catch

catch catch [kætʆ] verb caught _PTandPP [kɔːt ǁ kɒːt] [transitive]

1. be caught in something to be in a situation that is difficult to escape from:

• The government is caught in the middle of the dispute.

• The yen was caught in a downward spiral.

2. catch somebody by surprise/​off guard etc to happen when you are not expecting it or not ready to deal with it:

• The sharp turn in share prices caught many investors by surprise.

• Many oil companies were caught flatfooted when oil prices fell sharply with the start of the Gulf War.

3. catch a cold informal if a business catches a cold, it begins to have financial problems:

• With the economic downturn, the recruitment industry will catch a cold.

catch on phrasal verb [intransitive]

1. if a product or an idea catches on, it becomes popular:

• Industry executives believe that the company's products will catch on as customers become more security conscious.

• The idea caught on fast.

2. if someone catches on, they begin to understand or realize something:

• Some investors clearly caught on that bad news was in the offing.

• Foreign companies are catching on to the advantages of franchising.

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Ⅰ.

catch UK US /kætʃ/ verb [T] (caught, caught)

● catch sb off guard/by surprise — Cf. catch sb off guard/by surprise

● catch sb's eye/catch the eye of sb — Cf. catch the eye of sb

● be/get caught up in sth — Cf. get caught up in sth

Ⅱ.

catch UK US /kætʃ/ noun [S]

► a hidden problem or disadvantage: »

The catch is that during the calendar year you can only make six withdrawals from your account.

► a new employee that a company is very pleased to have because they are very valuable: »

He is a super-bright economist who is a real catch for the department.