catch+by+surprise
71catch\ with\ one's\ pants\ down — v. phr. slang (smb) To surprise someone in an embarrassing position or guilty act. They thought they could succeed in the robbery, but they got caught with their pants down. When the weather turned hot in May, the drive in restaurant was caught… …
72catch one's breath — 1》 cease breathing momentarily in surprise or fear. 2》 rest after exercise to restore normal breathing. → breath …
73catch — I. v. a. 1. Grasp, seize, snatch, clutch, gripe, grasp, lay hold of, fasten upon. 2. Arrest, apprehend, capture. 3. Overtake, come up with. 4. Ensnare, entrap, entangle. 5. Captivate, charm, enchant, fascinate, bewitch, win. 6. Take (as a… …
74catch someone on the hop — British informal to surprise someone because you do something that they do not expect you to do Yesterday s developments caught the government on the hop …
75catch someone flat-footed — informal take someone by surprise the rise of regional conflicts has caught military planners flat footed …
76To catch fire — Catch Catch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Caught}or {Catched}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Catching}. Catched is rarely used.] [OE. cacchen, OF. cachier, dialectic form of chacier to hunt, F. chasser, fr. (assumend) LL. captiare, for L. capture, V. intens. of… …
77to catch it — Catch Catch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Caught}or {Catched}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Catching}. Catched is rarely used.] [OE. cacchen, OF. cachier, dialectic form of chacier to hunt, F. chasser, fr. (assumend) LL. captiare, for L. capture, V. intens. of… …
78To catch one's eye — Catch Catch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Caught}or {Catched}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Catching}. Catched is rarely used.] [OE. cacchen, OF. cachier, dialectic form of chacier to hunt, F. chasser, fr. (assumend) LL. captiare, for L. capture, V. intens. of… …
79To catch up — Catch Catch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Caught}or {Catched}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Catching}. Catched is rarely used.] [OE. cacchen, OF. cachier, dialectic form of chacier to hunt, F. chasser, fr. (assumend) LL. captiare, for L. capture, V. intens. of… …
