Gen. Hist. Women (1657) ii. 117 It was lawfull for any to steale and catch away each others garments. 1711 Spectator No. 524. ⁋8 These [stragglers] would sometimes very narrowly miss being catched away. 1839 Light from West May 114 The foolish child would fain have the red coal to play with, but the friendly hand catches it away. 1879 Boy's Own Paper 9 Aug. 471/3 Stealing up to the off side of the cab, he caught away the cabman's hat, intending to hide it somewhere. 1944 Collier's 23 Sept. 50/1 Parson Sand..caught away the broom which the boy still held, ran to the nearest window and smashed two upper panes. 2011 N. Jackson Who is my Shelter? xvii. 152 A distant rumble of thunder caught away his last words. † to catch forth Obsolete. rare. 1. transitive. To produce (a thing) suddenly; to bring out. Cf. sense 4a. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > do, deal with, acquire, etc., quickly [verb (transitive)] > produce to catch forthc1450 dispatchc1710 c1450 (c1386) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women (Fairf. 16) (1879) l. 1854 Pryvely she kaught forthe a knyfe. 1843 B. Thorpe tr. Ælfric Homilies I. 617 Afterwards, we who live, and shall be found in the body, will be caught forth with the others in clouds towards Christ. 1908 Smart Set Sept. 130/2 His hand dived ferociously into his pocket; he caught forth something white and shook it under her eyes. 2. transitive. To hasten (a person's fate). ΘΚΠ the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going or coming out > letting or sending out > let or send out [verb (transitive)] > expel afferreOE warpc1000 outdriveOE wreakc1100 to cast out1297 to cast fortha1382 out-chasec1395 flecchea1400 to shoot forth, out, awaya1400 propel?1440 expulse?a1475 scour1488 out-thrust1532 to catch forthc1540 propulse1548 pulsec1550 unplant1552 to turn out of ——1562 extrude1566 detrude?1567 eliminate1568 deturbate1570 detruse1571 unroost1598 to put by1600 deturb1609 bolt1615 run1631 disembogue1632 out of1656 expel1669 rout1812 to manage (a person) out of1907 c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 43 Caches furthe his cold wirdis. to catch off 1. transitive. To take off (clothing, a hat, etc.) quickly or suddenly; to snatch off. Cf. sense 4a. Now rare. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > providing with clothing > undressing or removing clothing > undress or remove clothing [verb (transitive)] > take off clothing to do offeOE to lay downc1275 to weve offc1290 stripc1320 doffa1375 loose1382 ofdrawa1393 casta1400 to take offa1400 warpa1400 to cast offc1400 to catch offc1400 waivec1400 voidc1407 to put off?a1425 to wap offc1440 to lay from, offc1480 despoil1483 to pull offc1500 slip1535 devest1566 to shift off1567 daff1609 discuss1640 to lay off1699 strip1762 douse1780 shuffle1837 derobe1841 shed1858 skin1861 peel1888 pull1888 the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold [verb (transitive)] > lay hold of or grasp > suddenly or forcibly > and take away catchc1230 to catch offc1400 c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 237 Ho..Caȝte of her coroun..And haylsed me. c1440 (a1400) Awntyrs Arthure (Thornton) l. 626 Wilfully dame Waynour..caughte of hir coronalle. 1646 H. Peake Medit. upon Seige xxiv. 85 Pallisadoes..have somtimes spikes of iron..turned back againe like hookes to catch off their apparell that would climbe over them. 1745 J. Cennick Acct. Riot at Exeter 17 Mr. Kennedy..was struck by several, who caught off his Hat and Wig, and pelted him thro' the Crowds with Dung. 1864 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend (1865) I. viii. 68 I have seen him..catch off Mrs. Boffin's bonnet..and send it spinning across the yard. 1906 Idler Mag. Aug. 614/1 Lionardo put his hands to her golden hair, and though her hands met his in quick defence, he caught off her mask. 1974 B. Baldwin Billy Baldwin Remembers xiv. 171 With a graceful sweep of her hand she caught off her hat, then tossed her head back vigorously. 2. intransitive. English regional (south-western). to catch off to sleep: to go to sleep; also (transitive in passive) to be sent to sleep. Now rare. ΚΠ 1865 Curate of Sadbrooke III. xxi. 294 In his last sermon, which my missus heerd, for I was catched off to sleep, begging your pardon for saying so. 1917 M. P. Willcocks Eyes of Blind xviii. 280 ‘She's catching off to sleep,’ said Lizzie, coming quietly into the lamplit circle where the two men sat. 1934 Taunton Courier 20 June 4/3 When witness stopped the horses, defendant awoke, and nearly fell off. He stated: ‘I was coming down the hill in the sun when I catched off to sleep.’ to catch on †1. transitive. To hurry or drive (something) along. Also intransitive: to hurry, hasten, press on. Cf. senses 37 and 38. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1425 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) II. 364 (MED) Þis is vois made of þe fend, bi which he cacchiþ on his carte. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 33^v Þai..Kachyn on kyndly & þaire course held. 2. intransitive. Chiefly with to. To cling or grip on to something; to take hold.In quot. 1868 transitive (in passive): to be attached to something. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > fact or action of being joined or joining > attachment > be or become attached or affixed [verb (intransitive)] > attach oneself cleavec1300 grapple1563 to catch on1868 1868 Our Boys & Girls 11 Jan. 34/2 I see, when I stepped on to it [sc. a plank], that somebody had been a movin' on it; but I didn't know the 'tother end was only jest ketched on to the rock. 1870 Ballarat (Victoria) Courier 27 Jan. As the body was carried down the stream Mr Hoskins ran along the banks urging the poor fellow to catch on to the sides. 1908 Official Jrnl. Sept. 12/2 No matter how fast the sleigh may be moving, a number [of boys and girls] catch on, and the rest miss it. a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) I. xx. 532 Microscopic hooklets or hamuli, catching on to the barbule next in front. 2013 D. Fossen One Night Standoff xi. 127 He caught on to her shoulders and moved her back just a little. 3. intransitive. Originally U.S. colloquial. To gain an understanding of something; to understand, comprehend. Cf. sense 29b. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > understanding > understand [verb (intransitive)] > reach understanding of reach1582 tumble1846 to catch on1882 waken1899 to wise up1905 to tune in1926 to cotton on1929 plug1948 latch1954 1882 Cent. Mag. Nov. 158 I catch on, my Comrade! 1884 Cambridge (Mass.) Tribune 18 July He Didn't Catch-On to the Pronunciation. 1911 B. L. Standish Dick Merriwell's Commencem. xlviii. 310 Dick looked bewildered. ‘I'm afraid I don't quite catch on,’ he commented. 1963 E. Waugh Let. 2 Feb. (1980) 598 I was never much of a one for parlez-vousing..but..I could often catch on to what the frogs said. 1994 Essence (Nexis) May 74 He was a new jack in the drug culture. He caught on quickly, though, and his business boomed. 2005 Runner's World Oct. 58/3 We kept it quiet for a couple of months. It was hard work, because I'm sure everyone was catching on. 4. intransitive. a. With to. To adopt, exploit, or take advantage of (a trend, craze, etc.); to recognize the potential of (something). ΚΠ 1882 Cincinnati Enquirer 16 Jan. 4/1 The Chicago papers are quick to ‘catch on’ to a fire sensation and make the most of it. 1885 Milnor (Dakota Territory) Free Press 28 Mar. 1/5 His sagacious mind immediately recognized and caught on to the only plan of salvation in sight. 1913 Exhibitors' Times 13 Sept. 13/2 The motion picture producers..have not caught on to the trend of the times..and supplied the demands which exist. 1990 Time 26 Feb. 66/1 Ever the magpie, fashion has caught on to ecology. 2002 N.Y. Mag. 25 Nov. 124/2 It's taken Canada a while to catch on to the boutique-hotel craze, but this winter, our northern neighbors are making up for lost time. b. colloquial. Esp. of a new idea, product, etc.: to become popular, fashionable, or successful. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > prosperity > prosper or flourish [verb (intransitive)] > specifically of things prosper1434 flourish1571 thrive1613 boom1871 to catch on1885 1885 Ovens & Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Austral.) 21 May 1/1 But Mr Sala has not managed, somehow, to ‘catch on’ with Australian audiences. 1887 Pall Mall Gaz. 9 Mar. 1/2 A publisher never knows whether a new book will ‘catch on’. 1932 G. Morton Myst. Hermit's End ii. 19 The latter was taking intensive training for marathon swimming. That form of sport had caught on of late. 1972 A. Bowness Mod. European Art iii. 53 Seurat..preferred the epithet ‘chromo-luminarist’ for his kind of painting, but for obvious reasons this term never caught on. 2014 C. Seife Virtual Unreality iv. 70 Fringe ideas can catch on even in the absence of the internet. 5. transitive (reflexive). colloquial. Chiefly Irish English (northern). To get or recover a realistic understanding of one's position or the situation; to regain one's common sense or self-control. Often in imperative phrase catch yourself on: ‘pull yourself together’, ‘get a grip’. ΚΠ 1937 E. Partridge Dict. Slang 133/2 Catch meself on... to pull oneself up or together, recover one's common sense. 1959 Díospóireachta Parlaiminte 50 421 The British have always been extremely slow to catch themselves on. 1974 B. Friel Freedom of City i. 53 Skinner : The ceremony begins in five minutes. The world's press and television are already gathering outside... Michael : Catch yourself on, Skinner. 1992 P. McCabe Butcher Boy (1993) 32 Are you going to go on making a laughing stock of yourself or are you going to catch yourself on? 1999 Irish Times (Nexis) 9 Nov. 17 Mr Bill Gates..appears resolved to see the case through... The lawyers will clean up. Mr Gates ought to catch himself on. 2017 Belfast Tel. (Nexis) 11 May From the moment the kids arrived, I've developed tear ducts with no off switch... Never in public, mind. I've got to maintain some sort of public decency. I mean, catch yourself on. to catch out †1. transitive. To chase (esp. a person) out; to drive out. Cf. sense 37. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1340 Ayenbite (1866) 171 Ase þet hote weter cacheþ þane hond out of þe kechene. c1350 (a1333) William of Shoreham Poems (1902) 149 (MED) Hye weren out ycached..For hare senne. ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) ii. l. 8098 Þe Inglis þe kacched out. 2. transitive. a. Cricket. To dismiss (a batter) by catching the ball after it has been struck and before it touches the ground. Cf. sense 49. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > fielding > field [verb (transitive)] > catch to catch out1712 hold1752 catch1789 take1836 pouch1910 1712 Devil & Peers (single sheet) I'll catch them both out in three or four stroaks. 1766 G. Montagu Let. 27 Oct. in H. Walpole Corr. (1941) X. 235 Sir George caught him out left-handed. 1850 ‘Bat’ Cricketer's Man. (rev. ed.) 46 If a striker is caught out, state the fieldsman's name. 1866 Mercury (Hobart) 2 Jan. Cosstick..very nearly afforded Kelly an opportunity of catching him out by sending up the ball close around the wicket. 1913 Times 11 Aug. 12/2 Whysall..split a finger when he caught out Blythe. 1994 I. Botham My Autobiogr. i. 27 I had batted twice on the second day, faced eight balls, made eight runs and had been caught out twice. 2014 Daily Tel. (Nexis) 9 June 2 I saw the angle and thought ‘bang it through midwicket’, but I got caught out. b. In baseball and softball. To put (a batter) out by catching the ball after it has been struck and before it touches the ground. Now rare. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > baseball > play baseball [verb (transitive)] > put out > a batter to catch out1855 retire1870 to strike out1939 1855 Spirit of Times 12 May 147/2 If two hands are ready out, a player running home at the time a ball is struck cannot make an ace if the striker is caught out. 1858 N.Y. Times 20 Aug. 5/1 Manolt..caught out De Bost in the eighth inning of New-York. 1902 Encycl. Brit. XXVI. 160/2 In base-ball if the ball is knocked in a certain direction it is called a foul, and the player who knocked it has not the privilege of making a run, but may be caught out. 1946 Wellington (Texas) Leader 9 May 5/1 Ted O'Neil was caught out on a fly by Young. 3. transitive. a. To discover or surprise (a person) in a misdemeanour, illegal act, mistake, etc. Also reflexive: to discover oneself thinking or feeling something unexpected or unwelcome. Cf. main sense 9a. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > endeavour > searching or seeking > finding or discovery > find or discover [verb (transitive)] > detect > in a fault or error trip1557 entrap1566 trap1629 to catch out1759 1759 tr. M. De Sévigné Lett. II. cxliii. 217 To dispute against him, to plague and torment him, and use all their endeavours to catch him out. 1816 J. Austen Emma II. xiv. 275 Ah! there I am—thinking of him directly. Always the first person to be thought of! How I catch myself out ! View more context for this quotation 1867 Brit. Workman Aug. 365/3 Snapcatch is in gaol, farmer!—has owned they say to much, and has been caught out in more. 1952 A. White Sugar House i. viii. 83 She even caught herself out feeling a childish pique because he was not paying her any particular attention. 1989 G. Daly Pre-Raphaelites in Love vii. 339 He tended to know more than any of them about almost everything, and it was considered great sport to catch him out. 2010 Independent 1 July 8/1 Mining private data on a routine basis on the off-chance of catching people out is a disproportionate invasion of privacy. b. To put (a person) in an unexpected situation which proves difficult or unwelcome. Also: to lead (a person) into an undesirable situation by means of trickery or deception; to deceive, dupe. Chiefly in passive. Cf. main sense 2. ΚΠ 1889 Reno (Nevada) Evening Gaz. 19 Oct. (5 o'clock ed.) [Cattle] feeders have lost money for the past three years and do not care to get caught out again. 1956 A. L. Rowse Early Churchills xii. 230 His methods were distinctly unorthodox: that was what alarmed the Dutch text-book generals and caught out the French. 1989 C. McWilliam Little Stranger (1990) ii. 22 Events did not catch her out. She kept a collapsible umbrella in the back of the car. 2005 Metro 3 May (London ed.) 22/2 There is little chance of getting money back if you are caught out by a phishing e-mail. c. colloquial. to be (also get) caught out: to become pregnant; spec. to have an unplanned pregnancy. Cf. main sense 15. ΘΚΠ the world > life > biology > biological processes > procreation or reproduction > conception > conceive [verb (intransitive)] trima1325 conceivec1375 greatenc1390 to fall with child (also bairn)a1464 impregnate1711 start1846 catch1858 fall1891 click1936 to be caught out1957 to fall for ——1957 big1982 1957 J. Osborne Look Back in Anger i. 29 I'm pregnant. After three years of married life, I have to get caught out now. 1981 Daily Mail 23 June 12/4 Teenage pregnancies..the Eleventh Commandment (‘Thou shalt not be caught out’). 1989 D. Palmer Sutton's Way iv. 71 ‘Elliot isn't yours?’ she asked softly. He shook his head. ‘His mother was having an affair with a married man and she got caught out.’ 2010 H. Dunmore Betrayal 325 She was pregnant and they were all teasing her for getting caught out when she was forty. to catch over transitive (in passive). Chiefly Canadian and (in early use) English regional (south-western). Of water, a lake, etc.: to be covered by a layer of ice; to be frozen over. Also intransitive: to freeze over. Cf. sense 46. ΚΠ 1878 North Star (St. John's, Newfoundland) 30 Mar. 3/1 The bay here was caught over last week, and a string of ‘slob’ made its appearance across the mouth. 1886 F. C. Philips Jack & Three Jills I. vii. 96 We arrived at the lake to find it was caught over, scantily, but with promise of skating to come. 1898 E. H. Goddard in Eng. Dial. Dict. I. 540/2 Teant much of a vroast, the pit is but just ketched auver. 1920 Daily News (St. John's, Newfoundland) 8 Jan. 3 A ‘spring hole’ which had caught over in Sunday night's frost. 1992 B. Morgan Random Passage v. 65 On cold mornings water in the pond is caught over. 2008 M. Winter Big Why (new ed.) 96 The boys had pushed slub ice under the bridge and that allowed the surface to catch over smooth. to catch up †1. transitive. To draw (water or a quantity of water) from a well. Obsolete.In figurative context in quot. a1387. ΚΠ a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1882) VIII. 151 Kecheþ [c1400 Tiber. kycheþ, a1425 Harl. clechiþ] up [L. haurietis] water wiþ ioye of þe savyour his welles. c1440 (?a1400) Morte Arthure l. 3378 (MED) Cho wente to þe welle..Kaughte vp a coppe-full. 2. transitive. a. To lift up (a person or thing), esp. in the hands or arms; to raise. Also: to take hold of; to take up. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > upward movement > raising > make to go up or cause to rise [verb (transitive)] > lift or take up > catch or snatch up to catch upa1393 uphenda1400 upcatcha1560 a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) ii. l. 1349 He..cawhte hire up, and whan sche wok, Sche syketh. c1400 (?c1380) Patience l. 102 Cachen vp þe crossayl, cables þay fasten. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 209^v He comaund the corse cacche vp onone. 1567 A. Golding tr. Ovid Metamorphosis (new ed.) xii. f. 152 Yit caught he vp on his shoulders twayne A stone the Iawme of eyther doore. 1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet ii. ii. 512 A blancket in the alarme of feare caught vp. 1650 R. Stapleton tr. F. Strada De Bello Belgico x. 17 Aloysio..ranne thither in his Shirt, and catching up the Child, carried him out of the danger. 1768 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued II. ii. 196 As one catches up a dog by the nape of his neck. 1782 Young Philosopher I. xxxiv. 239 Catching up a large stone, I threatened to dash his brains out. 1815 ‘J. Mathers’ Hist. Mr. John Decastro & Brother Bat I. 112 She catched her feet up as if the floor burned her toes. 1873 R. Browning Red Cotton Night-cap Country iii. 234 An angel caught you up and clapped you down. a1911 D. G. Phillips Susan Lenox (1917) I. vii. 97 She leaped from the bed, caught up her slippers, reached for her opened-up bundle. 1998 S. Waters Tipping Velvet iii. 74 Percy..caught up a pair of spoons from the side of his plate, and set them rattling upon the tablecloth in a wonderful tattoo. b. In Christian contexts: to carry (a person) quickly or suddenly heavenwards; to transport (a person) to heaven (in later use, esp. in Millenarian Theology, at the Second Coming of Christ). Frequently in passive. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > upward movement > raising > make to go up or cause to rise [verb (transitive)] > lift or take up > suddenly carry aloft to catch up1526 rhapsodizec1616 1526 Bible (Tyndale) (1 Thess. iv.) f. cclxx^v And the deed in Christe shall aryse fyrst: then shall we which live and remayne, be caught vppe with them also in the cloudes, to mete the lorde in ye ayer. 1564 J. Bradford Frutefull Treat. against Feare of Death sig. Cii^v Helias was caught vp into heauen. 1678 J. Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress 33 I saw many catch't up and carried away into the Clouds. View more context for this quotation 1753 J. Orton Doddridge's Family Expositor IV. 523 He was also caught up into Paradise, that Garden of God. 1886 Prophetic Stud. Internat. Prophetic Conf. 207/2 He will come to catch up His people, snatching them away from coming disasters and judgments. 1978 G. E. Ladd Last Things v. 50 These two comings of Christ have been called the Rapture—when he comes to catch up the church—and the Revelation. 2007 B. K. Waltke Old Test. Theol. viii. 214 In his temple vision, Isaiah is caught up into the heavenly court to join the seraphim that surround God's throne. 3. transitive. To adopt or embrace (an idea, example, etc.) quickly or eagerly; to appropriate. Also: to take up and repeat (an utterance). ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > undertaking > undertake [verb (transitive)] > quickly or eagerly to catch upc1550 to lean into1941 c1550 C. Bansley Treat. Pryde & Abuse of Women sig. A.i^v A stewde strumpet can not so soone, gette vp a lyghte lewde fashyon But euerye wanton Jelot wyll lyke it well, and catche it vp anon. 1644 J. Milton Areopagitica 4 This project..was catcht up by our Prelates. 1771 O. Goldsmith Hist. Eng. IV. 77 The example of the great was caught up by the vulgar; principle, and even decency, was gradually banished. 1868 J. H. Blunt Reformation Church of Eng. I. viii. 428 The tone of irreverence..which his followers too often caught up. 1887 Atlantic Monthly Aug. 281/2 Catching up a popular neologism from the newspapers. 1904 Collier's 7 May 8/3 The survivors answered with a loud hurrah, which was caught up by the sailors of the fleet. 1958 D. Black Theory Comm. & Elections xviii. 157 He continues in the strain of thought that was later to be caught up by Laplace. 2013 D. Schultz Dead Run xii. 164 The battle cry was caught up by others. 4. transitive. To interrupt (a person); to check (a person) in the act of saying or doing something regarded as foolish or careless. Also (and in earliest use) reflexive. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > speech > interruption > interrupt or interpose [verb (intransitive)] chop in1550 to speak in a man's cast1580 to break through1659 interpose1667 interrupt1667 to break in1705 to catch up1764 to get ina1774 to strike in1791 to get a word, etc. in edgeways1824 1764 R. Griffith Triumvirate II. clxvi. 220 What had put me almost out of conceit with goodness, before—I mean, said she, catching herself up, the appearances of it, was that one seldom sees it preached..but by certain old folk. 1841 C. Dickens Barnaby Rudge xl. 166 You catch me up so very short. 1883 T. Lees Easther's Gloss. Dial. Almondbury & Huddersfield 90 One said it [sc. a concert] was ‘vary gooid’. Another caught him up, indignant at such scant praise. 1937 J. Thurber Lett. (2002) 245 There is no possibility of catching me up on an overlooked sloppiness. 2005 H. Mantel Beyond Black ii. 18 You do find yourself, just now and then, catching yourself up and saying, hang on now, who's giving back to me? 5. a. intransitive. Frequently with with; also sometimes with on or to. To succeed in reaching a person who or thing which is travelling in a particular direction; to draw level. Also in extended use. Cf. sense 40a. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > prosperity > advancement or progress > [verb (transitive)] > advance at equal rate with > overtake to catch up1817 1817 Parterre 4 Jan. 4/2 I endeavoured to catch up with her, but she going straight ahead every body turned out of her way, while I was trying to dodge through the crowd. 1843 Indiana Amer. (Brookville) 27 Jan. The former had run away with the wife of the latter, and the latter had followed and caught up with him at this place. 1909 ‘Q’ True Tilda xiii. 169 ‘If they catch up with us we must nip into a gateway,’ panted Tilda. 1925 Times (Weekly ed.) 26 Nov. The police caught up on the men just as they entered a dark archway. 1955 Lethbridge (Alberta) Herald 6 July 14/ Every now and then she would have to stop and wait for them to catch up. 1974 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 14 Feb. 1/2 Secretaries could be..held in their current pay bracket until the new secretarial classifications catch up to them. 2012 J. Fagan Panopticon (2013) xxxi. 281 The bus is just pulling out. I catch up with it and bang on the door. b. transitive. To succeed in reaching (a person who or thing which is travelling in a particular direction); to draw level with. Also in extended use. Cf. sense 40a. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > rate of motion > move at specific rate [verb (transitive)] > gain (ground) upon > catch up or overtake betakea1000 oftakelOE overtakec1225 ofgoc1300 under-get1390 attain1393 overget?a1400 overgoc1425 gaincopec1440 overhiec1440 overhalec1540 overcatch1570 overhent1590 win1596 to grow on or upon1603 catcha1616 to fetch up1622 to fetch of, upon1659 overhaul1793 to meet up with1837 to catch up1838 to get past1857 1838 Observer 17 Dec. He [sc. a fox] emerged from the wood, being three miles from where he was unkennelled, and no joke to those who had to catch him up. 1886 Eclectic Mag. Nov. 719/1 It is not that the Muhammadan boy is duller than the Hindu boy; but he does not begin [school] so soon, and he has not caught up his rival by the time the earlier educational honors are distributed. 1915 Blackwood's Mag. Jan. 30/2 Let us go on slowly, sahib, and the escort will catch us up before we have gone very far. 1967 ‘La Meri’ Spanish Dancing (ed. 2) vii. 89 Toward the middle of the [nineteenth] century the Seguidillas Manchegas caught up the waning popularity of the Bolero. 2001 C. Glazebrook Madolescents 223 ‘Ash! Wait on!’ I run as fast as I can in my biker boots, catch him up and tug on his hood. c. intransitive. With with. To begin to have a damaging effect on a person; to begin to be felt or noticed by a person. ΚΠ 1933 China Press 4 Aug. 8/2 The crash comes when his past catches up with him. 1941 A. L. Rowse Tudor Cornwall xv. 412 Killigrew found himself in prison; his own misdemeanours..had at last..caught up with him. 1975 Boston Globe 19 June 56/4 The full psychological impact of her injury caught up with her. 1990 New Age Jrnl. Apr. 66/1 Our throwaway habits have caught up with us. In the United States, we generate 160 million tons of garbage a year. 2014 Daily Tel. 7 Jan. 27/1 The damage inflicted by the bottle..was fast catching up with him. 6. transitive. U.S. regional (chiefly southern and south Midland). To prepare (a horse, mule, etc.) for a journey; to saddle or harness (a horse). Occasionally (and in earliest use) intransitive. ΚΠ 1835 J. M. Wright Let. 27 May in Western Christian Advocate (Cincinnati) 19 June 32/3 The word, ‘Catch up’, was given, when all commenced gearing at once, and were soon under march. 1848 Spirit of Times 14 Oct. 402/3 They..stayed till about noon, catched up their fresh horses, [etc]. 1857 M. Reid in Chambers's Jrnl. 21 Feb. 116/1 Bill an me catched up our critters, an as soon as we kud saddle 'em put arter you. 1942 M. Campbell Cloud-walking 16 He pulled on his britches to go catch up the nag for Sary. 2012 S. Guilford Trail of Heart iv. 16 Catching up his horse, he set out. 7. a. intransitive. Frequently with on, with. To spend time doing something which one has not had time to do earlier. ΚΠ 1852 Star & Banner (Gettysburg, Pa.) 23 Jan. He [sc. a farmer] toils all hours, and yet never manages to catch up with his work. 1869 ‘M. Twain’ Innocents Abroad xxix. 309 We were just about to go to bed early in the evening, and catch up on some of the sleep we had lost, when we heard of this Vesuvius expedition. 1915 A. Pollitzer Let. 25 Aug. in G. O'Keeffe & A. Pollitzer Lovingly, Georgia (1990) 15 I've been..trying to catch up with some of the things [i.e. books] he started me on. 1969 R. Godden In this House of Brede vi. 122 Most went to their cells..to catch up with letters. 2016 C. L. Tan Sarong Party Girls iii. 25 He had so much to catch up on..that he didn't even notice me that much until after tea. b. intransitive. With with. To meet or talk to someone whom one has not seen for some time, esp. in order to find out what he or she has been doing. Also without construction. ΚΠ 1940 El Paso (Texas) Herald-Post 23 Sept. 6/3 They'll return to New York..to catch up with the friends and Broadway shows they couldn't squeeze in the first time. 1953 Winona (Minnesota) Republican-Herald 23 Dec. 8/2 Christmas letters..certainly are among the most delightful ways of catching up with friends away from Winona. 1988 Times (Nexis) 28 July It suited his schedule..[to take] another break next week..and catch up with his old friend, Sven Tumba. 1992 M. Bracewell Conclave iv. 168 ‘It's good to see you,’ he said again. ‘We must catch up one of these days.’ 2015 Radio Times 11 July (South/West ed.) 57/1 Phil and Kirstie catch up with house hunters who were looking for family homes that would last a lifetime. c. intransitive. With on, with. To find out about things that are happening or have happened recently; to bring oneself up to date with news, events, etc. ΚΠ 1949 ‘N. Kent’ Divided Path iii. xxiii. 329 They spied Michael and dragged him off to a seat, rather against his will, to catch up on gossip. 1958 A. MacLeish Let. 30 Sept. (1983) 411 Someday we ought to catch up on the Ez business. 1975 Punch 21 May 882 One might in the far past have gone to El Vino's, to catch up on the gossip of the trade. 1989 Times (Nexis) 21 Nov. Tuning in to the stock market trends on the way to work, catching up with the news or relaxing to favourite sounds on the way home. 2001 Heat 17 Nov. 115/4 Now you can catch up on why there's such a buzz around him. d. transitive. Chiefly U.S. With on, with. To inform (a person) about things that are happening, or about recent events; to bring (someone) up to date. ΚΠ 1949 Princeton Alumni Weekly 14 Oct. 24/2 I'll try to catch you up on our special chairmen... Bill Bickel continues to promote Gulf aviation fuel in New England [etc.]. 1961 Walther League Messenger 70 4 It was an active summer for the church; pages 5-12 are devoted to catching you up with happenings at the Cleveland Convention of Synod. 1980 I. Layton Unlikely Affair 185 I hardly know where to start catching you up on the news. 1998 M. Waites Little Triggers (1999) vii. 58 Then catch me up on the investigation, Stephen... Just tell me what's going on. 2008 R. Bradley Born Liberal, raised Right vi. 53 I lost track of him. A few years later, I ran into him..and he took a few minutes to catch me up on his life. e. intransitive. Frequently with on, with. To watch a television programme that one missed when it was first broadcast or shown. Cf. catch-up n. 5. ΚΠ 1954 Daily Messenger (Canandaigua, N.Y.) 22 May 7/5 Nine NBC-TV shows will be their own replacements this summer... This..will..enable him [sc. the viewer] to catch up on a program he may have missed originally. 1977 Delta Democrat-Times (Greenville, Mississippi) 16 June 22/1 Sometimes they [sc. repeats] give him a chance to catch up with shows he wanted to see and missed. 1990 TV Times 14 Oct. 41/5 This regular weekly omnibus gives you a chance to catch up with the..programmes from last week's editions. 2016 i (Nexis) 25 Mar. 37 Line of Duty BBC iPlayer... If you missed yesterday's explosive return then now's the chance to catch up on Jed Mercurio's police corruption drama. 8. transitive (in passive). Chiefly in to get caught up in. a. To be or become trapped or entangled.In figurative context in quot. 1855. ΚΠ 1855 Van Wert (Ohio) Amer. 15 Aug. The people of Ohio..so cajoled, so hoodwinked, so caught up in the Gosimer webs of those wily politicians. 1891 R. Kipling City Dreadful Night 67 Our machinery is fenced and guard-railed as much as possible, and these men don't get caught up by the belting. 1965 Mt. Vernon (Illinois) Reg.-News 24 May 12/7 A new kind of rotary power mower sails a quarter inch above the ground...It's almost impossible to get feet or fingers caught up in the blade. 2010 L. K. Bonasia Summer Shift 77 Mary pressed her head back against the tree...She felt her hair get caught up in the rough bark. b. To be or become involved or embroiled in a situation, often against one's will; to be or become immersed in or taken up by one's work. ΚΠ 1910 F. Pollock in Cambr. Mod. Hist. XII. xxii. 748 Trade Unionism..got caught up in 1830-5 in one of the many phases of Owenism. 1926 Observer 29 Aug. 5/3 He gets caught up in a series of mildly criminal adventures very much in the Wodehousian tradition. 1964 J. Symons End of Solomon Grundy i. 10 ‘You're late.’ He waved one hand. ‘I got caught up.’ 2016 Radio Times 9 Jan. (South/West ed.) 49/1 A Hitchcockian tale of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary situations. PV2. With prepositions in specialized senses. to catch after —— Now somewhat rare. intransitive. To attempt to take possession of, gain, or acquire (esp. an immaterial thing, such as an idea, opportunity, etc.); to clutch or grasp at. ΚΠ 1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Matt. vi. 26 Whyleste they catche after a vayne rewarde here, they be disapoynted of that, whiche onely ought to be desired. 1597 Bp. J. King Lect. Ionas xiv. 188 It is not for vs to catch after death. 1642 T. Fuller Holy State ii. x. 92 Mercy is a Grace which they hold the fastest, that most catch after it. 1698 J. Leade Messenger Universal Peace 62 A True Philadelphian..catches after Opportunities, after the Example of his Blessed Master, continually going about doing Good. 1704 G. Sendall Unprofitable Bargain 18 Some indeed (like the Dog in the Fable) catch after the Shadows of this World, but let go their Souls. 1790 Lett. & Papers Agric. (Bath & West of Eng. Soc.) V. 192 The catching after land thus, as school-boys do for nuts. 1850 Leeds Mercury 20 Apr. 5/4 Mrs. Beale is a charming pianist: her style of playing is neither showy, nor is there anything like catching after effect in it. 1879 E. S. Morgan tr. F. W. J. Schelling in Jrnl. Speculative Philos. 13 318 This mode of philosophizing shows itself in catching after ideas..in order that he who has caught them may appear to have a system of his own. 1905 Painter & Decorator July 440/2 The wood finisher is catching after formulas for wood finishing that obviate the necessity of using sandpaper. 1996 Times Lit. Suppl. 5 July 7/3 The slaughter of France did not destroy his [sc. Binyon's] instinct for civilization, nor inhibit his catching after ‘beauty’. to catch at —— 1. intransitive. To attempt to take hold of (a person or thing) quickly or eagerly. Also figurative: to attempt to secure or obtain; to snatch at; to grasp at. Cf. to catch at straws at straw n.¹ 8. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > hold [verb (transitive)] > lay hold of or grasp > grasp at or clutch at snatch1530 reach1542 to catch at ——1578 snap1673 to grasp at1677 clutch1834 grabble1837 seize1848 grab1852 1578 T. Churchyard Prayse Master Forboishers Voy. C.iii^v Hee that..hopes that God will caste kyngdomes in his lappe, maie as well catche at the Cloudes in the ayre. a1616 W. Shakespeare Antony & Cleopatra (1623) v. ii. 211 Sawcie Lictors Will catch at vs like Strumpets. View more context for this quotation 1684 N. S. tr. R. Simon Crit. Enq. Editions Bible 286 Vossius..who so greedily catches at dreams more than Rabbinically. 1721 J. Strype Eccl. Memorials III. App. xx. 57 We hunted for Praise from Impiety, and catched at Commendation from al kind of Wickednes. 1782 W. Cowper John Gilpin 198 Catching at his rein. 1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas IV. xi. vi. 301 The minister..was now determined to seize the substance as well as catch at the shadow. 1867 Mil. Comm. Proc. U.S. against D. G. McRae et al. 94/1 Just name one man that you saw at that time catching at him or trying to get hold of him. 1904 R. Hichens Garden of Allah ii. ix. 144 She saw Androvsky..catch at the flying rein, draw it up..and pull with all his force. 2013 V. Lamb Witchfall (2014) xvi. 248 Alejandro caught at my hand. ‘Don't be angry, Meg.’ 2. intransitive. To seize (a chance, opportunity, etc.); to take up or embrace (an idea). Cf. sense 31. Now rare. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > advantage > an opportunity > give opportunity for [verb (transitive)] > take (opportunity) catchc1425 to take‥vantage (of)1573 apprehend1586 to take odds of1596 to catch at ——1610 feea1616 seize1618 nick1634 to jump at1769 1610 W. Sclater Threefold Preseruatiue Ep. Ded. sig. A2 I haue often catched at some opportunity, to giue publike testimony of my thankefull remembring. c1680 W. Beveridge Serm. (1729) I. 202 You catch at all opportunities. 1789 T. Coke Lett. 7 July (2013) 110 I must catch at the agreeable opportunity of indulging myself in the writing of a few lines. 1833 H. Martineau Berkeley the Banker i. iii. 49 Martin caught at the idea. 1869 R. H. Dana Two Years before Mast (rev. ed.) 448 A boy who..caught at every chance for adventure. 1901 N. Amer. Rev. Oct. 490 The company..caught at the chance of securing fresh funds to continue its work. 1937 Big Spring (Texas) Daily Herald 13 Apr. 6/5 Folkstone..caught at the opportunity to get rid of a large tank which the city fathers have long considered dangerous. † to catch to —— Obsolete. rare. intransitive. To seize on or afflict (a person). ΘΚΠ the world > existence and causation > occurrence > [verb (transitive)] > suddenly or violently overgoOE ofseche?c1225 catcha1275 henta1375 to come upon ——a1382 seizec1381 takea1382 to catch to ——c1400 overpass?a1513 re-encounter1523 to come over ——1726 to come on ——1850 c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 50 For care ful colde þat to me caȝt. Compounds catch bar n. (a) a bar-shaped catch (obsolete rare); (b) (in a knitting machine) a bar that depresses a row of sinkers which form loops of thread round needles (now chiefly historical). ΚΠ 1815 Trans. Soc. Encouragem. Arts, Manuf., & Commerce 33 41 Fig. 2, is a view of the other side of the shears, nearly closed with the catch bar..which is intended to keep them shut when not in use. 1850 Rep. U.S. Comm. Patents 1849 170 The second crank to slide the catch bar. 1874 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. I. 503/1 Catch-bar (Knitting-machine), a bar employed to depress the jacks. 1910 Textile World Rec. Feb. 621/1 On an 18 section machine the catch-bar is about 30 feet in length. 1961 Textile Industries Jan. 94/3 Wear in the catchbar contributes to bad fabric, and this can be helped considerably by moving the catchbar approximately 0.020″ horizontally. 2002 Textile Technol. Digest Jan. i. 38/1 Needle bar with compound horizontal and vertical movement, striking jack, catch bar, yarn carrier, and falling bar. † catch-bit n. Obsolete rare a scoundrel; a parasite. ΚΠ 1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Tirelupin A catch-bit or captious companion; a scowndrell, or scuruie fellow. 1797 C. B. Schade New Pocket Dict. Eng. & German Lang. I. 94/2 Catch-bit, Ein Schmarotzer. [Also in later dictionaries.] catch bolt n. any type of bolt with a retaining catch; spec. one that yields to pressure to snap shut. ΚΠ 1784 J. Small Treat. Ploughs & Wheel Carriages 197 The catch bolt being let down, it goes through all the three holes, and keeps all fast together. 1859 U.S. Patent Office, Ann. Rep. 1858 I. 537 The levers or arms are designed to force back the catch-bolt and lock-bolt. 1874 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. I. 503/1 Catch-bolt, a cupboard or door-bolt which yields to the pressure in closing and then springs into the keeper in the jamb. Usually retracted by a small knob. 1996 U.S. Patent 5,540,117 1 The operating and safety element can also be made of a clamping bolt and a separate catch bolt. catch boom n. North American (now rare) a barrier of timbers linked by chains used to catch or hold floating logs; an enclosure formed by such a barrier. ΚΠ 1882 Stevens Point (Wisconsin) Jrnl. 11 Feb. These improvements are being made above the trip, and will greatly increase the capacity of the catch boom and thus facilitate the handling of logs. 1905 Terms Forestry & Logging (Bull. U.S. Dept. Agric., Bureau Forestry, No. 61) 33 Catch boom, a boom fastened across stream to catch and hold floating logs. 1966 Conservation Volunteer July 60/2 The Virginia & Rainy Lake officials asked that I..tow a string of boom timbers..to the river outlet, there to snub the boom sticks and make a catch boom. † catch box n. Obsolete (in a spinning machine) a type of gear mechanism. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile manufacture > manufacture of thread or yarn > [noun] > spinning > machine > parts of knave1564 porcupine roller1776 catch box1809 jack-frame1814 Jack-in-the-box1814 flyer frame1825 sneck1825 thread-wire1825 creel1835 fly-frame1835 self-actor1835 trumpet-mouth1835 counter-faller1836 Jack1875 trumpet1877 back-shaft1879 builder1884 pot-eye1884 twizzle1884 rice creel1895 1809 J. Rogerson Diary 19 Sept. in W. B. Crump Leeds Woollen Industry 1780–1820 (1931) 102 Putting a new Brass on the Laying shaft next the catch Box in Scribbling Mill. 1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic 426 When the catch-box 14 is in contact with the sheeve s. 1892 J. Nasmith Students' Cotton Spinning 320 The wheel..is provided with a catch box..and by its means drives the shaft. 1904 in A. Fowler Lancs. Cotton Operatives & Work (2003) v. 110 From a pair of mules 93.5 dozens long..find the turns per inch being put in the yarn from the following particulars: 57 speed wheel, 48 wheel on the front spindle catch-box, with a 16 inch rim, 3 grooves, 6-inch tin roller [etc.]. † catch-cloak n. Obsolete rare a robber, a thief. ΘΚΠ the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > thief > petty thief or pilferer > [noun] mitcher?c1225 nimmera1325 pilferer1350 truffer1485 lurcher1528 picker1549 filcher1557 purloiner1557 prig1567 prigger1567 prigman1567 fingerer1575 piker1590 prag1592 nibbler1598 lurch-man1603 petty larcener1640 budge1673 catch-cloaka1679 prigster1682 sutler1699 marauder1764 snib1823 chicken thief1840 lurker1841 souvenir hunter1862 robberling1865 jackdaw1887 miker1890 frisker1892 bower-bird1926 jagoff1931 magpie1944 slockster- a1679 T. Hobbes Dialogue Common-laws Eng. 104 in Art of Rhetoric (1681) All those unruly People called Cheaters, Cut-purses, Pick-locks, Catch-Cloaks, Coyners of false Money. 1882 Cassell's Encycl. Dict. II. i. 99/2 Catch-cloak, A highwayman, a robber. [Also in later dictionaries.] † catch-coin Obsolete rare (a) n. an avaricious or acquisitive person; (b) adj. acquisitive. ΚΠ 1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Gripp argent, a Catch-coyne; a greedie or couetous Judge. 1694 P. A. Motteux tr. F. Rabelais 5th Bk. Wks. xii. 52 Examine well..the Countenance of these stout Props and Pillars of this Catch coin Law and Iniquity. † catch-credit n. Obsolete rare a thing which attracts praise or commendation. ΚΠ 1629 J. Gaule Distractions 86 He..hath made him a new kinde of Catch-credit, of his old Couer-shame. catch-dolt n. now historical a dice game played at a gaming table. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > [noun] falsec1000 fraudc1330 barrat1340 faitery1377 defraudc1450 trumpery1481 covin1487 defraudationc1503 knavery1528 conveyance1531 imposture1537 defrauding1548 cozenage1583 impostry1585 catch-dolt1592 gullery1598 coggery1602 gullage1607 charlatism1611 impostury1615 quacksalvery1617 mountebankery1618 imposition1632 imposturisma1634 blaflum1637 charlatanry1638 defraudment1645 mountebankism1649 impostorya1652 impostorism1652 imposturage1654 impostery1656 mountebank1657 imposing1659 quackery1675 quackism1722 empiricism1774 cross1802 charlatanism1804 practitionery1818 cozenry1829 humbuggery1831 trick1833 thimble-shift1834 thimble-shifting1834 thimbleriggery1841 humbuggism1842 quackhood1843 quacksalverism1864 razzle-dazzle1928 spivery1948 shuck1958 shucking and jiving1969 society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > games of chance > other games of chance > [noun] even or odd1538 love1585 Jack-in-the-box?1593 under-hat1629 pluck-penny1643 morra1659 catch-dolt1674 shuffle-cap1712 fair chance1723 E O1751 teetotum1753 rondo1821 cut-throat1823 hop-my-fool1824 odds and evens1841 spin-'em-round1851 halfpenny under the hat1853 racehorses1853 fan-tan1878 tan1883 pakapoo1886 legality1888 petits chevaux1891 pai gow1906 boule1911 put and take1921 1592 ‘C. Cony-Catcher’ Def. Conny-catching sig. A3 At Dequoy, Mumchaunce, Catch-dolt, Oure le bourse..none durst euer make compare with me for excellence. 1674 C. Cotton Compl. Gamester xxxi. 163 At Ketch-Dolt the first throws and lays down from the heap of men without the Tables. 1856 G. W. Thornbury Shakspere's Eng. I. iii. 143 At Tables the favourite games were Irish, Backgammon, Tick-tack,..and Ketch Dolt; and with the dice alone In and In, Passage, and Hazard. 2006 D. G. Schwartz Roll Bones vi. 112 The most popular table games (games that needed a prepared board), included backgammon.., trictrac (or tictac), doublets, and the fetchingly named catch-dolt. † catch-dotterel n. Obsolete rare (perhaps) a fraudster, a swindler. ΚΠ 1671 J. Glanvill Further Discov. Stubbe 2 Impostors, Catch-Dotterels, Fops, Tories. catch drain n. a ditch designed to channel water for irrigation or drainage, esp. on a hillside; (also) a drain which carries away surplus water from a canal or larger drain. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > preparation of land or soil > ditching or drainage > [noun] > for catching water catch drain1779 acequia1811 1779 G. Boswell Treat. on watering Meadows xi. 88 If the situation of the land happens to be on the side of a hill, catch-drains are often absolutely necessary for watering the lower part of the hill. 1842 J. Gwilt Encycl. Archit. 945 Catch drain, a drain used on the side of a larger open one, or of a canal, to receive the surplus water of the principal conduit. 1961 Rep. National Dairy Res. Inst. Year ending June 1959 (Govt. India) No. 19. 5 A deep catch drain or intercepting drain has been constructed between the Western Jumna Canal and the Farm, so that the seepage water from the canal is checked from entering the farm. 2012 Tasmanian Country (Nexis) 19 Oct. 14 On the upper slopes he employs flood irrigation and..catch drains to direct the water. † catch-fake n. Nautical Obsolete a tangle in a badly coiled rope or cable; cf. fake n.¹ ΘΚΠ the world > space > shape > curvature > coil > [noun] > specifically of a rope > badly coiled catch-fake1777 1777 W. Hutchinson Treat. Pract. Seamanship 59 It should be first considered, how to manage the cables, to make them..run clear of catch fakes as well as kinks. 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Catch-fake, an unseemly doubling in a badly coiled rope. 1893 N. Ponce de León Technol. Dict. II. 654/1 Repliegues del cable, catch fakes of the cable. catch-fart n. slang (derogatory) (now historical) a foot servant or page.With allusion to the closeness with which such a servant was supposed to follow his master or mistress. ΚΠ 1688 G. Miege Great French Dict. ii. sig. H3^v/2 A Catch-fart, un Attrape-pet, Surnom burlesque que l'on donne aux Pages qui portent la Queue de leurs Dames. 1759 London Mag. Jan. 47/2 Shall a catch fart (good Lord!) or a man in your station, Thus familiarly boast of a frank invitation, With topping, great folks, as if rais'd to a level? 1948 A. Huxley Ape & Essence (1949) i. 11 Reason comes running, eager to ratify; Comes, a catch-fart with Philosophy, truckling to tyrants. 2003 D. Lambdin Havoc's Sword x. 116 Well, for one day at least he was not a paper-shuffling Lieutenant de Vaisseau, a mere catch-fart to his master. † catch-feeder n. Obsolete rare an irrigation ditch. ΚΠ 1874 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. I. 503/1 Catch-feeder (Hydraulic Engineering), an irrigating ditch. catch fence n. a fence which catches and confines something; spec. (a) a barrier built to intercept and retain natural materials such as sand, falling rock, matter from a landslide, etc.; (b) a high fence around a racetrack, typically of wire mesh, designed to protect spectators from vehicles and flying debris in the event of a crash. ΚΠ 1883 N.Y. Times 4 Aug. 5 Walls of brush and stone and sand catch-fences were erected in favorable positions [in the harbor]. 1949 V. J. Chapman in Conf. Biol. & Civil Engin. (Inst. Civil Engineers) 154 The usual method for constructing a foredune is to erect a catch fence about 2 ½ feet high... Behind this..another fence is erected. These fences collect the sand. 1974 Road & Track July 112/1 Catch fences are usually employed in two or three ‘layers’ a few yards apart. They catch a race car and slow it down gradually. 1999 New Civil Engineer (Nexis) 1 Dec. Scaling of the cliffs to remove loose chalk, followed by rock bolting..[and] installation of..rock catch fences and debris traps. 2010 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 9 Mar. b14/3 The racecars hit and Edwards was sent airborne and into the catch fence at Talladega. † catch-fish n. Roman History Obsolete rare a retiarius (retiarius n.). [Translating classical Latin pinnirapus, lit. ‘peak-snatcher’, generally understood to refer to the custom in which the victor in a gladiatorial contest took the pinna or crest from the helmet of his opponent, as a sign of victory. In a note on p. 53 of the text, Holyday explains his preference for a literal rendering of pinnirapus as 'fin-catcher’, believing that the retiarius took the helmet of his adversary, which was decorated with the design of a fish (compare quot. a1661 for catch-plume n.).] ΚΠ a1661 B. Holyday tr. Juvenal Satyres (1673) iii. 40 Sons of some Catch-Fish, or chief Fencer. † catch-fool n. Obsolete rare (perhaps) a thing designed to provide entertainment. ΚΠ 1598 E. Guilpin Skialetheia sig. A5^v For pleasant catch-fooles..he spares not To sweare hee's carelesse. catch-guinea adj. and n. (a) adj. designating or relating to a product or service designed primarily to generate large profits, through high prices or widespread marketing; (hence) superficially desirable but of little worth, overpriced; (b) n. a product (esp. a book or other publication) of this kind; a money-maker.With humorous allusion to catchpenny n.; cf. also catch-shilling adj. and n. ΚΠ 1785 Monthly Rev. 72 App. 494 We could not help looking upon his undertaking, however splendid, as rather a catch-guinea business. 1818 S. T. Coleridge Coll. Lett. (1959) IV. 817 I have just looked over the first part—and it is what I anticipated, i.e. an infamous Catch-penny or rather Catch-guinea. 1898 M. M. Dowie Crook of Bough xix. 211 Islay had bent and exclaimed over huge baskets trimmed with artificial flowers—the Christmas catch-guineas of confectioners. 1947 E. Partridge Usage & Abusage 353/1 It makes no matter whether the girl is glamorous in her own right or by the catch-guinea arts of her dressmaker. 1984 A. G. N. Flew in A. C. Caplan & B. Jennings Darwin, Marx, & Freud i. 10 Such reductionist misinterpretation can be found in serious scholarship as well as in works of catch-guinea popularization. 1992 G. Legman in V. Randolph Blow Candle Out 903 The earlier Montague Summers reprint (1927) is a mere catch-guinea rushed into print. † catch honours n. Scottish Obsolete a card game in which the main object is to take a trick containing the ten of trumps. ΚΠ 1760 A. E. in T. Blacklock Coll. Orig. Poems 182 Farewell, ye blythsome games, I'll grieve your loss; Farewell Catch-honours, farewell Pitch and toss! 1781 J. Boswell Jrnl. 28 Aug. in Edinb. Jrnls. 1767–86 (2001) xiii. 437 Played at catch-honours and birkie with Veronica and Phemie. 1821 J. Galt Ayrshire Legatees iv. 49 It was an understood thing that not only Whist and Catch Honours were to be played, but even obstreperous Birky itself. 1864 W. A. F. Browne Moral Treatm. Insane 24 The fluctuating fortunes of catch honours. catch hook n. a hook designed to engage with or catch onto another hook, a part of a mechanism, etc. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > fastenings > [noun] > catch catch1398 clicket1487 snaphance1603 catch hook1695 snapc1815 catch lock1836 bulldog1908 society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > parts of machines > mechanism > [noun] > part of > projecting part or catch catch1398 finger1496 catch hook1695 dog1825 detent1832 winglet1835 catch lock1836 trip-catch1880 trip1906 1695 in E. Gibson tr. W. Camden Britannia 452 He found likewise certain great Catch-hooks and Keepers of Silver, with certain Links of an old fashion'd great Gold-chain. 1769 S. Hales Statical Ess. (ed. 3) II. 336 The sinking weight of ballast must be..fixed to the machine, by means of a catch-hook. 1841 Morning Post 20 Feb. 2/5 In each of these tubes is inserted a metallic rope, every separate division being connected by ropes of less strength, with catch-hooks at both ends. 2015 R. White How Computers Work x. 155 A shaft from the [escape] wheel connects to a system of gears to turn the hands of a clock. The piece just above the wheel—called the anchor—has two catch hooks on either end. catch-idea n. now rare an idea which engages or captures the attention. ΚΠ 1798 G. Canning Let. 13 Nov. in Ld. Granville Leveson Gower: Private Corr. 1781–1821 (1916) I. vi. 227 Take care to have catch-words, or catch-ideas, that shall remind you of the connection and dependency of the different parts of your subject. 1884 Christian World 19 June 454/1 He has..got hold of a few catch-ideas. 1962 World Affairs 125 212 Aron lucidly dissects the myths of ‘leftism’, ‘progressivism’, ‘revolution’,..and shows the utter fallacy of these catch-ideas which seduce the sentimental romanticism of intellectuals. † catch-land n. English regional (East Anglian and Wiltshire) Obsolete land whose parish assignment is unknown, the tithes for which may be collected by the first claimant; (also) a piece of common land which may be cultivated by the first-comer.Apparently only in dictionaries and glossaries. ΚΠ 1673 J. Ray S. & E. Countrey Words in Coll. Eng. Words 61 Catch-land, land which is not certainly known to what Parish it belongeth; and the Minister that first gets the tithes of it enjoys it for that year; Norf. 1811 T. Davis Gen. View Agric. Wilts. (new ed.) 259 (gloss.) Catch land, pieces of arable land in common-fields of equal sizes, the property not being ascertained, but he that ploughed first chose first. catch lock n. any of various types of lock that make use of a catch or bolt. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > fastenings > [noun] > catch catch1398 clicket1487 snaphance1603 catch hook1695 snapc1815 catch lock1836 bulldog1908 society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > parts of machines > mechanism > [noun] > part of > projecting part or catch catch1398 finger1496 catch hook1695 dog1825 detent1832 winglet1835 catch lock1836 trip-catch1880 trip1906 1836 London Jrnl. Arts & Sci. 7 81 A front and end view of my improved staple for a catch lock. 1863 C. Reade in All Year Round 3 Oct. 126/2 His door..closed with a catch-lock. 1933 G. Laven Rough Stuff ii. 19 I got a screw..that would open any catch-lock. 2016 R. K. Eckhoff Explosion Hazards in Process Industries (ed. 2) ii. 128 In case of an explosion in the duct, the preceding blast pushes the valve poppet in the axial direction until it hits the neoprene gasket, in which it is held in position by a mechanical catch lock, which can be released from the outside. catch-match n. now archaic and rare a marriage regarded as being of material advantage to one of the individuals. ΚΠ 1801 M. Edgeworth Belinda I. ii. 41 There's no less than six of her nieces, whom she has got off within these four winters—Not one of 'em now, that has not made a catch-match. 1823 W. Scott St. Ronan's Well I. vi. 127 She made out her catch-match, and she was miserable. 1977 J. A. Hodge Runaway Bride (new ed.) ii. 15 I'd rather set up for an old maid at seventeen than have it said I stooped to a catch-match. catch meadow n. now historical a meadow on a hillside irrigated by a series of ditches or catch drains (see catch drain n.); land treated in this way; cf. catch-water meadow n. at catchwater n. Compounds. ΚΠ 1794 T. Davis Gen. View Agric. Wilts. 33 The water in this kind of meadow [sc. a flowing meadow] is not used again and again, in one pitch, as in the catch meadows. 1843 P. Pusey in Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc. 4 ii. 314 The worthless slope would be converted into catch-meadow. 2009 D. D. Williams & C. A. Duigan Rivers Wales iv. 45/1 The counterpart to bedwork meadows on sloping land, the ‘catch meadow’, irrigated from a spring or stream above the field, was developed later. † catch motion n. Obsolete a type of simple gear. ΚΠ 1835 Mechanics' Mag. 21 Nov. 130/1 IL are catch, screw, or common toothed wheels, so as to be worked by a catch-motion, a screw, or common wheel-work. 1874 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. I. 503/1 Catch-motion (Machinery), a motion in a lathe by which speed is changed. 1887 Eng. Mechanic & World of Sci. 23 Dec. 391/3 The only difference we make in it is the addition of the improved stop motion..which entirely does away with the necessity of pushing away the catch motion. catch pin n. a pin designed to fasten or hold something in place; cf. catch n.² 1. ΚΠ 1773 Gentleman's Mag. Aug. 368/2 To lock the wheel...nothing more is necessary than to drive four catch-pins to the inner side of the nave of the wheel. 1827 J. Farey Treat. Steam Engine v. 355 Two iron catch-pins are fixed in the arch heads. 1918 Sigma Xi Q. 6 9 It [sc. a badge] is to be fitted with a jeweler's catch pin with safety lock. 1996 I. Doig Bucking Sun vii. 360 The window..rose six inches in the windowframe and then the catchpins zinged into the casement holes. catch-pit n. a large chamber (or in earlier use, a pit) designed to catch sediment or debris, esp. one which forms part of a drainage or sewage system; cf. catch basin n. 2. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > preparation of land or soil > ditching or drainage > [noun] > other types of drainage > pits cesspool1671 catch-pit1811 catch basin1855 soakpit1898 soakaway1916 soakway1956 1811 Royal Cornwall Gaz. 25 May Large quantities of the best sea manure may be had from catch-pits close under the borders of the estate. 1848 Morning Chron. 18 Nov. Preventing gravel and sand from entering the sewer, by means of a grating having smaller apertures, and a catch pit, from which such substances might be removed. 1902 Minutes Proc. Inst. Civil Engineers 147 87 This catch-pit is capable of holding 52 tons of sewage-sludge, and it is cleaned on an average once in every 2 months. 2017 N.Z. Herald (Nexis) 22 Dec. 3513 service requests for repairs to catchpits..for missing or dislodged grates and..broken catchpit grates, frames or backing plates. catch plate n. †(a) (in a coach window blind, which slides in the manner of a shutter down the grooves of a frame) a plate fitted to the bottom lath, perhaps one which contains or retains a catch to hold the blind in place (obsolete rare); (b) (in a colliery lift) one of a pair of metal plates which move towards each other to catch the safety hook of the winding rope or chain if the hook is disengaged from its shackle as a result of overwinding (now chiefly historical). ΚΠ 1767 Public Advertiser 14 Sept. Laycock Inventor, engraved on the Catch-plate. 1887 Daily News 11 Jan. 2/7 The force with which the cage was hurled into the head gear was so great that the bolts which fasten the catch-plate to the girders were torn away. 1929 Colliery Guardian 1 Feb. 456/1 The engine driver..allowed the ascending cage to be drawn up into the headgear, where it was held by the Humble hook in the catch-plate. 1989 Trans. Mining, Geol. & Metall. Inst. India No. 1. 62/1 The bands of the swinging cappel..might have struck against the catch plate causing loosening of bands and resultant fall. † catch-plume n. Roman History Obsolete rare a person who removes the plume or feather from an adversary's helmet. [In a comment on the translation of classical Latin pinnirapus, lit. ‘peak-snatcher’, with reference to the belief that the victor in a gladiatorial contest took a feather from the crest of his opponent's helmet, as a sign of victory. Compare catch-fish n. and the note there.] ΚΠ a1661 B. Holyday in tr. Juvenal Satyres (1673) 53/2 Some tell us, that the Retiarius wore a feather in his Crest; and so it [sc. the word pinnirapus] might be render'd a Catch-plume. catchpot n. now historical a receptacle in an industrial or chemical process, esp. one that collects a liquid. ΚΠ 1882 G. Lunge Treat. Distillation Coal-tar iv. 125 The boiler-steam is first freed from liquid water in a suitable catch-pot, and then enters the superheater. 1909 Westm. Gaz. 26 Oct. 11/4 Tin..runs through a channel..into a catch-pot, whence it is ladled by small gourds..and poured. 1962 New Scientist 12 July 82/3 The catchpot was designed to hold the cathode in the event of its failure by fracture or melting. 2003 P. De Nuntiis et al. in tr. P. Mandrioli et al. Cultural Heritage & Aerobiol. v. 130 The particles are collected either dry in a catchpot or in a liquid culture medium. catch ratline n. Nautical (now historical) any of several ratlines (see ratline n.¹ 2) fastened to the after shrouds of a sailing ship, used for climbing the rigging. ΚΠ 1854 C. Bushell Rigger's Guide 171 Every fifth rattline is taken to the after shroud, this is called a ketch rattline. 1882 G. S. Nares Seamanship (ed. 6) 13 All the ratlines are seized to the after shroud but one, except every fifth ratline, which is seized to the after shroud, and is called a catch ratline. 2006 K. Chapman Peace, War & Friendships vi. 52 Going aloft in the Cutty Sark, the catch ratlin on the port side of the fore top broke as I was pulling myself up from the futtock shrouds. catch rope n. a rope, typically with a noose at one end, used to catch livestock; a lariat or lasso. ΚΠ 1859 Gazetteer of World (Royal Geogr. Soc.) VI. 70/2 The shepherd, with wonderful dexterity throws his lasso or catch-rope round the neck of the bullock. 1914 Fort Stockton (Texas) Pioneer 25 Dec. One of the boys..who had his catch-rope on his saddle..threw a noose over a corner of one of the walls. 2005 Santa Fe New Mexican (Nexis) 15 Jan. b1 Every range-riding cowboy carried a catch rope tied to his saddle. And he knew how to use it. catch-shilling adj. and n. (a) adj. (attributive) designating a product or service of little worth, designed primarily to generate profit (now rare); †(b) n. a product of little worth, designed primarily to generate profit (obsolete).Often contrasted with catchpenny n. and adj., implying a comparatively high price.Cf. catch-guinea adj. and n. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > dissimulation, pretence > semblance, outward show > [adjective] > having or given specious appearance paintedc1390 daubedc1400 cloakeda1500 fucate1531 fucated1535 coloured1537 flim-flam1577 tinsel1595 varnisheda1616 punkish1616 white-limeda1631 pargeted1645 tinselled1651 vizarded1663 lacquered1687 glossy1698 catchpenny1705 catch-shilling1808 tinselly1811 whitewashed1859 shoddy1882 veneered1884 hollowed-out1890 face-lifted1941 suede shoe1952 cosmetic1955 1808 R. Southey Select. from Lett. (1856) II. 402 The other article is upon a catch penny or rather catch shilling ‘Life of Wellington’. 1867 Sword & Trowel May 236 We do not pledge ourselves to notice all the books sent to us, and especially controversial pamphlets.., prophetical catch-pennies, or catch-shillings, insane maunderings, [etc.]. 1924 Age (Melbourne) 27 Sept. 25/3 There are also innumerable ‘catch-pennies’ all over the Exhibition, only they happen to be ‘catch-shillings’. 1936 Daily News (Perth, Austral.) 15 Sept. 6/5 Why is it necessary that motorists should have to pay a fee if they wish to visit the Weir? It seems more of a catch-shilling device than anything. catch siding n. a railway siding constructed on a line with a steep gradient, designed so that a train, carriage, etc., which is running out of control enters the siding and comes to a halt. ΚΠ 1856 Morning Post 19 Mar. 2/2 The company proposed to place catch sidings on the line. 1915 A. S. Richey & W. C. Greenough Electric Railway Handbk. i. 89 In lieu of the up-grade arrangement the catch siding is sometimes buried in sand to the depth of a few inches over the rails. 2011 Times of India (Nexis) 7 Feb. Of these four stations, Donigal and Siribagilu have catch sidings. catch sound n. the sound of a word, phrase, etc., which captures or engages attention. ΚΠ 1841 New-Eng. Weekly Rev. 9 Oct. It is the catch-sound, and not the meaning of the word ‘productive’, in the title of his Grammar, which ensures it a productive publication to the author. 1874 W. P. Roberts Law & God xi. 127 It is not the catch-sound of a verse which has authority, but the divine spirit of God's revelation. 1986 New Scholar 10 148 Besides innumerable cases of polysemia, elements like can and kan may appear as morphemes without meaning, that is, as catch sounds. catch-tank n. a tank designed to receive and collect water or other fluids, forming part of a water or sewage system, a processing plant, etc. ΚΠ 1875 J. G. Gamble Brighton Intercepting & Outfall Sewers 8 These catch-tanks are of different dimensions, according to the quantity of material expected. 1920 Blackwood's Mag. May 706/2 The glen stream was never again diverted from its course, nor the catch-tank drained. 2014 U.S. Patent 8,882,891 B1 1 A catch tank is provided as an additional measure to prevent drilling fluid..from exiting the apparatus through a flare. † catch tide n. Obsolete rare a tide which may be used to advantage by a swimmer. ΚΠ 1907 Daily Chron. 15 Aug. 7/5 There was a strong catch tide in favour of the swimmers. catch vote n. (a) adj. (attributive) designating a policy, motion, etc., regarded as popular with voters, and therefore likely to win votes for a politician or party supporting it; (of a politician) that supports policies, etc., of this type; (b) n. a policy, motion, etc., of this type. ΚΠ 1835 Lancaster Gaz. 10 Jan. The specious catch-vote terms of the motion. 1851 York Herald 15 Feb. 7/4 I am not the man to come down to the house, and pass a catch vote in order to embarrass the government. 1895 Westm. Gaz. 4 Dec. 7/1 Until the end of President Cleveland's term Great Britain has a statesman, and not a catch-vote politician, to deal with. 1940 Auckland Star 2 Sept. 6/8 The second reading of the Soldiers' Guarantee Bill..is a catch vote for Mr. Lee and his newly-formed party. 2003 Sunday Times (Nexis) 29 June (Features section) 7 One could, no doubt, be deeply cynical and argue that this is mainly the result of the Conservatives' catch vote policy on tuition fees. † catch wheel n. Obsolete a ratchet wheel. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > parts of machines > wheel > [noun] > cog or gear > ratchet ratch1696 ratchet wheel1736 ratchet1744 ratch-wheel1744 racket wheel1758 catch wheel1786 mousing1875 1786 J. Horn Descr. & Use New Universal Sowing Machine 17 A trigger fixed to this bar bears against a catch wheel. 1845 Encycl. Metrop. VIII. 619/1 This cylinder carries a catch wheel..the teeth of which engage the click..attached to the wheel C by a screw. 1894 Sci. Amer. 3 Nov. 276/2 These hooks engage notches in catch wheels on opposite sides of the cart. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2018; most recently modified version published online June 2022). < n.¹1370n.²1398n.³1759v.c1225
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† catchn.1

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catchv.

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† catchn.¹

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