Catch Meaning

/kat͡ʃ/
A2

Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

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nounThe act of seizing or capturing.

nounThe act of catching an object in motion, especially a ball.

You will not be able to catch the train.
You have to study hard to catch up with your class.
She managed to catch the keys as they fell.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
When the ball flew toward him, he tried to ____ it with his hands.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I tried to ____ the morning train, but I arrived at the station late.

Etymology tree 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. Via PIE cognate with have. Displaced Middle English fangen ("to catch"; > Modern English fang (verb)), from Old English fōn (“to seize, take”); Middle English lacchen ("to catch" and heavily displaced Modern English latch), from Old English læċċan. The verb became irregular, possibly under the influence of the semantically similar latch (from Old English læċċan), whose past tense was lahte, lauhte, laught (Old English læhte), until becoming regularised in Modern English.

""In that case," said Jeff, "I just thought of something else we need." He walked over to one of the stations that was selling household goods and bought a can opener. "Nice catch," said Lucy." — 2008, John I. Carney, Soapstone, page 74:
"Mr. Alfred O'Shea, a tenorizing youth from Australia, sang several times at Queen's Hall, and may congratulate himself on being one of the ‘catches’ of the season. He sang airs from Italian and French operas, and also a number of Irish ditties—naturally, with a name like that and such an ingratiating McCormackian voice." — 1922 August 1, “London Concerts”, in The Musical Times:
""Aaaugh! Just once, I wish I could be considered a catch by men younger than fifty..."" — 2014 July 10, Jocelyn Samara D., Rain (webcomic), Comic 561 - A Catch:
"In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road." — 1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, “The Tutor's Daughter”, in Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion, page 266:
""'Fair Enslaver!'" cried Mr. Enderby. "You must know 'Fair Enslaver:' there is not a sweeter catch than that. Come, Miss Ibbotson, begin; your sister will follow, and I—" But it so happened that Miss Ibbotson had never heard 'Fair Enslaver.'" — 1872, Harriet Martineau, Deerbrook, page 90:

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CEFR Practice Quiz
When the ball flew toward him, he tried to ____ it with his hands.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I tried to ____ the morning train, but I arrived at the station late.

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