1. (of disease) capable of being transmitted by infection
   "Influenza is a highly catching virus";
   - communicable, contagious, contractable, transmissible, transmittable
    
2. Easily spread or adopted, inspiring others to feel or act similarly
   "The enthusiasm was catching, and soon the whole crowd was cheering"

1. (baseball) playing the position of catcher on a baseball team
   "His excellent catching skills made him an invaluable member of the team"
    
2. The act of discovering or noticing something, especially by careful observation
   "His catching of the rare bird excited the entire birdwatching group";
   - detection, espial, spying, spotting

1. Take hold of so as to seize, restrain or stop the motion of
   "Catch the ball!";
   - grab
    
2. Perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily
   "I caught the aroma of coffee"; "He caught the allusion in her glance"; "ears open to catch every sound"; "Catch a glimpse";
   - pick up
    
3. Succeed in catching or seizing, especially after a chase
   "Did you catch the thief?";
   - get, capture
    
4. Discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
   "She caught her son eating candy"; "She was caught shoplifting"
    
5. To hook or entangle
   "One foot caught in the stirrup";
   - hitch
    
6. Attract and fix
   "His look caught her"; "She caught his eye"; "Catch the attention of the waiter";
   - arrest, get
    
7. Reach with a blow or hit in a particular spot
   "the rock caught her in the back of the head"; "The punch caught him in the stomach";
   - get
    
8. Capture as if by hunting, snaring, or trapping
   "I caught a rabbit in the trap today";
   - capture
    
9. Reach in time
   "I have to catch a train at 7 o'clock"
    
10. Get or regain something necessary, usually quickly or briefly
    "Catch some sleep"; "catch one's breath"
     
11. Move faster becoming closer and then possibly overtake
    "The Rolls Royce caught us near the exit ramp";
    - catch up with
     
12. Be struck or affected by
    "catch fire"; "catch the mood"
     
13. Check oneself during an action
    "She managed to catch herself before telling her boss what was on her mind"
     
14. Hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers
    "We caught the conversation at the next table";
    - take in, overhear
     
15. Look at and follow all (or part of) something being shown or performed
    "Catch a show on Broadway";
    - watch, view, see, take in
     
16. Cause to become accidentally or suddenly caught, ensnared, or entangled
    "I caught the hem of my dress in the brambles"
     
17. Detect a blunder or misstep
    "The editor caught several errors in the manuscript";
    - trip up
     
18. Grasp with the mind or develop an understanding of
    "did you catch that allusion?"; "We caught something of his theory in the lecture"; "don't catch your meaning";
    - get
     
19. Come down with
    "did you catch a cold?"
     
20. Start burning
    "The fire caught"
     
21. Perceive by hearing
    "I didn't catch your name";
    - get
     
22. Suffer from the receipt of
    "She will catch hell for this behaviour!";
    - get
     
23. Cause rapt attraction or admiration; attract love
    "She caught all the men's hearts";
    - capture, enamour [Brit, Cdn], trance [literary], becharm [archaic], enamor [US], captivate, beguile, charm, fascinate, bewitch, entrance, enchant
     
24. Apprehend and reproduce accurately
    "She really caught the spirit of the place in her drawings";
    - get
     
25. Take in and retain
    "We have a big barrel to catch the rainwater"
     
26. Spread or be communicated
    "The fashion did not catch"
     
27. Become aware of
    "he caught her staring out the window"
     
28. Delay or hold up; prevent from proceeding on schedule or as planned
    "I was caught in traffic and missed the meeting"
     
29. (baseball) be the catcher
    "Who is catching?"

Derived forms: catchings

See also: catch up, infectious

Type of: accumulate, ache, acquire, amass, appeal, attach, attract, board, catch fire, change, check, clutch, collect, combust, compile, comprehend, conflagrate, contain, contract, control, curb, delay, detain, discover, discovery, draw, draw in, erupt, find, find out, get, get a line [informal], get on, get wind, get word, go, hear, hit, hoard, hold, hold in, hold up, hop on, hurt, ignite, learn, locomote, moderate, move, perceive, pick up, pile up, play, playing, prehend [archaic], propagate, pull, pull in, reproduce, roll up, see, seize, spread, suffer, surprise, take, take fire, take hold, take hold of, travel, uncovering, understand, watch, witness

Antonym: unhitch

Encyclopedia: Catching