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catch

catch

6 7.2
A small break or hesitation in a person's voice
  • noun
  • /kæʧ/
translation icon : nudo en la garganta
  • "It's going to be all right," he said with a catch in his voice.
  • catch in the throat
  • catch in the voice
  • feel a catch

Examples

  • "Oh, Wade," she said, her chin quivering, a catch in her voice.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • "Is this really happening?" she whispered to the picture, feeling the catch in her throat.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Seeing him naked and whole for the first time, she felt a catch in her throat, a pressure in her chest.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The very thought of that glorious moment made Keevan's breath catch in his throat.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Drew laughed, looking so much like their father just then, Mandy felt her throat catch.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • " Indecency?" Dickens said it with a slight catch in his voice.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • With a sudden catch at my heart, I find myself brimming with love and vague premonition.

    Academic text (1990)
  • "We can't give up," she said, and there was just the faintest catch of desperation in her voice.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Lirrel could almost hear the catch in Eneas's throat at the sight, joined by Alwir and Wyer.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • "It's going to be all right," he said with a catch in his voice.

Synonyms

break
vscatch
17 6.2

An abrupt change in voice pitch during strong emotion

is a small emotional hesitation rather than a large pitch change
faltering
vscatch
1 6.3

A short pause of uncertainty, often in speech or action

is a brief voice pause caused mainly by emotion or nervousness
glottal catch
vscatch
  • Specialized
9.9

A quick sound made by briefly closing and opening the vocal cords before a vowel

is an emotional voice hesitation not a phonetic vocal stop

Idioms

Pause to breathe normally after hard exercise or a shock

Difficult to find, stop, or understand

5 8.2

To become very sick from being outside in the cold, often said as a warning

To notice a small smell of something for a short time

2 7.9

To sleep to get some rest

1 9.9

Get in trouble with the law by being charged with a crime

1 8.9

Using whatever is available and acting without a plan

to catch a body
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To find a dead person, often during police work or as slang for killing someone

To not pay attention and miss what is happening around you, for example because you are daydreaming

To try to get people to agree by being harsh or unpleasant

7.0

Challenge someone to try to reach or pass you

to catch no ball
  • Informal
9.9

To not understand anything in a talk or explanation

9.9

To get a sickness in your chest that makes you cough a lot

to catch a cootie
  • Baby Talk
9.5

To pretend to get a small, not real illness from another person

9.9

To unexpectedly meet a very strong opponent

to catch a wave
  • Informal
6.9

To use a rising trend or new interest to grow quickly

To find someone not ready or not paying attention

8.9

To sleep for a short time

Notice someone being careless when they should be paying attention

Give something small to get something much bigger later

Compounds

Catch-22
  • Informal
18 9.6

A situation where you cannot win because rules block every choice

catch-up
  • Informal
9 3.3

An informal meeting to share news and updates

6 3.6

A time of work to reach the same level after falling behind

The freshest fish or seafood available that day, often on a restaurant menu

2 3.8

Helps someone reach the needed level after falling behind

1 3.5

A short famous saying people often repeat about a person or show

1 4.1

A part on a gun or other weapon that stops it firing by mistake

fair catch
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A player signals and catches a punt without running and cannot be tackled

1 2.9

Seafood caught recently that is not yet cooked or preserved

by-catch
  • Specialized
1 8.0

Animals and other sea life that are caught by accident while people fish for other species

A 2002 American film by Steven Spielberg starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks

catch crop
  • Specialized
6.7

A fast-growing crop planted between main crops to use land and time well

catch pen
  • Specialized
6.3

A small fenced area that holds animals like sheep or cattle for a short time

glottal catch
  • Specialized
9.9

A quick sound made by briefly closing and opening the vocal cords before a vowel

8.6

A baseball play where an outfielder runs and grabs a ball very close to the ground

How Noticeable

to sob
15 1.0
break
17 6.2
to quaver
3 8.1
catch
6 7.2
hesitation
110 2.8

Surface Forms

catch singular
catches plural

Etymology

Catch in the voice comes from 'catching' your breath, so a small break or 'catch' happens when your breathing or voice is suddenly held for a moment.