| Definitions | | ketch |
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noun - A fore and aft rigged sailing vessel with two masts, main and mizzen, the mizzen being stepped forward of the rudder post. cf. yawl.
Translations: verb (third-person singular simple present ketches, present participle ketching, simple past ketched, past participle ketched)
- To catch. - substandard spelling.
- 1815 D. HUMPHREYS Yankey in England I. 21, I guess, he is trying to mebut it won't du. I'm tu old a bird to be ketch'd with chaff.
- 1865 DICKENS Mut. Fr. II. IV. xv. 287 Wot is it, lambs, as they ketches in seas, rivers, lakes, and ponds? a1883 see KNUCK 2.
- 1911 E. WHARTON Ethan Frome ii. 60 You'll your death. The fire's out long ago.
- 1916 W. O. BRADLEY Stories & Speeches 18 You'll never me hollerin' at no Republican gatherin'.
- 1929 H. W. ODUM in A. Dundes Mother Wit (1973) 184 If so you gonna hell. 1967 Atlantic Monthly Apr. 103/1 You heard about that joke a dollar down and a dollar when you ketch me?
- 1968 S. STUCKEY in A. Chapman New Black Voices (1972) 445 Run, nigger, run, de patrollers will you.
Etymology: From Jack Ketch. A Hangman in the 17th Century. Rare. To hang.- 1681 T. FLATMAN Heraclitus Ridens No. 14 'Squire Ketch rejoices as much to hear of a new Vox, as an old Sexton does to hear of a new Delight. Ibid. No. 18 Well! If he has a mind to be Ketch'd, speed him say I.
- 1840 Fraser's Mag. XXI. 210 Ignorant of many of the secrets of ketchcraft.
- 1859 MATSELL Vocab. s.v. (Farmer), I'll you; I'll hang you.
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