Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

catch a stray

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.71 in modern English

Syllables
catch a stray
IPA
21
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
1
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To be unexpectedly and casually insulted in a seemingly unrelated discussion or argument.

Slang

Example Sentences

Etymology

From catch (“to be hit by”) + a + stray (“a stray bullet”).

Usage

Inflected Forms

catches a stray (present, singular) catching a stray (participle, present) caught a stray (participle, past) caught a stray (past) catch strays (alternative)

Questions

What does catch a stray mean?
To be unexpectedly and casually insulted in a seemingly unrelated discussion or argument.
Where does catch a stray come from?
From catch (“to be hit by”) + a + stray (“a stray bullet”).

How to pronounce catch a stray

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “catch a stray”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “catch a stray”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “catch a stray” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.