Emily Dickinson Lexicon

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.