(baseball) playing the position of catcher on a baseball team
"The veteran player took over catching duties during the extra innings to protect his teammates' arms."
becoming infected
"catching cold is sometimes unavoidable"
"the contracting of a serious illness can be financially catastrophic"
The action of the verb catch.
"The children spent all afternoon chasing the butterfly, finally succeeding in catching it before it flew away."
In plain English: Catching is when you successfully grab something that was moving toward you before it gets away.
"The catching cold made me stay home from work for two days."
present participle of catch
"The children were running around, laughing as they tried to avoid being caught while playing tag."
In plain English: Catching means successfully grabbing something that is moving through the air before it hits the ground.
"I hope you catch the last train home tonight."
(of disease) capable of being transmitted by infection
"The flu is a catching illness that spreads easily among people in crowded rooms."
infectious, contagious
"The flu was so catching that everyone at the party got sick within hours."