catch sight of someone or something Definition

catch
verb caught (past tense, past participle), catching (present participle)

1. To stop (a moving object) and hold it.
2. To manage to get hold of or trap, especially after a hunt or chase.

Thesaurus: seize, take, apprehend, snatch, snag, grab, snare, entrap, nab, net; Antonym: miss, free, unleash.
3. To be in time to get, reach, see, etc something.

Example: catch the last post
4. To overtake or draw level with someone or something.
5. To discover someone or something in time to prevent or to encourage the development of something.

Example: The disease can be cured if caught early
6. To surprise someone doing something wrong or embarrassing.

Example: I caught them in a passionate clinch in the kitchen
7. To trick or trap.
8. To become infected with (a disease, etc).

Thesaurus: contract, incur, get, acquire, develop, come down with, succumb to; Antonym: ward off, get over.
tr & intr
9. To become or cause to become accidentally attached or held.

Example: My dress caught on a nail
10. To hit.

Example: I caught him square on the chin
11. To manage to hear, see or understand something.

Example: I didn't quite catch your third point
Thesaurus: see, perceive, grasp, understand, follow, apprehend.
12. To attract (attention, etc).

Example: catch her eye
intr
13. To start burning.

Example: The fire caught within seconds and spread to the library
14. To succeed in recording (a subtle quality, etc).

Example: The artist caught her expression perfectly
15. cricket.
To put (a batsman) out by gathering the ball he has struck before it touches the ground.

noun catches

1. An act of catching.
2. A small device for keeping a lid, door, etc closed.
3. Something caught.
4. The total amount of eg fish caught.
5. A hidden problem or disadvantage; a snag; some unsuspected trick in a question, etc.

Thesaurus: proviso, fine print, condition, caveat, stipulation; trap, gimmick, trick.
6. Someone or something that it would be advantageous to get hold of, eg a certain person as a husband or wife.
7. A slight breaking sound in one's voice, caused by emotion.
8. A children's game of throwing and catching a ball.
9. music.
A humorous round sung by two or three people.

Derivative: catchable
adj

Idiom: be caught short

See under short.

Idiom: be caught up in something (get caught up in something)

To be or get involved in it, especially unintentionally.

Idiom: catch fire

To start burning.

Idiom: catch hold of something

To grasp or grab it.

Idiom: catch it

colloq
To be scolded, punished, etc.

Idiom: catch sight of someone or something (catch a glimpse of someone or something)

To see them only for a brief moment.

Etymology: 13c: from French cachier, from Latin captiare to try to catch, from capere to seize.

Phrasal Verb: catch at something

To try to catch or hold it; to hold on to it briefly.

Phrasal Verb: catch on

To become popular.To understand it.

Phrasal Verb: catch someone out

To trick them into making a mistake.To discover them or take them unawares in embarrassing circumstances.

Phrasal Verb: catch up

To draw level with someone ahead.To bring oneself up to date with one's work, the latest news, etc.To immerse or occupy.
Example: She was completely caught up in her studies

Phrasal Verb: catch something up

To pick it up or grab it hastily.

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sight
noun

1. The power or faculty of seeing; vision.

Thesaurus: vision, seeing, perception, apprehension.
2. A thing or object seen; view or spectacle.

Example: It's a lovely sight
Thesaurus: spectacle, scene, show, image, display.
3. Someone's field of view or vision, or the opportunity to see things that this provides.

Example: within sight
Example: out of sight
4. Places, buildings, etc that are particularly interesting or worth seeing.

Example: see the sights of the city
Form: sights (usually)
5. A device on a firearm through or along which one looks to take aim.
6. A similar device used as a guide to the eye on an optical or other instrument.
7. Opinion or judgement; estimation.

Example: In his sight he was just a failure
8. colloq
A person or thing unpleasant to look at.
Example: He looked a sight without his teeth in

verb sighted, sighting

1. To get a look at or glimpse of someone or something.

Example: She was sighted there at around midnight
Thesaurus: behold, discern, distinguish, glimpse, observe, perceive, espy.
2. To adjust the sight of (a firearm).
3. To aim (a firearm) using the sight.

Idiom: a sight

colloq
Very many; a great deal
Example: She may not be good, but she's a sight better than you!

Idiom: a sight for sore eyes

A very welcome sight.

Idiom: a sight more

colloq
A great deal or great many more.
Example: A sight more people than expected turned up

Idiom: at sight (on sight)

As soon as seen.

Without previous view or study.

Idiom: catch sight of someone or something

To catch or get a glimpse of them or it.

Idiom: know someone or something by sight

To recognize them only by their appearance; to know who they are.

Idiom: lose sight of something or someone

To no longer be able to see them or it.

To fail to keep them in mind; to lose touch with them.

Idiom: set one's sights on something

To decide on it as an ambition or aim.

Idiom: sight unseen

Without seeing or having seen the object in question beforehand.
Example: I'd never buy a house sight unseen

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon sihth.