from appearances alone; "irrigation often produces bumper crops from apparently desert land"; "the child is seemingly healthy but the doctor is concerned"; "had been ostensibly frank as to his purpose while really concealing it"-Thomas Hardy; "on the face of it the problem seems minor"
the act of catching an object with the hands; "Mays made the catch with his back to the plate"; "he made a grab for the ball before it landed"; "Martin's snatch at the bridle failed and the horse raced away"; "the infielder's snap and throw was a single motion"
a cooperative game in which a ball is passed back and forth; "he played catch with his son in the backyard"
a fastener that fastens or locks a door or window
a restraint that checks the motion of something; "he used a book as a stop to hold the door open"
a drawback or difficulty that is not readily evident; "it sounds good but what's the catch?"
a break or check in the voice (usually a sign of strong emotion)
anything that is caught (especially if it is worth catching); "he shared his catch with the others"
a person regarded as a good matrimonial prospect
the quantity that was caught; "the catch was only 10 fish"
contract; "did you catch a cold?"
delay or hold up; prevent from proceeding on schedule or as planned; "I was caught in traffic and missed the meeting"
be struck or affected by; "catch fire"; "catch the mood"
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"; "did you get it?"; "She didn't get the joke"; "I just don't get him"
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"
become aware of; "he caught her staring out the window"
be the catcher; "Who is catching?"
cause to become accidentally or suddenly caught, ensnared, or entangled; "I caught the hem of my dress in the brambles"
spread or be communicated; "The fashion did not catch"
take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of; "Catch the ball!"; "Grab the elevator door!"
take in and retain; "We have a big barrel to catch the rainwater"
attract and fix; "His look caught her"; "She caught his eye"; "Catch the attention of the waiter"
apprehend and reproduce accurately; "She really caught the spirit of the place in her drawings"; "She got the mood just right in her photographs"
reach in time; "I have to catch a train at 7 o'clock"
suffer from the receipt of; "She will catch hell for this behavior!"
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"; "The dog picked up the scent"; "Catch a glimpse"
hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers; "We overheard the conversation at the next table"
perceive by hearing; "I didn't catch your name"; "She didn't get his name when they met the first time"
get or regain something necessary, usually quickly or briefly; "Catch some sleep"; "catch one's breath"
check oneself during an action; "She managed to catch herself before telling her boss what was on her mind"
casually thoughtless or inconsiderate; "an offhand manner"; "she treated most men with offhand contempt"
in a casually inconsiderate manner; "replied offhand, his mind a million miles away"; "she threw him over offhandedly without even a Dear-John letter"
without previous thought or preparation; "couldn't give the figures offhand"; "we decided offhand to go to Canada"; "she had made these remarks offhandedly"