- catch someone out
- Brit.1》 detect that someone has done something wrong.2》 put someone in a difficult situation for which they are unprepared.→ catch
English new terms dictionary. 2014.
catch someone out
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ˌcatch sb ˈout — phrasal verb British 1) to show that someone has made a mistake, or is not telling the truth He asked her casual questions to see if he could catch her out.[/ex] 2) to put someone into a situation that they are not prepared for The climbers are… … Dictionary for writing and speaking English
catch sb out — UK US catch sb out Phrasal Verb with catch({{}}/kætʃ/ verb [T] (caught, caught) ► to unexpectedly cause difficulty for someone: »The interest rate is very competitive and fixed for the term, so borrowers won t get caught out by rising interest… … Financial and business terms
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 someone napping — the teacher had warned us to be ever prepared, but the unannounced test caught most of us napping Syn: catch off guard, catch unawares, surprise, take by surprise, catch out, find unprepared; informal catch someone with their pants down … Thesaurus of popular words
catch — verb (past and past participle caught) 1》 intercept and hold (something which has been thrown, propelled, or dropped). ↘seize or take hold of. ↘Cricket dismiss (a batsman) by catching the ball before it touches the ground. 2》 capture (a… … English new terms dictionary
catch out — verb trap; especially in an error or in a reprehensible act He was caught out She was found out when she tried to cash the stolen checks • Syn: ↑find out • Hypernyms: ↑detect, ↑observe, ↑find, ↑ … Useful english dictionary
catch out — PHRASAL VERB To catch someone out means to cause them to make a mistake that reveals that they are lying about something, do not know something, or cannot do something. [mainly BRIT] [V n P prep] Detectives followed him for months hoping to catch … English dictionary
catch — ► VERB (past and past part. caught) 1) intercept and hold (something thrown, propelled, or dropped). 2) seize or take hold of. 3) capture after a chase or in a trap, net, etc. 4) be in time to board (a train, bus, etc.) or to see (a person,… … English terms dictionary
catch — [kach, kech] vt. caught, catching [ME cacchen < Anglo Fr cachier < VL * captiare < L captare, to seize < pp. of capere, to take hold: see HAVE] 1. to seize and hold, as after a chase; capture 2. to seize or take by or as by a trap,… … English World dictionary
catch — catch1 W1S1 [kætʃ] v past tense and past participle caught [ko:t US ko:t] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(take and hold)¦ 2¦(find/stop somebody)¦ 3¦(see somebody doing something)¦ 4¦(illness)¦ 5 catch somebody by surprise/catch somebody off guard 6 catch somebody… … Dictionary of contemporary English
