Ketch

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -É›tʃ

Full definition of ketch

Noun

1. A fore and aft rigged sailing vessel with two masts, main and mizzen, the mizzen being stepped forward of the rudder post.

See catch

Verb

1. Eye dialect of catch.
• 1815, D. HUMPHREYS, Yankey in England, I. 21,I guess, he is trying to ketch mebut it won't du. I'm tu old a bird to be ketch'd with chaff.
• 1865, Charles Dickens, , II. IV. xv., page 287Wot is it, lambs, as they ketches in seas, rivers, lakes, and ponds?
• 1883 KNUCK 2.
• 1911, Edith Wharton, , volume ii, page 60You'll ketch your death. The fire's out long ago.
• 1916, W. O. BRADLEY, Stories & Speeches 18You'll never ketch me hollerin' at no Republican gatherin'.
• 1929, H. W. ODUM, in A. Dundes Mother Wit (1973), page 184If so you gonna ketch hell.
• 1967, Atlantic Monthly, Apr. 103/1You heard about that joke a dollar down and a dollar when you ketch me?
• 1968 S. STUCKEY, in A. Chapman, New Black Voices (1972), page 445Run, nigger, run, de patrollers will ketch you.

From Jack Ketch, a hangman of the 17th century.

Verb

1. (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.
• n.d., ''Ibid;;. No. 18Well! If he has a mind to be Ketch'd, speed him say I.
• 1840, Fraser's Mag., XXI. 210Ignorant of many of the secrets of ketchcraft.
• 1859, MATSELL Vocab. s.v. (Farmer),I'll ketch you; I'll hang you.

Noun

1. A hangman.