Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Preterit and past participle of catch.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • imp. & p. p. of catch.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb cricket Of the method of being out in which the striker hits the ball and a fielder catches it.
  • verb Simple past tense and past participle of catch.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • But the term caught on, the media picked it up, and we are stuck with it.

    Alcohol and The Addictive Brain Kenneth Blum 1991

  • But the term caught on, the media picked it up, and we are stuck with it.

    Alcohol and The Addictive Brain Kenneth Blum 1991

  • She stared and stared at the image of the woman on the cover, her expression caught somewhere between agony and ecstasy, the internal struggle between desire and propriety expertly caught by the brush of the artist.

    The Home for Broken Hearts Rowan Coleman 2010

  • That doesn't diminish the reality that, if he decides to run, Emanuel would be a formidable candidate to succeed Mayor Richard M. Daley, whose announcement that he won't seek another term caught everyone by surprise.

    In Chicago, it's not Rahm's for the asking 2010

  • It has a decent cast and the title caught my mood while at work.

    Previews: Fox Upfronts 2010/11 | Obsessed With Film 2010

  • The title caught my attention; as a proud Regretsian I wanted to see if Regretsy was the cause of her humiliation.

    Regretsy – Eyre Head 2010

  • The end of the word caught in her throat and she sat there, hands empty, as they wheeled him out.

    The Christmas Cookie Club Ann Pearlman 2009

  • Hearing her name caught her off guard, and she looked up at the mariachis, wondering if it had been her imagination.

    Chicken Soup for the Soul: True Love Jack Canfield 2009

  • The name caught in her throat as she tried to push back the horrible thought that assaulted her mind.

    The After Wife Lexi Davis 2009

  • "USA Today ran a story on the report and the term caught on," explained Lang in an e-mail.

    Buzzword: Boomburg/Boomburb 2009

Comments

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  • Cricket jargon - one of the ways in which a batsman can be given out. It occurs when a ball is hit by the batsman and then, before bouncing, is fairly caught by a member of the opposing team within the field of play.

    December 3, 2007

  • This word, as contrasted with cot, is somewhat famous among linguists. See here for the story.

    April 11, 2008

  • Also see here for a map of the cot/caught merger in the US.

    April 11, 2008

  • Suddenly I caught Jake's scent. My legs nearly buckled. From "The Last Werewolf" by Glen Duncan.

    March 28, 2012