catch oneself on

UK/ˌkæt͡ʃ ˌwʌnsɛlf ˈɒn/US/ˌkɛt͡ʃ ˌwʌnsɛlf ˈɑn/US/kæt͡ʃ-/

phrase

To cause (oneself) to get or regain a proper appreciation of a situation; to behave in the expected, sensible way; to stop fooling around or being silly.

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Meanings

phrase
  1. imperativeinformalIreland (especially Northern Ireland)To cause (oneself) to get or regain a proper appreciation of a situation; to behave in the expected, sensible way; to stop fooling around or being silly.

    Big Pat's still wearing his hair like two floppy ears on a dog. He's amazing: wouldn't you think his wife or someone would tell him to catch himself on.

    2011, Colin Neill, “Behind Every Man …”, in Turas: A Story of Strangers in a Strange Land, Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicester: Matador, Troubador Publishing, →ISBN, page 68

Origin

See catch on.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish ryhdistäytyä
  • ryhdistäytyäto cause (oneself) to get or regain a proper appreciation of a situation; to behave in the expected, sensible way
Polish ogarniać się, ogarnąć się
  • ogarniać sięto cause (oneself) to get or regain a proper appreciation of a situation; to behave in the expected, sensible way
  • ogarnąć sięto cause (oneself) to get or regain a proper appreciation of a situation; to behave in the expected, sensible way

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with catch oneself on

onjohnuponnonemonsongoneconwondonTaiwanronlawnsalonTucsonwanswanGabonmontanonconnthereonYvonnetonne
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

catch oneself on. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catch%20oneself%20on

MLA

“catch oneself on.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catch%20oneself%20on. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “catch oneself on,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catch%20oneself%20on.

Source: catch oneself on on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.