capture
- 01 B1 Intermediate
v.to take a person or place by force, especially during a war or fight.
v.to take into one's possession or control by force, stratagem, or artifice.
Simple“The soldiers managed to capture the enemy fort after a long battle.”
In context“Rebel forces moved quickly to capture the capital city before the government could organise a counter-offensive.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
v.to record an image, sound, or moment so you can see or hear it later.
v.to record or store data, images, or sounds in a digital or physical format for later retrieval.
Simple“She used her phone to capture a beautiful video of the sunset.”
In context“The high-speed camera was able to capture the exact moment the droplet hit the surface of the water.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to succeed in showing a feeling or an idea in a book, movie, or painting.
v.to represent or express a quality, atmosphere, or feeling accurately in a creative medium.
Simple“The novel really captures the feeling of living in a small town.”
In context“The photographer's latest collection perfectly captures the melancholy of the abandoned industrial district.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
v.to take an opponent's piece off the board in a game like chess.
v.to remove an opponent's piece from the field of play according to the rules of a game.
Simple“I managed to capture his queen, which helped me win the chess match.”
In context“In a bold tactical move, she sacrificed her knight to capture the opponent's most valuable defensive piece.”
Synonyms - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the act of catching someone or taking control of a place.
n.the act of seizing or the state of being seized by force.
Simple“The capture of the thief was caught on the security cameras.”
In context“The sudden capture of the city-state sent shockwaves through the neighbouring regions, prompting an immediate diplomatic response.”
SynonymsAntonyms
Usage capture their attention · capture light · capture the full
“Wells was an 18-year-old college student who was found dead on 6 July after a boating trip with friends, and his death captured national attention .”
“It said the overall cost figures do not capture the full range of benefits because they are "not possible to monetise".”
Borrowed from Middle French capture (noun), from Latin captūra. Displaced native Old English fenġ (noun) and ġefōn (verb).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.