Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CA-TAS'TRO-PHE, or CA-TAS'TRO-PHY, n. [Gr. καταστροφη, an end or overthrowing, from καταστρεφω, to subvert; κατα and στρεφω.]

1. The change or revolution which produces the final event of a dramatic piece; or the unfolding and winding up of the plot, clearing up difficulties, and closing the play. The ancients divided a play into the protasis, epitasis, catastasis, and catastrophy; the introduction, continuance, heightening, and development or conclusion. – Johnson. Encyc.
2. A final event; conclusion; generally, an unfortunate conclusion, calamity, or disaster.

CA-TAS'TRO-PHIST, n.

One who believes in catastrophies, or in changes in the globe from violent physical causes; a non-uniformist.

CAT'-BIRD, n.

An American bird, whose cry resembles that of a cat; the Turdus Felivox.

CAT'-BLOCK, n.

A two or three fold block with an iron strop and large hook, used to draw up an anchor to the cat-head. – Mar. Dict.

CAT'CALL, n. [cat and call.]

A squeaking instrument, used in play-houses to condemn plays. – Johnson. Pope.

CATCH, n.

1. Seizure; the act of seizing.
2. Any thing that seizes or takes hold, as a hook.
3. The posture of seizing; a state of preparation to catch, or of watching an opportunity to seize; as, to lie upon the catch. – Addison.
4. A sudden advantage taken. – Dryden.
5. The thing caught, considered as an object of desire; profit; advantage. Hector shall have a great catch. – Shak.
6. A snatch; a short interval of action. It has been writ by catches. – Locke.
7. A little portion. We retain a catch of a pretty story. – Glanville.
8. In music, a fugue in the unison, wherein to humor some conceit in the words, the melody is broken, and the sense is interrupted in one part, and caught and supported by another, or a different sense is given to the words; or a piece for three or more voices, one of which leads and the others follow in the same notes. – Encyc. Busby.

CATCH, v.i.

1. To communicate; to spread by infecting; as, a disease will catch from man to man.
2. To seize and hold; as, a hook catches.

CATCH, v.t. [pret. and pp. catched or caught. Sp. coger, to catch, coinciding in elements with Gr. κιχεω. The orthography of caught determines the radical letters to be Cg. The popular or common pronunciation is ketch.]

1. To seize or lay hold on with the hand; carrying the sense of pursuit, thrusting forward the hand, or rushing on. And they came upon him and caught him. – Acts vi.
2. To seize, in a general sense; as, to catch a ball; to catch hold of a bough.
3. To seize, as in a snare or trap; to insnare; to entangle. They sent certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. – Mark xii.
4. To seize in pursuit; hence simply to overtake; a popular use of the word. He ran, but could not catch his companion.
5. To take hold; to communicate to. The fire caught the adjoining building.
6. To seize the affections; to engage and attach to; as, to catch the fair. – Dryden.
7. To take or receive by contagion or infection; as, to catch the measles or small-pox.
8. To snatch; to take suddenly; as, to catch a book out of the hand.
9. To receive something passing. The swelling sails no more Catch the soft airs and wanton in the sky. – Trumbull. To catch at, to endeavor to seize suddenly. To catch at all opportunities of subverting the state. – Addison. To catch up, to snatch; to take up suddenly.

CATCH'A-BLE, a.

That may be caught. [Not well authorized.]

CATCH'ER, n.

One who catches; that which catches, or in which any thing is caught.

CATCH'FLY, n.

A plant of the genus Lychnis; campion.

CATCH'ING, a.

Communicating, or that may be communicated, by contagion; infectious; as, a disease is catching.

CATCH'ING, ppr.

Seizing; taking hold; insnaring; entangling.

CATCH'PEN-NY, n. [catch and penny.]

Something worthless, particularly a book or pamphlet, adapted to the popular taste, and intended to gain money in market.

CATCH'-POLL, n. [catch and poll, the head.]

A bailif's assistant, so called by way of reproach.

CATCH'UP, or CAT'SUP, n.

A liquor extracted from mushrooms, used as a sauce.

CATCH'-WORD, n.

Among printers, the word placed at the bottom of each page, under the last line, which is to be inserted as the first word on the following page.

CATE, n.

See CATES.

CAT-E-CHET'IC-AL, a. [See Catechise.]

1. Relating to oral instruction, and particularly in the first principles of the Christian religion.
2. Relating to or consisting in asking questions and receiving answers, according to the ancient manner of teaching pupils. Socrates introduced a catechetical method of arguing. – Addison.

CAT-E-CHET'IC-AL-LY, adv.

By question and answer; in the way of oral instruction.

CAT-E-CHI-SA'TION, a.

The act of catechising.

CAT'E-CHISE, v.t. [s as z. Gr. κατηχιζω and κατηχεω, to sound, to utter sound, to teach by the voice; from πατα, and ηχεω, to sound, whence echo. Hence κατηχησις, κατηχισμος, catechise, catechism, instruction.]

1. To instruct by asking questions, receiving answers, and offering explanations and corrections.
2. To question; to interrogate; to examine or try by questions, and sometimes with a view to reproof, by eliciting answers from a person, which condemn his own conduct.
3. Appropriately, to ask questions concerning the doctrines of the Christian religion; to interrogate pupils and give instruction in the principles of religion.

CAT'E-CHIS-ED, pp.

Instructed.

CAT'E-CHIS-ER, n.

One who catechises; one who instructs by question and answer, and particularly in the rudiments of the Christian religion.

CAT'E-CHIS-ING, ppr.

Instructing in rudiments or principles.