7 English Phrasal Verbs With 'CATCH'

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7 phrasal verbs with 'CATCH'

Catch at

1. 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

1. Become popular
   (Intransitive | International English)
   
   » Example: Many critics were shocked when techno CAUGHT ON in the clubs.
2. 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

1. Trick
   (Separable [optional] | International English)
   
   » Example: The exam is designed to CATCH you OUT.
2. 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. Put someone in an unexpected and difficult situation (often passive)
   (Separable [obligatory] | International English)
   
   » Example: We were CAUGHT OUT in the storm.

Catch up

1. 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. 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

1. 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

1. Do something that should have been done earlier
   (Inseparable | International English)
   
   » Example: I'm going home to CATCH UP ON my sleep.
2. 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

1. Do something that should have been done earlier
   (Inseparable | International English)
   
   » Example: I'm going home to CATCH UP WITH my sleep.
2. 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. When something negative starts to have an effect
   (Inseparable | International English)
   
   » Example: His criminal behaviour is starting to CATCH UP WITH him.
4. 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. 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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