Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense captures, present participle capturing, past tense, past participle captured
1. verb
If you capture someone or something, you catch them, especially in a war.
The guerrillas shot down one aeroplane and captured the pilot. [VERB noun]
The whole town celebrated when two tanks were captured. [VERB noun]
King Arthur himself captures the beast and cuts off its head. [VERB noun]
The United States captured Puerto Rico from the Spaniards in 1898. [VERB noun + from]
...the murders of fifteen thousand captured Polish soldiers. [VERB-ed]
Capture is also a noun.
...the final battles which led to the army's capture of the town. [+ of]
The shooting happened while the man was trying to evade capture by the security forces. [+ by]
Synonyms: encapsulate, sum up, summarize, put in a nutshell More Synonyms of capture
2. verb [no cont]
If something or someone captures a particular quality, feeling, or atmosphere, they represent or express it successfully.
The mood was captured by a cartoon in the New York Post. [beVERB-ed + by]
3. verb
If something captures your attention or imagination, you begin to be interested or excited by it. If someone or something captures your heart, you begin to love them or like them very much.
...the great names of the Tory party who usually capture the historian's attention. [VERB noun]
...the issue that has captured the imagination of nearly the whole nation. [VERB noun]
...one man's undying love for the woman who captured his heart. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: engage, fascinate, absorb, preoccupy More Synonyms of capture
4. verb
If an event is captured in a photograph or on film, it is photographed or filmed.
The incident was captured on video. [beV-ed + on/in]
The images were captured by TV crews filming outside the base. [beVERB-ed]
...photographers who captured the traumatic scene. [VERB noun]
[Also V n + on/in]
5. verb
If you capture something that you are trying to obtain in competition with other people, you succeed in obtaining it.
The company aims to capture more sales at a time of significant challenges in thesupermarket sector. [VERB noun]
The Socialist candidate has captured eighty-five per cent of the vote in the three-waypresidential race. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: invade, take over, occupy, seize More Synonyms of capture
More Synonyms of capture
capture in British English
(ˈkæptʃə)
verb(transitive)
1.
to take prisoner or gain control over
to capture an enemy
to capture a town
2.
(in a game or contest) to win control or possession of
to capture a pawn in chess
3.
to succeed in representing or describing (something elusive)
the artist captured her likeness
4. physics
(of an atom, molecule, ion, or nucleus) to acquire (an additional particle)
5.
to insert or transfer (data) into a computer
noun
6.
the act of taking by force; seizure
7.
the person or thing captured; booty
8. physics
a process by which an atom, molecule, ion, or nucleus acquires an additional particle
9. Also called: piracy geography
the process by which the headwaters of one river are diverted into another through erosion caused by the second river's tributaries
10.
the act or process of inserting or transferring data into a computer
Derived forms
capturer (ˈcapturer)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Latin captūra a catching, that which is caught, from capere to take
capture in American English
(ˈkæptʃər)
noun
1.
a taking or being taken by force, surprise, or skill, as enemy troops, an opponent's piece in chess, etc.
2.
that which is thus taken or seized; specif., a prize or booty in war
3.
the absorption of a particle by an atomic nucleus; esp., the absorption of a neutron or an orbital electron that often results in the immediate emission of radiation
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈcaptured or ˈcapturing
4.
to take or seize by force, surprise, or skill
5.
to represent (something transient, immaterial, etc.) in more or less permanent form
to capture her charm on canvas
6.
to effect the capture of (a subatomic particle)
SIMILAR WORDS: catch
Word origin
Fr < L captura < captus: see captive
Examples of 'capture' in a sentence
capture
In some ways it has more opportunity to capture the imagination.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Both seemed willing to say the outrageous to capture the attention of the press.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Find something to capture their interest and do it with them.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The photo captured the hearts of millions.
The Sun (2016)
Friday night will capture the imagination.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This was more modest than it was true, but it did capture something about his contribution.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's the sort of game that captures the imagination.
The Sun (2016)
The shadowy foliage and its reflection of lingering sunlight from the shiny leaves capture something sweetly melancholy at this dark time of year.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But they must know there is huge interest in their romance and that it has captured people's imagination.
The Sun (2016)
But he also has a healthy scepticism about the ability of theatre to capture hearts and minds.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We capture the attention of people when we show that our experience overlaps theirs.
Christianity Today (2000)
Two other groups of peacekeepers evaded capture.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Then he was on the run for four days before being captured.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
His imagination was captured and these formative experiences set him on his career path.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
You find that you capture something about them that neither of you knew.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Weak and reactive ones look to capture some headlines and votes.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Here we bring you some selfies which have captured the final moments of a life.
The Sun (2015)
Each town captured boosts the number of its fighters.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
She captures my attention without entirely absorbing it.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
They had evaded capture for so long.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He was captured after four days only a few fields from home.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Genuine active service was out of the question because the risk of capture by enemy forces was too great.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In the previous six weeks the show had taken over our lives while capturing the imagination of the nation.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
And if we can capture the heart, we can capture the society.
Kennedy, Douglas In God's Country: travels in the Bible belt, USA. (1989)
The rebel leadership offered a bounty and an amnesty to anyone who killed or captured the fugitive leader, hoping that his bodyguards might betray him.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
capture
British English: capture /ˈkæptʃə/ VERB
If you capture someone or something, you catch them and keep them somewhere so that they cannot leave.
The enemy shot down one aeroplane and captured the pilot.
American English: capture
Arabic: يَأْسِرُ
Brazilian Portuguese: capturar
Chinese: 俘获
Croatian: uhvatiti
Czech: zajmout
Danish: fange
Dutch: vangen gevangennemen
European Spanish: capturar
Finnish: vangita
French: capturer
German: einnehmen
Greek: αιχμαλωτίζω
Italian: catturare
Japanese: 捕える
Korean: 붙잡다
Norwegian: fange
Polish: schwytać
European Portuguese: capturar
Romanian: a captura
Russian: захватить
Latin American Spanish: capturar
Swedish: fånga
Thai: จับกุม
Turkish: yakalamak
Ukrainian: захоплювати
Vietnamese: bắt giữ
All related terms of 'capture'
K-capture
the transformation of an atomic nucleus in which an electron from the atom is spontaneously absorbed into the nucleus. A proton is changed into a neutron , thereby reducing the atomic number by 1. A neutrino is emitted . The process may be detected by the consequent emission of the characteristic X-rays of the resultant element
data capture
any process for converting information into a form that can be handled by a computer
state capture
the illicit control of the state for personal gain by corporations , the military, politicians , etc, through the corruption of public officials
capture emotion
An emotion is a feeling such as happiness, love, fear , anger , or hatred , which can be caused by the situation that you are in or the people you are with.
carbon capture
the capture of atmospheric carbon dioxide , esp as a technique to prevent climate change
motion capture
a process by which a device can be used to capture patterns of live movement; the data is then transmitted to a computer, where simulation software displays it applied to a virtual actor
electron capture
the transformation of an atomic nucleus in which an electron from the atom is spontaneously absorbed into the nucleus. A proton is changed into a neutron , thereby reducing the atomic number by 1. A neutrino is emitted . The process may be detected by the consequent emission of the characteristic X-rays of the resultant element
capture a moment
A particular moment is the point in time at which something happens .
capture a soldier
A soldier is a person who works in an army , especially a person who is not an officer.
capture the mood
The mood of a group of people is the way that they think and feel about an idea , event, or question at a particular time.
capture an incident
An incident is something that happens , often something that is unpleasant.
capture the spirit of
A particular kind of spirit is the set of ideas , beliefs , and aims that are held by a group of people.
capture the excitement of
You use excitement to refer to the state of being excited , or to something that excites you.
screen cap
an image created by copying part or all of the display on a computer screen at a particular moment , for example in order to demonstrate the use of a piece of software
capture/catch sb's imagination
If you say that someone or something captured your imagination , you mean that you thought they were interesting or exciting when you saw them or heard them for the first time.
CCS
carbon capture and storage
Chinese translation of 'capture'
capture
(ˈkæptʃəʳ)
vt
(= catch)
[animal]捕获(獲) (bǔhuò)
[person]俘虏(虜) (fúlǔ)
[town, country]攻占(佔) (gōngzhàn)
(Comm)[share of market]占(佔)有 (zhànyǒu)
(= reflect)[mood, atmosphere, spirit]反映 (fǎnyìng)
n(u)
[of person]被捕 (bèibǔ)
[of town]占(佔)领(領) (zhànlǐng)
to capture sb's imagination使某人为(為)之神往 (shǐ mǒurén wèi zhī shénwǎng)
1 (verb)
Definition
to take by force
The police gave chase and captured him as he was trying to escape.
Synonyms
catch
Police say they are confident of catching the killer.
arrest
Seven people were arrested for minor offences.
take
They took the enemy base.
bag
The smart ones will have already bagged their seats.
secure
seize
seize the means of production
nail (informal)
The police have been trying to nail him for years.
collar (informal)
As Kerr fled towards the exit, Boycott collared him.
nab (informal)
He stayed on the run for weeks before the authorities nabbed him.
apprehend
Police have not apprehended the perpetrator.
lift (slang)
take prisoner
take into custody
feel your collar (slang)
Opposites
free
,
release
,
liberate
,
let go
,
let out
,
set free
,
turn loose
2 (verb)
Definition
to take by force
The army has captured a strategic city in the north.
Synonyms
invade
In 1944 the allies invaded the Italian mainland.
take over
occupy
Alexandretta had been occupied by the French in 1918.
seize
Troops have seized the airport and radio stations.
overrun
A group of rebels overran the port.
A military group overran them and took four of them off.
take possession of
Earl had taken possession of the gun.
3 (verb)
Definition
to succeed in representing (something elusive) in words, pictures, or music
Today's newspapers capture the mood of the nation.
Synonyms
encapsulate
His ideas were later encapsulated in his book.
sum up
When the judge summed up it was clear he wanted a guilty verdict.
summarize
To summarize, this is a clever approach to a common problem.
put in a nutshell
express
4 (verb)
the story that has captured the imagination of the whole country
Synonyms
engage
She tried to engage me in conversation.
fascinate
She fascinated us, on and off stage.
absorb
a second career which absorbed her more completely than acting ever had
preoccupy
a question that continues to preoccupy the more serious papers
rivet
engross
There's something about them which engrosses the public.
(noun)
Definition
the act of capturing or the state of being captured
The shooting happened while the man was trying to evade capture.
Synonyms
arrest
information leading to the arrest of the bombers
catching
trapping
imprisonment
seizure
a mass seizure of hostages
apprehension
information leading to the apprehension of the alleged killer