Expression Cards
671 cards available.
phrasal-verb
catch off guard
Meaning
to surprise someone unexpectedly
Example
Her sudden question **caught me off guard**.
idiom
Catch on
Meaning
To begin to understand something.
Example
It took him a while to **catch on** to the new rules.
phrasal-verb
catch on quickly
Meaning
to understand new concepts or ideas fast
Example
She **catches on quickly** when it comes to math problems.
phrasal-verb
catch on to
Meaning
to understand or learn something new, especially after some time
Example
It took him a few weeks to **catch on to** the new reporting system.
phrasal-verb
catch on with
Meaning
to become popular or well-accepted among people
Example
The innovative idea quickly **caught on with** young consumers.
phrasal-verb
catch one’s breath
Meaning
to stop and rest for a moment after physical activity
Example
After running upstairs, I stopped to **catch my breath**.
phrasal-verb
catch out
Meaning
to trick someone into making a mistake; to discover someone doing something wrong
Example
The reporter tried to **catch out** the politician with a tricky question.
idiom
catch some z’s
Meaning
to get some sleep
Example
I need to **catch some z’s** before the meeting.
phrasal-verb
catch somebody out
Meaning
to show that someone has made a mistake or is lying
Example
The teacher tried to **catch the student out** during the test.
idiom
catch someone red-handed
Meaning
to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The police **caught him red-handed** as he was stealing from the store.
phrasal-verb
catch someone’s eye
Meaning
to attract someone's attention
Example
The bright red car **caught my eye** as it drove past.
idiom
catch the train
Meaning
to be on time for a train or event
Example
Hurry up or you’ll not **catch the train**!
idiom
catch the travel bug
Meaning
to become very interested in traveling
Example
After visiting Thailand, she really **caught the travel bug**.
idiom
catch up
Meaning
to meet and talk after a long time; to reach the same level as someone
Example
Let’s **catch up** over coffee this weekend.
phrasal-verb
catch up in
Meaning
to become involved in something, often unwillingly
Example
He got **caught up in** a legal issue he didn’t understand.
phrasal-verb
catch up on
Meaning
to do something that one has missed or delayed doing before a deadline
Example
I stayed late to **catch up on** my unfinished reports.
phrasal-verb
catch up to
Meaning
to reach the same level or position as someone ahead
Example
He ran faster to **catch up to** the leading runner.
phrasal-verb
catch up with
Meaning
to reach the same level or standard as others
Example
Many companies are trying to **catch up with** global tech giants.
phrasal-verb
catch up with trends
Meaning
to stay updated with the latest developments or innovations
Example
Founders must **catch up with trends** to stay competitive.
idiom
catfish someone
Meaning
to deceive someone by creating a fake online identity
Example
He was **catfished** by someone pretending to be a model.
idiom
Catwalk queen
Meaning
A woman who is very confident and stylish, like a model
Example
She walked into the room like a **catwalk queen**.
idiom
caught between a rock and a hard place
Meaning
in a difficult situation where any choice you make will have negative consequences
Example
I'm **caught between a rock and a hard place** - both options are terrible.
idiom
caught between two stools
Meaning
to fail because of trying to do two things at once
Example
He was **caught between two stools**—trying to please both his boss and his team.
idiom
caught off guard
Meaning
surprised or shocked by something unexpected
Example
She was **caught off guard** by the sudden question.