catch a cold
Meaning
To become ill with a common cold (often implying you got it from exposure or infection).
Origin
"Catch" has long been used to mean "contract" a disease (as if an illness is something you can be seized by or picked up). The phrase became standard with common illnesses like colds.
Notes
Neutral and everyday. Often suggests you got the cold from exposure or someone else, but it can also simply mean you became sick.
Examples
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I think I caught a cold on the flight home.
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If you go out without a jacket, you might catch a cold.
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She caught a cold last week and has been coughing ever since.
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Try not to catch a cold before the big presentation.
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He caught a cold from his kids and had to take a day off work.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as a verb phrase: catch a cold / caught a cold / catch colds easily. Article is typically "a" (not "the"). Can take modifiers: catch a bad cold.
Synonyms
- get a cold
- come down with a cold
- pick up a cold
- contract a cold
Antonyms
- recover from a cold
- get over a cold
- stay healthy