ENGLISH
REFERENCE

captured

v. · adj.
US //ˈkæptʃɝd// UK //kˈæptʃəd// cap·tured
  1. 1 to catch by force (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to take someone as a prisoner or to catch an animal.

    to take into one's possession or control by force, strategy, or artifice.

    Example

    The soldiers captured the enemy leader after a long search in the mountains.

    Example

    The rebel forces captured the strategic outpost at dawn, effectively cutting off the supply lines to the capital city.

    Usage

    Transitive verb taking a direct object.

  2. 2 to record or represent (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to record a moment, a feeling, or a scene in a photo, video, or story.

    to succeed in representing or recording an elusive quality, emotion, or atmosphere.

    Example

    The photographer captured the beautiful sunset perfectly in her latest picture.

    Example

    The novelist captured the melancholy of the post-war era with remarkable precision and emotional depth.

    Usage

    Often used in the context of art, photography, and literature.

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  1. 3 taken prisoner (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    describing someone or something that has been caught and is being held.

    having been taken into possession or confinement by force.

    Example

    The captured animals were treated well by the zoo keepers.

    Example

    The captured documents provided the intelligence agency with vital information regarding the group's future operations.

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