Catch on catch on & catches on catching on caught on caught on

1. catch on p.v. When a fashion or habit becomes popular and is adopted by many people, it catches on. When a product or service becomes popular and is used or bought by many people, it catches on.

Beta VCRs never caught on.

If his striped business suits catch on, the designer will become famous.

2. catch on p.v. When you eventually begin to understand something or begin to learn a skill after practicing and studying, you catch on.

When Sally studies something, she usually catches on right away.

Learning to dance the cumbia wasn't easy, but I eventually caught on.

3. catch on (to) p.v. When you catch on or catch on to people, you realize that they are trying to trick or cheat you.

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If you keep lying to everyone, they'll eventually catch on.

It took me a while, but I finally caught on to him.

1. come about p.v. When something comes about, it happens, usually as a result of a series of events and actions.

He was the richest man in town, and now he's bankrupt. How did that come about?

Several major medical advances have come about in the last fifty years.