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you can't catch me on that

 
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imchongjun



Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 120

PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:24 pm    Post subject: you can't catch me on that Reply with quote

Hello, teachers.
Could you tell me what this expression means?

You can't catch me on that.
or
You can't catch me on that one.

I checked several passages in which this expression is used, but am not quite sure of its meaning. Thanks!
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buddhaheart



Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 195
Location: Vancouver, BC Canada

PostPosted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depending on the context, �catch� could mean �hold, seize, penalize, arrest, apprehend, reprimand, fail & etc� in both of your sentences.

If you want us to nail down the answer for you, please provide full context.
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2006



Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 610

PostPosted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"catch me" can also mean trick me, fool me.
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imchongjun



Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 120

PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 7:12 pm    Post subject: you can't catch me on that Reply with quote

Hi, buddhaheart and 2006. Thank you for your replies. So "you can't catch me on that" can hame many meaning!

The particular instance I have in mind is as follows:

===================
(This is a scene of seance. The first person asks questions to a medium)

"Do you know that Arthur Wells is dead?"

"Yes. He is dead."

"Did he kill himself?"

"You can't catch me on that. I don't know."

Here the medium laughed. It was horrible. And the laughter made
the whole thing absurd. But it died away quickly.
=============================

2006 says "catch me" can mean "trick me". So I think the above example means "you can't trick me into saying who killed Arthur Wells", but am I right?
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2006



Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 610

PostPosted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think that the medium means that the questioner can't trick her into giving a wrong answer and thereby exposing that she is a fraud, like all 'mediums' are.
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