Also 5 cacche, kache, Sc. cach, 5–6 Sc. caich(e, 6 catche, cache, 6–7 katch, 7 Sc. caitche, 7–9 (chiefly in sense 14) ketch. [f. the vb. (The senses are taken from different uses of the verb, and form no regular series among themselves.)]
1. The act or fact of catching in various senses; see the vb.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia, I. (1613), 91. She would faine the catch of Strephon flie.
1649. G. Daniel, Trinarch., Rich. II., lxviii. Demands To Princes made in Catch of Rebel Hands.
1722. De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 203. She intended to have me, if she could catch, and it was indeed a kind of a catch.
1870. Daily News, 20 Sept. The French captured a German schooner…. This wretched little catch called forth an uncommon deal of enthusiasm and cheering on board the other ships.
1884. J. Payn, Thicker than W., vi. 42. There was a ‘catch’ in her breath.
1887. Blackw. Mag., Nov., 692. The young people … play at catch with coloured balls.
† b. To lie (or be) at (the) catch, to lie (or be) upon the catch: to lie in wait; to be on the watch for an opportunity of catching or seizing something, esp. of catching a person’s words, finding fault, making objections, etc. Obs.
1630. Sibbes, Bruised Reed, xv. Wks. 1862, I. 68. As one sitting at a catch for all advantages against them.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 528. As a prisoner … always lies at the catch and opportunity to seeke his escape.
1656. H. More, Antid. Ath., II. xi. § 7. 75. Scaliger lay at catch with him [Cardan] to take him tripping wherever he could.
1742. Richardson, Pamela, IV. 170. I saw he was upon the Catch, and look’d stedfastly upon me whenever I mov’d my Lips.
1814. Jane Austen, Lady Susan, xiv. (1879), 230. Miss M. is absolutely on the catch for a husband.
2. a. The catching of fish. b. The number of fish caught at one time, or during one season.
1465. Mann. & Househ. Exp., 473. To axe of my lord of Duram in yifte the kache of Hangeford.
1799. J. Robertson, Agric. Perth, 377. The expence of fishing must be paid…: after which the benefit of the catch is supposed to accrue to the proprietors.
1875. Buckland, Log-Bk., 12. The catch depends very much upon the weather.
1884. Stubbs’ Merc. Circular, 27 Feb., 194/1. The total catch of mackerel by the New England fleet was 236,685 barrels.
3. Cricket. The act of catching the ball, when struck by the batsman, before it reaches the ground, and so putting him ‘out.’
1770. J. Love, Cricket, 17. Weymark unhappily misses a Catch.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., vii. At every bad attempt at a catch … he launched his personal displeasure at the head of the devoted individual in such denunciations as … ‘now butter-fingers.’
1886. Gurney, Phantasms of Living, I. 561. His mental condition after just missing a catch.
b. transf. A player who catches well.
1884. Lillywhite’s Cricket Ann., 102. H. J. Ford; a safe catch in the long-field.
† 4. Sc. A chase, pursuit. Obs.
c. 1450. Henryson, Mor. Fab., 83. Yee shall rew this race. What was the cause yee gaue mee sic a katch?
† 5. Sc. Tennis. (Cf. CACHESPEL.) Obs.
c. 1475. Ratis Raving, I. 1245. Ryne at baris, and at the ball, And at the caich play with all.
1496. Treasurer’s Acc., in Tytler, Hist. Scot. (1864), II. 261/2, note. To the king in Strivelin, to play at the cach.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., III. 509. James Stewart … playand … wes with his peiris all Than at the catche.
1535. Lyndesay, Satyre, 3411. Thocht I preich not, I can play at the caiche.
1599. James I., Βασιλικον Δωρον, III. (1603), 121. Playing at the catche or tennise.
† 6. A trick. Obs.
c. 1430. Lerne or be Lewd, in Babees Bk. (1868), 9. Warre Knavis cacches.
† 7. A catching or entangling question. Obs.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 86. The catch is so unphilosophical, that that which gainsays it most, is most true.
1693. W. Freke, Sel. Ess., xii. 62. Most of their arguments … are nothing but a few empty Catches in mere words.
8. Something intended to catch the attention, the popular fancy or demand, etc.
1781. Cowper, Lett., 5 March, Wks. (1876), 66. The passage you objected to I inserted merely by way of catch.
1871. S. S. Jordan, in Ess. & Lyrics (1878), 204. This is a ha’penny catch.
† 9. A catching sight; a glimpse, view. Obs.
1775. Johnson, in Boswell (1831), III. 258. Such houses as had any catch of the river.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 610. [It] presents to the eye, through the cleft, a small catch of smooth blue horizon.
10. concr. That by which anything is caught and held; any contrivance for checking the motion of a piece of mechanism, a door, etc.
1520. MS. Acc. St. John’s Hosp. Canterb., Payd for a lache and a cache and a stapylle ijd. Ibid. (1647), 86. For a katch for my gate jd.
1644. Nye, Gunnery (1670), 31. These catches, being either of steel or brass.
1686. Lond. Gaz., No. 2132/4. A pair of plain Pistols with … one of the Catches broke off from the Lock.
1829. Nat. Philos., I. Mechanics, II. vi. 25 (Libr. Usef. Knowl.). The ratchet-wheel and catch.
1851. Illust. Lond. News, 42. The derrick being supported by a catch or pall.
1882. Mallock, Soc. Equality, viii. 203. A catch attached to the beam of the engine.
11. That which is caught or is worth catching; something gained; an acquisition.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., II. i. 333. No doubt but he hath got a quiet catch. Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., II. i. 109. Hector shall haue a great catch, if he knocke out either of your braines; he were as good cracke a fustie nut with no kernell.
1662. Dryden, Wild Gallant, III. i. (1669), 37 The Gentleman had got a great catch of her as they say.
1830. Galt, Lawrie T., IV. ix. (1849), 174. He would be a great catch to the settlement.
1840. Marryat, Poor Jack, li. She … was considered quite a catch at card-parties.
† 12. The point to be caught or seized. Obs.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXXIV. xxxii. 873 a. I will not use many words … but come to the very catch and point of the matter.
† 13. A fragment or scrap of anything caught up; ‘a snatch; a short interval of action’ (J.).
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 838 (J.). All which Notions are but ignorant Catches of a few Things, which are most Obuious to Mens Obseruations.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., Ed. to Rdr. (J.). The way it has been writ in, by catches, with many intervals of Interruption, being apt to cause some Repetitions.
1665. Glanvill, Sceps. Sci., i. 10. We retain a catch of those pretty stories.
1742. Richardson, Pamela, III. 362. Down she sat, and sung a little Catch, and cry’d Hem! twice.
1830. T. Hamilton, Cyril Thornton (1845), 78. I made speeches, and roared catches of songs.
14. Music. Originally, a short composition for three or more voices, which sing the same melody, the second singer beginning the first line as the first goes on to the second line, and so with each successive singer; a ROUND. ‘The catch was for each succeeding singer to take up or catch his part in time’ (Grove). Subsequently specially applied to rounds in which the words are so arranged as to produce ludicrous effects, one singer catching at the words of another. Also attrib. and in comb., as catch-club, catch-maker.
1601. Cornwallyes, Ess., II. xliii. (1631), 207. Like a singing catch, some are beginning when others are ending.
a. 1613. Overbury, A Wife (1615). The wakefull ketches on Christmas Eue.
[1625. Bacon, Masques & Tri., Ess. (Arb.), 539. Seuerall Quires … taking the Voice by Catches, Antheme wise.]
1636. Featly, Clavis Myst., xxvii. 343. Singing as it were a catch, and taking the word one from another.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 72, ¶ 9. Several old Catches, which they sing at all Hours.
1802. Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1819), I. viii. 56.
a. 1859. Macaulay, Biog. (1867), 5. Dean Aldrich, a divine now chiefly remembered by his catches.
1787. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Ode upon Ode, Wks. 1794, I. 385, note. Though not a Purcell … a very pretty catch-maker.
1807. W. Irving, Salmag. (1824), 197. Straddle was … a member of a catch-club.
¶ Sense obscure.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. iv. 252. Thou Horson obscene greasie Tallow Catch.
Catch- in comb.; see after the vb.
