■ verb ( past and past participle caught )
1》 intercept and hold (something which has been thrown, propelled, or dropped).
↘seize or take hold of.
↘ Cricket dismiss (a batsman) by ~ing the ball before it touches the ground.
2》 capture (a person or animal that tries or would try to escape).
↘(also ~ up or ~ someone up ) succeed in reaching (a person who is ahead of one).
↘surprise (someone) in an awkward or incriminating situation.
3》 accidentally become entangled or trapped in something.
↘have (a part of one's body or clothing) become entangled or trapped in something.
4》 reach in time and board (a train, bus, or aircraft).
↘reach or be in a place in time to see (a person, performance, etc.).
5》 ( be caught (up) in ) become involved in (something, especially an unwelcome situation).
6》 engage (a person's interest or imagination).
↘perceive fleetingly.
↘hear or understand (something said), especially with effort.
↘succeed in evoking or representing.
7》 strike (someone) on a part of the body.
↘accidentally strike (a part of one's body) against something.
8》 contract (an illness) through infection or contagion.
9》 become ignited and start burning.
■ noun
1》 an act or instance of ~ing.
↘an amount of fish caught.
↘ informal a person considered desirable as a partner or spouse.
2》 a game in which a ball is thrown back and forth between two or more players.
3》 a device for securing something such as a door, window, or box.
4》 a hidden problem or disadvantage.
5》 an unevenness in a person's voice caused by emotion.
6》 Music a round, typically one with words arranged to produce a humorous effect.
Phrases
~ someone's eye
1》 be noticed by someone.
2》 attract someone's attention by making eye contact.
~ the light shine or glint in the light.
~ sight of suddenly notice; glimpse.
~ the sun
1》 be in a sunny position.
2》 Brit. become tanned or sunburned.
play ~-up N. Amer. try to equal a competitor in a sport or game.
Phrasal verbs
~ on informal
1》 (of a practice or fashion) become popular.
2》 understand what is meant or how to do something.
~ someone out Brit.
1》 detect that someone has done something wrong.
2》 put someone in a difficult situation for which they are unprepared.
~ up do work or other tasks which one should have done earlier.
~ up with
1》 exchange news with (someone whom one has not seen for some time).
2》 begin to have a damaging effect on.
Derivatives
~able adjective
Origin
ME: from Anglo-Norman Fr. and Old North. Fr. cachier , var. of OFr. chacier , based on L. captare 'try to ~'.