# caught

/ˈkɑt/ (US) · /kˈɔːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/caught
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. grabbed something

verb · CEFR A2

the past form of catch; to grab and hold something that is moving through the air.

For teachers: past tense and past participle of catch, meaning to intercept and hold a moving object.

- He caught the ball with one hand while running across the field.
- The outfielder caught the fly ball just inches from the boundary, securing the final out of the inning.

### 2. found doing something

verb · CEFR B1

to find someone doing something they were trying to hide.

For teachers: to surprise or detect someone in the act of performing an action, often an illicit or private one.

- The teacher caught the students whispering during the final exam.
- The security cameras caught the intruder attempting to bypass the electronic lock on the rear entrance.

### 3. became ill

verb · CEFR A2

to get a cold or another illness from someone else.

For teachers: to contract an infectious disease or illness.

- I caught a terrible cold after walking home in the heavy rain.
- Several staff members caught the flu during the winter peak, leading to a temporary shortage of available personnel.

### 4. heard or saw

verb · CEFR B1

to manage to hear, see, or understand something briefly.

For teachers: to perceive or apprehend something momentarily or with difficulty.

- I only caught the last few words of their private conversation.
- She caught a glimpse of the mountain peak through the clouds before the mist obscured the view again.

### 5. out in cricket

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

a way of being out in cricket where a player grabs the ball after you hit it.

For teachers: describing a method of dismissal in which a fielder catches the ball after it has been hit by the batsman but before it touches the ground.

- The batsman was caught at mid-on for only twelve runs.
- The captain was caught behind the stumps after a sharp delivery induced a faint edge from the bat.

## Examples

- He caught the ball with one hand.
- The manager caught the employees taking an unscheduled break in the storage room.
- Having caught the early train, the consultant arrived at the headquarters well before the rest of the team, allowing her time to review the final presentation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.