/kætʃ; kætʃ/
v (pt, pp caught/ kR:t; kRt/)
1 (a) [Tn] stop and hold (a moving object) esp in the hands 接住（运动的物体）（尤指用手）
*I threw a ball to her and she caught it. 我把球扔给她, 她接住了.
* Our dog likes catching biscuits in its mouth. 我们的狗喜欢用嘴接饼乾.
(b) [Tn, Tn.p] ~ sb (out) (in cricket) dismiss (a batsman) by catching the ball he has hit before it touches the ground （板球）在球触地之前接住球而迫使（击球员）出场; 接杀出局.
2 [Tn, Tn.pr] capture (sb/sth) after a chase, in a trap, etc; seize and hold 捉住; 抓住; 逮住; 捕获
*catch a thief 捉贼
* Cats catch mice. 猫捉老鼠.
* How many fish did you catch? 你捕到多少鱼?
* I caught him (ie met him and stopped him) just as he was leaving the building. 他正要离开大楼的时候, 我把他截住了.
* catch sb by the arm, throat, scruff of the neck, etc 抓住某人的胳臂、掐住某人的脖子等.
3 [Ipr, Cn.g] find or discover (sb doing sth); take by surprise 发现或发觉（某人正做某事）; 突然抓住
*I caught her with her fingers in the biscuit tin. 我看见她手指还在饼乾盒里呢.
* I caught a boy stealing apples from the garden. 我撞见一个男孩儿偷园里的苹果.
* You won't catch me working (ie I would never work) on a Sunday! 你决见不到我在星期日工作!
4 [Tn] be in time for (and get on) (sth) 及时赶到; 赶上
*catch a bus, plane, train, etc 赶上公共汽车、飞机、火车等
* catch the post, ie post letters before the box is emptied by the postman 赶上邮局的一班收信时刻（在邮递员将信箱里的信取走之前寄出）.
5 [Tn] (US infml 口) see or hear (sth); attend 看或听（某事物）; 参加
*Let's eat now and maybe we could catch a movie later. 咱们现在就吃, 说不定吃完能赶场电影.
6 [I, Ipr, Tn, Tn.pr] ~ (sth) (in/on sth) (cause sth to) become fixed, stuck or entangled in or on sth （使某物）固着、卡住、钩住、缠住、绊住、夹住或挂住某物
*The lock won't catch, ie cannot be fastened. 这锁锁不上了.
* Her dress caught on a nail. 她的衣服让钉子给钩住了.
* He caught his thumb in the door. 他的拇指让门夹了.
* He caught his foot on a tree root and stumbled. 他一只脚被树根绊住而跌倒了.
7 [Tn] become infected with (an illness) 感染上, 传染上（疾病）
*catch
(a) cold 患感冒
* catch 'flu, pneumonia, bronchitis, etc 染上流感、肺炎、支气管炎等.
8 [Tn] hear (sth); understand 听见（某事物）; 理解; 了解
*Sorry, I didn't quite catch what you said. 对不起, 我没听清你的话.
* I don't catch your meaning. 我不明白你的意思.
9 [Tn, Tn.pr, Dn.n] hit (sth) 击中（某物）
*The stone caught him on the side of the head. 那块石头击中他头部的侧面.
* She caught him a blow on the chin. 她打了他下巴一拳.
10 [I] begin to burn 烧着; 着火
*These logs are wet
*they won't catch. 这些木头很湿, 点不着.
11 [Tn] reproduce (sth) accurately 精确地再现（某事物）
*The artist has caught her smile perfectly. 艺术家巧妙地捕捉住她的笑容.
12 (idm 习语) be caught/taken short => short2. catch sb `at it = catch sb red-handed. catch sb's at`tention/`eye attract sb's attention 吸引某人的注意
*Try to catch the waiter's eye. 招呼服务员.
* A newspaper headline caught his attention. 报纸的大标题引起他的注意. catch one's `breath stop breathing for a moment (because of fear, shock, etc)（因恐惧、震惊等）一时停止呼吸, 屏息
*He caught his breath in surprise. 他惊奇得屏住了呼吸. catch one's death (of cold) (infml 口) catch a severe cold 患重感冒
*Don't go out without a coat
*you'll catch your death. 别不穿外套出去, 会得重感冒的. catch/take sb's fancy => fancy1. catch `fire begin to burn, esp accidentally 烧着, 着火（尤指意外地）
*She was standing too close to the fireplace and her dress caught fire. 她站得离壁炉太近了, 衣服烧着了. catch it (infml 口) be punished or scolded 受罚; 挨骂
*If your father finds you here you'll really catch it! 要是你父亲知道你在这里, 你非挨骂不可! catch sb `napping find sb not paying attention 发现某人精神不集中
*Don't let the boss catch you napping! 别让老板发现你走神儿! catch sb on the wrong `foot catch sb when he is not ready or expecting sth 乘某人不备, 出其不意. catch sb red-`handed discover sb in the act of doing sth wrong or committing a crime 当场发现某人正做坏事或犯罪. catch sight/a glimpse of sb/sth see sb/sth for a moment 一眼瞥见某人[某事物]
*She caught sight of a car in the distance. 她一眼瞥见远处的汽车.
* He caught a glimpse of her before she vanished into the crowd. 他看见她一闪就在人群中消失了. catch the `sun become sun-burned 晒焦; 晒黑
*Your back looks sore you've really caught the sun today. 你後背红了--今天真晒坏了. catch/take sb unawares => unawares (unaware). catch sb with his pants/trousers down (infml 口) catch or trap sb when he is unprepared or not being watchful 乘某人措手不及; 乘其不备; 出其不意; 冷不防. the early bird catches the worm => early. set a sprat to catch a mackerel => sprat. set a thief to catch a thief => thief.
13 (phr v) catch at sth = clutch at sth (clutch). ,catch `on (to sth) (infml 口) understand (sth) 理解, 了解, 懂（某事物）
*He is very quick/slow to catch `on. 他理解得很快[很慢]. ,catch `on (with sb) (infml 口) become popular or fashionable 受欢迎; 变得流行
*Mini-skirts first caught on in the 1960's. 超短裙是在六十年代开始流行的. ,catch sb `out show that sb is ignorant or doing sth wrong 显出某人无知或犯错误
*Ask me anything you like you won't catch me out. 你尽管问吧--决问不倒我. ,catch `up (with sb); ,catch sb `up reach (and sometimes overtake) sb who is ahead (eg in a race); reach the same stage as sb 赶上（有时超过）某人; 达到与某人相同的境界
*Go on in front. I'll soon catch you up/catch up (with you). 你先走. 我很快就赶上你.
* After missing a term through illness he had to work hard to catch up (with the others). 他因病一学期未上课, 得努力赶上（其他同学）. ,catch `up on sth
(a) spend extra time doing sth, in order to compensate for having neglected it 用额外时间做某事（以弥补所耽误的时间）
*I've got a lot of work to catch `up on. 我有很多工作得赶着做.
(b) acquire information about sth belatedly 事後了解对某事物的情况
*Come over for a chat so we can catch up on each other's news. 来聊聊天, 彼此好通通最近的消息. be ,caught `up in sth be absorbed or involved in sth 被卷入或陷入某事物中
*She was caught up in the anti-nuclear movement. 她投身于反核运动.

/kætʃ; kætʃ/
n
1 act of catching (esp a ball) 抓住（尤指球）
*a difficult catch 难接的球.
2 (amount of) sth caught 所捕获的某事物（的量）
*a huge catch of fish 捕获大量的鱼
* (infml 口) He's a good catch, ie worth getting as a husband. 他是个好对象（值得嫁给他）.
3 device for fastening sth 固着某物的装置
*The catch on my handbag is broken. 我的手提包的扣坏了.
4 hidden difficulty or disadvantage 潜在的困难或不利因素
*The house is very cheap. There must be a catch somewhere. 这所房子非常便宜. 这里面一定有蹊跷.
* [attrib 作定语] a `catch question, ie one intended to trick sb 怪问题（使人上当的问题）.
5 type of humorous song for three or more singers, each starting at a different time 轮唱曲.
6 (idm 习语) catch-22/ 9ktF twentI5tu:; 9kAtF 9twZn-tI`tu/ (sl 俚) dilemma faced by sb who is bound to suffer, whichever course of action he takes 进退维谷
*[attrib 作定语] a catch-22 situation 进退维谷的情况.