catch out

catch out
phrasal verb [transitive]
Word forms "catch out":
present tense I/you/we/they catch out he/she/it catches out present participle catching out past tense caught out past participle caught out British
1) to show that someone has made a mistake or is not telling the truth, especially by asking them questions

He asked her casual questions to see if he could catch her out.

2) [usually passive] to put someone in an unpleasant or difficult situation that they are not prepared for

They came close to being caught out by the weather during another climb on Mont Blanc.

3) same as catch I, 1), b)

English dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • catch-out pond — a pond stocked with fish for fee paying anglers to catch …   Dictionary of ichthyology

  • Catch out — 1. trap somebody, as into revealing a secret or displaying ignorance; 2. surprise …   Dictionary of Australian slang

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