/kætʃ ||; kætʃ/verb (
past tense past participle caught /kɔ:t
||; kɔt/)
1 [T] to take hold of sth that is moving, usually with your hand or hands 接住: The dog caught the ball in its mouth. 狗用嘴巴把球接住。
2 [T] to capture sb/sth that you have been following or looking for 捉住: Two policemen ran after the thief and caught him at the end of the street. 两个警察追着那个小偷，终于在街的尽头把他逮住。to catch a fish 捉鱼
3 [T] to notice or see sb doing sth bad 撞见（劣行）: I caught her taking money from my purse. 我及时撞见她从我的钱包偷钱。
4 [T] to get on a bus, train, plane, etc 登上（公共汽车、火车、飞机等）: I caught the bus into town. 我搭上进城那班公共汽车。 [OPP] miss 反义词为 miss
5 [T] to be in time for sth; not to miss sb/sth 赶上: We arrived just in time to catch the beginning of the film. 我们刚好赶上电影开场。I'll phone her now. I might just catch her before she leaves the office. 我现在就给她打电话，也许能在她离开办公室之前找到她。
6 [I,T] to become or cause sth to become accidentally connected to or stuck in sth （使）绊住: His jacket caught on a nail and ripped. 他的夹克给钉子勾破了。If we leave early we won't get caught in the traffic. 我们早一点出发的话，就不会给路上的交通耽搁。
7 [T] to hit sb/sth 打击；击中: The branch caught him on the head. 树枝打在他的头上。
8 [T] to get an illness 得病: to catch a cold/flu/measles 患感冒；患流感；染上痲疹
9 [T] to hear or understand sth that sb says 听到；领会: I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch what you said. Could you repeat it? 对不起，我不大明白你的意思，可不可以再说一遍？
catch sb's attention/eye to make sb notice sth 引起注意:
I tried to catch the waiter's eye so that I could get the bill. 我想引起服务员的注意，好让他给我结账。 catch your breath 1 to rest after physical exercise so that your breathing returns to normal 歇息: I had to sit down at the top of the hill to catch my breath. 我不得不在山顶上坐下来歇口气。
2 to breathe in suddenly because you are surprised （因吃惊而）屏息
catch your death (of cold) to get very cold 得重伤风；得致命的感冒:
Don't go out without a coat -- you'll catch your death! 出门别不穿外套，不然要得重伤风！ catch fire to start burning, often accidentally 失火:
Nobody knows how the building caught fire. 没有人知道大厦起火的原因。 catch sb red-handed to find sb just as he/she is doing sth wrong 当场撞见（劣行）；逮个正着:
The police caught the burglars red-handed with the stolen jewellery. 窃贼连同被偷去的珠宝当场被警方抓获。 catch sight/a glimpse of sb/sth to see sb/sth for a moment 瞥见:
We waited outside the theatre, hoping to catch a glimpse of the actress. 我们等在戏院门外，希望一睹那女演员的风采。 catch the sun 1 to shine brightly in the sunlight 在阳光下闪耀: The panes of glass flashed as they caught the sun. 玻璃窗在太阳下闪闪发光。
2 to become burned or brown in the sun 晒黑: Your face looks red. You've really caught the sun, haven't you? 你脸上红通通的，刚晒过太阳，是吗？
catch on(
informal 非正式)
1 to become popular or fashionable 流行起来；受人欢迎: The idea has never really caught on in this country. 这个想法在这国家从没真正流行过。
2 to understand or realize sth 领会: She's sometimes a bit slow to catch on. 她有时比人家慢一步才把事情搞明白。
catch sb out to cause sb to make a mistake by asking a clever question 问某人问题以便把他难住:
Ask me anything you like -- you won't catch me out. 随便问吧，你难不倒我。 catch up (with sb); catch sb up to reach sb who is in front of you 赶上:
Sharon's missed so much school she'll have to work hard to catch up with the rest of the class. 沙伦缺了那么多课，她得努力学习才能赶上班里的其他人。Go on ahead, I'll catch you up in a minute. 你只管走你的，我一会儿就赶上你。 catch up on sth to spend time doing sth that you have not been able to do for some time 补做:
I'll have to go into the office at the weekend to catch up on my work. 周末我得到办公室赶完没做的工作。 be/get caught up in sth to be or get involved in sth, usually without intending to 卷入:
I seem to have got caught up in a rather complicated situation. 看来我已被卷入了相当复杂的处境中。