👍 I understand 👍 To understand ❓ A tricky problem 🤏 To catch

to getcha

1 9.9

To catch someone, often said as a joke

verb
/ˈɡɛtʃə/

Slang

: atrapar (a alguien)

Now, either you come out, or we'll come in and getcha.
going to getcha

Examples

♪ The goblins will getcha If you don't watch out ♪

Halloween Kills (2021)
I won't let anyone getcha while you're with me.
We're gonna getcha!

Blackwoods (2001)
♪ One way or another ♪ I'm gonna getcha, getcha ♪ One way or another ♪ I'm gonna getcha, getcha ♪ One way or another ♪ I'll getcha.

So Undercover (2012)
We're gonna getcha if you don't hurry up!
If you're not careful, those sneaky raccoons will getcha in the trash.

Synonyms

to get

vsto getcha

∞ 2.3

To score a point or goal in a game

is a playful threat focusing on capturing or defeating someone rather than scoring

Antonyms

to let go

∞ 1.4

To stop holding something or someone so they are free

How Successful

to defeat

932 2.1

to getcha

Slang

1 9.9

capture

112 3.2

to nab

Informal

40 5.8

to catch

∞ 1.0

to tag

23 2.0

Surface Forms

getcha infinitive

gettingcha present participle

getchas third person singular

gotcha past

gotcha past participle

Morphology

getcha = get + you (transparent) = get + cha

A reduced spoken form of 'get you' meaning 'catch or defeat you', so the threatening/playful sense is directly derived from the base phrase.

Etymology

Getcha meaning 'to catch or defeat' comes from the phrase get + you, like saying 'I'll get you', where get means 'catch' or 'take'. So when someone says 'I'll getcha' in a play fight, they mean they will catch or tag you.