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Glite Dictionary
🤲 To grab 👃 To notice 🤒 To get affected 👀 To attract 🪡 To get stuck 🐟 A thing caught 😬 To get punished ⏰ To be delayed 🎨 To express well ⚠️ A hidden problem 💑 A desirable partner 💥 To be hit ⚾ To play catcher 💧 To collect 🔗 A fastener 🗣️ A voice break
to catch

to catch

42 3.5
To hit someone or something often by surprise
  • verb
  • /kæʧ/
: golpear
  • Melting flakes of snow were trapped in it; they caught the light and shone like jewels.

Examples

  • I'd gotten too close to the opponent and caught him in the nose with my elbow.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • He caught me with a big right hand in the first round.

  • If you ever see him, tell him I said I better not catch him in the street.

  • Fortunately, the blow that had caught him in the mouth had lost most of its power.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • And then you could almost see him lifting his hand to catch my left hook.

  • The watch captain emerged just in time to catch several quick blows to the face.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Alone in no man's land, he fearlessly dodged missiles or caught them on his shield.

  • Barney caught me from behind, and I fell to the ground.

  • The general's phone call had been a ruse to catch the terrorists off guard.

Synonyms

to knock
vsto catch
999 1.0

To hit something by accident with a sudden movement

strikes a particular spot often unexpectedly but not always forceful
to pop
vsto catch
  • Informal
100 3.4

To hit someone or something quickly and lightly

hits a particular spot often unexpectedly with no emphasis on lightness
to collide with
vsto catch
47 3.7

Hit something or someone while moving, causing a sudden strong crash

targets a particular spot often unexpectedly rather than broad impact
to bump into
vsto catch
35 2.1

To hit someone or something by accident while moving

hits a particular spot often unexpectedly rather than whole body collision
to knock against
vsto catch
7 2.7

Hit something by accident when you move and touch it

strikes a particular spot often unexpectedly rather than mere accidental collision
to hook
vsto catch
  • Specialized
4 7.1

To hit someone with a short swinging punch from the side

hits a particular spot often unexpectedly rather than only as a boxing move

Antonyms

to miss
549 1.0

To fail to reach or hit something you aim for

dodge
10 2.7

A quick movement to avoid being hit

Idioms

hard to catch
10 5.0

Difficult to find, stop, or understand

to catch a whiff
6 5.1

To notice a small smell of something for a short time

to catch your death
  • Informal
5 8.2

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

catch-as-catch-can
  • Informal
3 8.9

Using whatever is available and acting without a plan

to catch a case
  • Slang
2 9.9

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

to catch flies with vinegar
  • Informal
2 9.7

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

to catch some z's
  • Informal
2 8.9

To sleep for a short time

to catch someone napping
  • Informal
1 6.8

Notice someone being careless when they should be paying attention

to catch a body
  • Offensive
1 9.9

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

to catch a wave
  • Informal
1 6.9

To use a rising trend or new interest to grow quickly

to catch some Z's
  • Informal
1 7.9

To sleep to get some rest

to catch (someone) napping
1 7.5

To find someone not ready or not paying attention

catch me if you can
  • Informal
1 7.0

Challenge someone to try to reach or pass you

to catch one's breath
1 3.7

Pause to breathe normally after hard exercise or a shock

to catch flies with one's mouth open
  • Informal
9.6

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

to catch no ball
  • Informal
9.9

To not understand anything in a talk or explanation

to catch a bronch
  • Archaic
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

to catch a Tartar
  • Archaic
9.9

To unexpectedly meet a very strong opponent

to throw a sprat to catch a mackerel
  • Archaic
9.9

Give something small to get something much bigger later

Phrasal Verbs

to catch up
509 2.7

To reach the same level as others after falling behind

to catch up with
246 2.7

To reach someone ahead of you, often passing them

to catch up
  • Informal
218 2.3

To talk with someone to share news after not seeing them for a while

to catch someone's eye
103 2.7

Attract someone's attention because it is interesting or noticeable

to catch fire
87 2.6

To start burning suddenly

to catch on
78 3.9

To begin to understand something after a while

to catch up
67 2.5

To learn what happened while you were away

to catch on
55 3.2

To become popular with many people

to catch that
  • Informal
44 3.0

Hear and understand what someone says when it is hard to hear

to catch cold
40 1.0

To become ill with a cold after being cold or near someone sick

to catch a glimpse
39 3.4

To see someone or something for a very short time

to catch someone's attention
38 2.8

Make someone notice you or something

to catch up with
24 3.2

To do work you missed after being away to reach the same level as others

to catch a cold
23 1.0

To become sick with a common illness that makes your nose and throat sore

to catch sight
18 3.0

To see something for a short time, usually by chance

to catch sight of
17 2.4

To see someone or something suddenly and for a short time

to catch a ride
  • US
16 3.2

To travel in someone else's car as a passenger

to catch out
14 6.3

To show someone has made a mistake or done something wrong, often by surprise

to catch someone at
13 4.2

Meet someone at a place like a park or station

to catch the bus
12 1.0

To get on a bus before it leaves

to catch fire
  • Texting
12 3.7

To become very popular quickly, especially online

to catch hell
  • Slang
8 8.2

To get a lot of blame or punishment for a mistake

to catch wind of
  • Informal
8 5.4

Hear about something from other people before official news

to catch the light
7 4.0

Shine or sparkle when light hits them

to catch it
  • Informal
6 8.3

To be punished or scolded by someone in charge

to catch the wind
4 5.1

To use wind power to move something like a boat or windmill

to catch a wave
3 4.1

To ride a moving ocean wave on a surfboard

to catch the sun
3 3.8

To sit or lie in the sun to feel warm

to catch heat
  • Informal
2 8.3

To get criticism or blame from others for something you did

to catch the sun
  • Specialized
1 3.6

To receive sunlight to make electricity, as solar panels do

to catch a wink
1 5.5

To sleep for a short time, often during the day

to catch it from
  • Informal
1 8.7

Get a strong scolding from someone after doing something wrong

to catch feelings
  • Slang
1 8.6

Begin to like someone in a romantic way

to catch off guard
1 4.0

To surprise someone so they are not ready to react

to catch air
1 7.9

To jump high into the air while doing a sport or trick

to catch the match
  • UK
1 2.7

To watch a sports game, often on TV or online

to catch dust
1 5.5

To collect dust when it is not used

to catch oneself
1 6.0

Stop yourself quickly from saying or doing something you might regret

to catch big air
  • Jargon
6.8

To jump very high in sports like skiing, snowboarding, or skateboarding

to catch hands
  • Slang
9.9

To get into a physical fight with someone

to catch a date
  • Informal
7.5

Manage to meet someone for a romantic time together

to catch a fade
  • Informal
9.9

To get a short haircut with the sides cut very short at a barbershop

to catch a roundeye
  • US
9.9

To catch a fish called roundeye when fishing

to catch paraflu
8.1

To get a mild illness that feels like the flu

to catch step
6.7

To move at the same speed as another person

to haul in a big catch
3.7

To catch and pull many fish into a boat

Compounds

catch-up
27 3.6

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

Catch-22
  • Informal
21 9.6

A situation where you cannot win because rules block every choice

catch phrase
20 3.5

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

catch of the day
7 2.7

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

fresh catch
3 2.9

Seafood caught recently that is not yet cooked or preserved

catch-up
  • Informal
3 3.3

An informal meeting to share news and updates

safety catch
2 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

by-catch
  • Specialized
1 8.0

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

catch-up
1 3.8

Helps someone reach the needed level after falling behind

shoestring catch
  • Jargon
1 8.6

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

Catch Me If You Can
1 4.1

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

catch pen
  • Specialized
1 6.3

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

catch crop
  • Specialized
6.7

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

glottal catch
  • Specialized
9.9

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

How Hard

to smash
278 2.1
to catch
42 3.5
graze
5 3.4

Surface Forms

catch infinitive
catching present participle
catches third person singular
caught past
caught past participle

Etymology

Catch can be used for a sudden hit because something that 'takes hold' can strike unexpectedly, so a blow that catches you hits you before you can move.