catch

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To stop and hold a moving object, usually with your hands.

   She threw the ball and he caught it easily.

2. 2
   verb

   To get an illness.

   I think I caught a cold on the train.

3. 3
   verb

   To hear or understand something clearly.

   Sorry, I didn't catch your name.

4. 4
   noun

   A hidden problem or difficulty in something that seems good.

   The deal sounds perfect, so what's the catch?

5. 5
   noun

   The act of catching a ball, or the amount of fish that is caught.

   The fishermen brought their catch back to the harbour.

Common collocations

• catch a ball Verb + noun
• catch a bus Verb + noun
• catch a train Verb + noun
• catch fish Verb + noun
• catch a cold Verb + noun
• catch a killer Verb + noun
• catch a plane Verb + noun
• catch the wind Verb + noun
• catch a glimpse Verb + noun

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *kapyéti Proto-Indo-European *kaptós Proto-Italic *kaptos Vulgar Latin captus Proto-Indo-European *-yetider. Vulgar Latin -io Vulgar Latin *captiāre Old French chacierbor. Anglo-Norman cachierbor. Middle English cacchen English catch 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. V…

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