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Glite Dictionary
🌞 To sunbathe 🔋 To collect sunlight
to catch the sun

to catch the sun

3.6
To receive sunlight to make electricity, as solar panels do
  • phrasal verb
  • Specialized
translation icon : captar la luz solar
  • So these panels or even yeah, so these panels maybe are up here that are catching the sun and bringing it down.

Examples

  • The solar panels on the roof are designed to catch the sun and convert its energy into electricity.

  • The thermos was bright enough to catch the sun, making them squint.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • They pry open compacts like clamshells; mirrors catch the sun and throw a spray of white rays across glazed shoulders.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • These unique window designs help to catch the sun during the day, maximizing natural light in the room.

  • The garden was arranged with large reflectors to catch the sun and direct warmth to the plants.

Antonyms

sunscreening
  • Specialized
4.2

A film or device that blocks sunlight from windows to keep rooms cooler

How Much Sunlight

to catch the sun
  • Specialized
3.6
to sun
8 1.4

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

catch + the + sun

The meaning 'to receive or collect sunlight' is directly derivable from combining 'catch' (to capture or take hold of) with 'sun' (the source of light), forming a straightforward verb + object composition that describes collecting sunlight. This is not highly idiomatic and similar constructions exist cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would readily infer the meaning, especially in context (e.g., solar panels).

Etymology

Catch the sun also comes from the idea of panels or windows that catch the sun's rays like a bowl catching rain, so they can store heat or power. That's why it means 'to receive or collect sunlight' for energy or heat.