Ca*taw"bas (?), n. pl.; sing. Catawba. (Ethnol.) An Appalachian tribe of Indians which originally inhabited the regions near the Catawba river and the head waters of the Santee.
Cat"bird (?), n. (Zo÷l.) An American bird (Galeoscoptes Carolinensis), allied to the mocking bird, and like it capable of imitating the notes of other birds, but less perfectly. Its note resembles at times the mewing of a cat.
Cat"boat` (?), n. (Naut.) A small sailboat, with a single mast placed as far forward as possible, carring a sail extended by a gaff and long boom. See Illustration in Appendix.
Cat"call` (?), n. A sound like the cry of a cat, such as is made in playhouses to express dissatisfaction with a play; also, a small shrill instrument for making such a noise.
Upon the rising of the curtain. I was very much surprised with the great consort of catcalls which was exhibited.
Addison.
Catch (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Caught (?) or Catched (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Catching. Catched is rarely used.] [OE. cacchen, OF. cachier, dialectic form of chacier to hunt, F. chasser, fr. (assumend) LL. captiare, for L. capture, V. intens. of capere to take, catch. See Capacious, and cf. Chase, Case a box.]
1. To lay hold on; to seize, especially with the hand; to grasp (anything) in motion, with the effect of holding; as, to catch a ball.
2. To seize after pursuing; to arrest; as, to catch a thief. "They pursued . . . and caught him." Judg. i. 6.
3. To take captive, as in a snare or net, or on a hook; as, to catch a bird or fish.