catch‐as‐catch‐canの英語

発音

動詞

catch as catch can (third-person singular simple present catches as catch can, present participle catching as catch can, no simple past or past participle). See Usage notes.

1. (idiomatic, chiefly imperative) To use any available means or methods.
   • 1698, John Fryer, “Carries Us to Jelfa; Where Is Treated of the Gabers, or Original Persians, the Armenians, Georgians, and Europe Artisans”, in A New Account of East-India and Persia, in Eight Letters. Being Nine Years Travels, Begun 1672. And Finished 1681. […], London: […] R[obert] R[oberts] for Ri[chard] Chiswell, letter V (Travels into Persia), page 266:

     Which being done, the Women run in the dark to catch as catch can; and whatever Lot they light on, […]

使用する際の注意点

• The past and past participle forms are relatively rare. The various forms seem to reflect some uncertainty as to the intrinsic grammar of the expression. They are caught as caught can, caught as catch can, caught as catch could, and caught as caught could. The variety could be taken to confirm that the expression is truly idiomatic.

関連する語

• catch-as-catch-can
• get as get can
• find as find can
• do as do can
• have as have can

別の表記

• catch as catch can

発音

形容詞

catch-as-catch-can

1. (idiomatic) Only when possible or when the opportunity presents itself; intermittent.

   My efforts lately have been catch-as-catch-can, not carefully planned.

   • 1952, Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man, Penguin Books (2014), page x:

     My wife did indeed provide the more dependable contributions to our income while mine came catch-as-catch-can.

2. (wrestling) Relating to catch wrestling, a folk style of wrestling with minimal restrictions.
   • 1980, Walter Armstrong, Wrestling, page x:

     In Lancashire and the north of Ireland, the catch-hold or catch-as-catch-can system still finds favour.

副詞

catch-as-catch-can (comparative more catch-as-catch-can, superlative most catch-as-catch-can)

1. Ad hoc; in any way possible.

派生した語

• → Spanish: cachascán — Peru

関連する語

• catch as catch can