| 释义 |
catch-up, n.2 and a.
Brit. |ˈkatʃʌp|, U.S. |ˈkætʃˌəp|
[‹ to catch up at catch v. 7a.]
A. n.
†1. That which has been caught up. Obs. rare.
1879J. T. Fields Verses for a Few Friends 23 What impelled me then to snatch up In my arms this ghostly catch-up, Who can tell?
2. The action or process of catching up with or matching another in a particular activity (esp. in Business); an instance of this.
1918Q. Jrnl. Econ. 32 645 The assumed catch-up in prices must somehow change precipitately back into a lag. 1965Listener 2 Sept. 344/3 We have been promised cheap nuclear energy before, and in fact the conventional power stations did a rapid catch-up then. 1988Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 20 Dec. 30/7 (headline) ‘Masked’ rider in a catch-up. 1997Times 5 Mar. 28/7 Last summer's brief surge was probably a catch-up of purchases delayed by recession.
3. to play catch-up: (to be obliged) to make an effort to catch up from a trailing position; to try to equal a competitor.
[1965N.Y. Times 25 Oct. 49/1 The New York quarterback soon found himself having to play catch-up football.] 1968Science 19 Jan. 341/1 (advt.) The Mark 200 came on the market back in 1961. And ever since, the competition's been playing catch-up. 1980R. Lee China Jrnl. i. 11 China is now having to play catch-up, for in a world of change, to stay put is to fall behind. 1998Coloradoan (Fort Collins) 30 July b2/4 But GM was slow to catch on to the growth in consumer demand for trucks and is playing catch-up.
B. adj. Of, characterized by, or constituting a catch-up; required in order to catch up.
1951Proc. Royal Soc. (A.) 209247 For a given shock strength the arc UK approaches the point of reflection B as the angle δ is decreased, and reaches B at a value of δ which has been called the ‘catch-up’ value. 1967Jrnl. Pediatrics 70 518/1 Improvement in growth rate is dependent upon treatment of the underlying abnormality. When this is possible, an improved or normal growth rate may occur, but there is usually not much ‘catch-up’ growth to correct for the past deficit. 1979Tucson (Arizona) Mag. Sept. 19/1 They're in a catch-up mode, now. 1998Housing Agenda Apr. (Finance section) 8/2 {pstlg}20 billion just to meet the bill for catch-up repairs on decaying LA housing. |