catch

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable) The act of seizing or capturing.
2. (countable) The act of catching an object in motion, especially a ball.
3. (countable) The act of noticing, understanding or hearing.
4. (uncountable) The game of catching a ball.
5. (countable) Something which is captured or caught.
6. (broadly, colloquial, countable) A find, in particular a boyfriend or girlfriend or prospective spouse.
7. (countable) A stopping mechanism, especially a clasp which stops something from opening.
8. (countable) A hesitation in voice, caused by strong emotion.
9. (countable) A concealed difficulty, especially in a deal or negotiation.
10. (countable) A crick; a sudden muscle pain during unaccustomed positioning when the muscle is in use.
11. (countable) A fragment of music or poetry.
12. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A state of readiness to capture or seize; an ambush.
13. (countable) A crop which has germinated and begun to grow.
14. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A type of strong boat, usually having two masts; a ketch.
15. (countable) A type of humorous round in which the voices gradually catch up with one another; usually sung by men and often having bawdy lyrics.
16. (countable) The refrain; a line or lines of a song which are repeated from verse to verse.
17. (countable) The act of catching a hit ball before it reaches the ground, resulting in an out.
18. (countable) A player in respect of his catching ability; particularly one who catches well.
19. (countable) The first contact of an oar with the water.
20. (countable) A stoppage of breath, resembling a slight cough.
21. (countable, uncountable) Passing opportunities seized; snatches.
22. (countable, uncountable) A slight remembrance; a trace.

Verb

1. (transitive) To capture, overtake.
2. (transitive) To capture, overtake.
3. (dated, figuratively, transitive) To capture, overtake.
4. (transitive) To capture, overtake.
5. (transitive) To capture, overtake.
6. (transitive) To capture, overtake.
7. (transitive) To capture, overtake.
8. (rare, transitive) To capture, overtake.
9. (dated, transitive) To seize hold of.
10. (transitive) To seize hold of.
11. (transitive) To seize hold of.
12. (intransitive) To seize hold of.
13. (intransitive) To seize hold of.
14. (transitive) To seize hold of.
15. (intransitive) To seize hold of.
16. (transitive) To seize hold of.
17. (transitive) To seize hold of.
18. (intransitive) To seize hold of.
19. (transitive) To seize hold of.
20. (transitive) To seize hold of.
21. (transitive) To intercept.
22. (archaic, transitive) To intercept.
23. (transitive) To intercept.
24. (intransitive, transitive) To intercept.
25. (transitive) To receive (by being in the way).
26. (transitive) To receive (by being in the way).
27. (transitive) To receive (by being in the way).
28. (intransitive) To receive (by being in the way).
29. (intransitive, transitive) To receive (by being in the way).
30. (transitive) To receive (by being in the way).
31. (transitive) To receive (by being in the way).
32. (intransitive) To receive (by being in the way).
33. (intransitive) To receive (by being in the way).
34. (transitive) To take in with one's senses or intellect.
35. (informal, transitive) To take in with one's senses or intellect.
36. (transitive) To take in with one's senses or intellect.
37. (transitive) To seize attention, interest.
38. (transitive) To seize attention, interest.
39. To notice.

Synonyms

seize

capture

grab

grasp

get

hold

arrest

take

trap

🪤

snatch

grapple

grip

hook

🪝

apprehend

find

🔍

hit

entrap

strike

ensnare

hitch

clutch

overtake

latch

run across

receive

take hold of

pick up

understand

snap

reach

snag

snare

see

👀

nab

stick

captivate

touch

attain

contract

perceive

comprehend

clasp

catch up with

watch

⌚

catch hold of

run up against

score

encounter

gain

surprise

Translations

attraper

🪤

fangen

prendere

saisir

prendre

coger

capturar

ergreifen

vangen

capturer

atrapar

comprendre

greifen

acchiappare

fassen

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kæt͡ʃ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: cacchen

Cognate with French: chasser

Cognate with Old French: chacier

Cognate with Spanish: cazar

Cognate with Middle English: fangen

Cognate with Old English: fōn

Cognate with Middle English: lacchen

Cognate with Old English: læċċan

In summary

From Middle English cacchen, from Anglo-Norman cachier, variant of Old French chacier, from Late Latin captiāre, from Latin captāre, frequentative of capere. Akin to Modern French chasser (from Old French chacier) and Spanish cazar, and thus a doublet of chase. Compare ketch. Displaced Middle English fangen ("to catch"; > Modern English fang (verb)), from Old English fōn (“to seize, take”); Middle English lacchen ("to catch" and heavily displaced Modern English latch), from Old English læċċan.
The verb became irregular, possibly under the influence of the semantically similar latch (from Old English læċċan), whose past tense was lahte, lauhte, laught (Old English læhte), until becoming regularised in Modern English.