- catch someone or something in something
- catch someone or something in somethingto trap someone or something in something. •
We caught David in the snare by accident.
•My platoon was caught in an enemy ambush.
Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.
catch someone or something in something
Look at other dictionaries:
you won't catch someone doing something — you won’t/wouldn’t/catch someone doing something phrase used for saying that it is very unlikely that someone will or would do something You wouldn’t catch me taking work home every night. Thesaurus: not likely to happensynonym general words… … Useful english dictionary
you wouldn't catch someone doing something — you won’t/wouldn’t/catch someone doing something phrase used for saying that it is very unlikely that someone will or would do something You wouldn’t catch me taking work home every night. Thesaurus: not likely to happensynonym general words… … Useful english dictionary
catch someone napping — CATCH OFF GUARD, catch unawares, (take by) surprise, catch out, find unprepared; informal catch someone with their trousers/pants down; Brit. informal catch on the hop. → nap * * * catch someone napping (informal) 1. To detect someone in error… … Useful english dictionary
catch/take someone or something by surprise — catch/take (someone or something) by surprise 1 : to happen to (someone or something) unexpectedly : to surprise (someone or something) The question caught him by surprise. The organization was taken completely by surprise by the announcement. 2 … Useful english dictionary
catch someone in the act (of doing something) — phrase to find someone and interrupt them when they are doing something wrong He denies all guilt, even though he was caught in the act. Thesaurus: to notice or recognize something or someonesynonym Main entry: act … Useful english dictionary
catch sight of something — catch sight of (someone/something) to see someone or something only for a moment. I caught sight of someone with red hair and knew it was you … New idioms dictionary
catch someone in the act — To come upon someone in the process of doing something they should not be doing • • • Main Entry: ↑act * * * I usu. be caught in the act surprise someone in the process of doing something wrong the thieves were caught in the act II see act … Useful english dictionary
catch someone on the hop — catch (someone) on the hop if you catch someone on the hop, you do something when they are not ready for it and may not be able to deal with it well. I m afraid you ve caught me on the hop I wasn t expecting your call until this afternoon. If we… … New idioms dictionary
catch someone red-handed — catch (someone) red handed to discover someone doing something illegal or wrong. I caught him red handed trying to break into my car. (often + doing something) … New idioms dictionary
catch someone on the hop — british informal phrase to surprise someone because you do something that they do not expect you to do Yesterday’s developments caught the government on the hop. Thesaurus: to make someone feel shocked or surprisedsynonym Main entry: hop … Useful english dictionary
catch someone in the act — catch (someone) in the act to discover someone doing something wrong. I was trying to clear up the mess on the carpet before anyone noticed it, but Isobel came in and caught me in the act … New idioms dictionary
