catch on
To understand; to begin to understand; to realize.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I didn't catch on at first, but now I understand.”
“It took her a while to catch on that he was joking.”
“Watching the subtle shift in his expression, she finally began to catch on that something was terribly wrong.”
disputed origin
From catch (verb) + on (preposition).
- 01
catch a body
to kill, to murder
- 02
catch a break
To experience the minimal amount of good luck or a favorable outcome.
- 03
catch a case
To be infected with a disease; used with of.
- 04
catch a cold
To contract a cold.
- 05
catch a date
Of a prostitute, to secure a client who is willing to pay for services.
- 06
catch a fade
To get knocked out (struck and rendered unconscious).
- 07
catch a falling knife
To buy a financial instrument whose price is falling rapidly.
- 08
catch a packet
To be fired upon.
Last updated August 10, 2026