Phrasal Verbs With 'Catch'

Catch at phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Take or grab hold of something
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: She CAUGHT AT my sleeve as I was leaving and said she needed to talk to me.

Catch on phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Become popular
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: Many critics were shocked when techno CAUGHT ON in the clubs.
  2. Meaning: Finally understand what is going on
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: Everyone else realised what was happening, but it took Henry ages to CATCH ON.

Catch out phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Trick
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: The exam is designed to CATCH you OUT.
  2. Meaning: Discover or prove that someone is lying
    (Separable [obligatory] | International English)
    » Example: He CAUGHT me OUT when he checked my story with my previous employer.
  3. Meaning: Put someone in an unexpected and difficult situation (often passive)
    (Separable [obligatory] | International English)
    » Example: We were CAUGHT OUT in the storm.

Catch up phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Get work, etc, up to date.
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: I was ill for a fortnight and now I've got to CATCH UP on the work I missed.
  2. Meaning: Reach someone who was ahead of you
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: He started well, but I CAUGHT him UP on the third lap.

Catch up in phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Become involved, often against one’s will
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: The tourists were CAUGHT UP IN the violence of the revolution.

Catch up on phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Do something that should have been done earlier
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: I'm going home to CATCH UP ON my sleep.
  2. Meaning: Reminisce with an old friend after not seeing them for a while
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: I hadn't seen her for years, so we spent the afternoon CATCHING UP ON old times.

Catch up with phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Do something that should have been done earlier
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: I'm going home to CATCH UP WITH my sleep.
  2. Meaning: Meet someone after a period of time and find out what they have been doing
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: I CAUGHT UP WITH her at the conference.
  3. Meaning: When something negative starts to have an effect
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: His criminal behaviour is starting to CATCH UP WITH him.
  4. Meaning: Punish someone after they have been doing something wrong for a long time
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: The tax authorities CAUGHT UP WITH me for not submitting my tax returns.
  5. Meaning: Learn something new that many people already understand
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: My mother's trying to CATCH UP WITH computers.

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