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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Catch \Catch\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Caught}or {Catched}; p. pr.
& vb. n. {Catching}. Catched is rarely used.] [OE. cacchen,
OF. cachier, dialectic form of chacier to hunt, F. chasser,
fr. (assumend) LL. captiare, for L. capture, V. intens. of
capere to take, catch. See {Capacious}, and cf. {Chase},
{Case} a box.]
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1. To lay hold on; to seize, especially with the hand; to
grasp (anything) in motion, with the effect of holding;
as, to catch a ball.
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2. To seize after pursuing; to arrest; as, to catch a thief.
"They pursued . . . and caught him." --Judg. i. 6.
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3. To take captive, as in a snare or net, or on a hook; as,
to catch a bird or fish.
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4. Hence: To insnare; to entangle. "To catch him in his
words". --Mark xii. 13.
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5. To seize with the senses or the mind; to apprehend; as, to
catch a melody. "Fiery thoughts . . . whereof I catch the
issue." --Tennyson.
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6. To communicate to; to fasten upon; as, the fire caught the
adjoining building.
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7. To engage and attach; to please; to charm.
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The soothing arts that catch the fair. --Dryden.
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8. To get possession of; to attain.
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Torment myself to catch the English throne. --Shak.
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9. To take or receive; esp. to take by sympathy, contagion,
infection, or exposure; as, to catch the spirit of an
occasion; to catch the measles or smallpox; to catch cold;
the house caught fire.
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10. To come upon unexpectedly or by surprise; to find; as, to
catch one in the act of stealing.
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11. To reach in time; to come up with; as, to catch a train.
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{To catch fire}, to become inflamed or ignited.

{to catch it} to get a scolding or beating; to suffer
punishment. [Colloq.]

{To catch one's eye}, to interrupt captiously while speaking.
[Colloq.] "You catch me up so very short." --Dickens.

{To catch up}, to snatch; to take up suddenly.
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Catching \Catch"ing\ a.
1. Infectious; contagious.
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2. Captivating; alluring.
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Catching \Catch"ing\, n.
The act of seizing or taking hold of.
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{Catching bargain} (Law), a bargain made with an heir
expectant for the purchase of his expectancy at an
inadequate price. --Bouvier.
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