catch out

present singular third person catches out · participle present catching out · participle past caught out · past caught out

1. transitiveTo discover or expose as fake, insincere, or inaccurate.

   Bishop Manning has his enemies, but those enemies have hardly ever caught him out on a point of theology or canon law.

   1939 October 23, “Religion: Discordant Concordat”, in Time

2. transitiveTo take (someone) by surprise.

   However, Colombia broke the deadlock, Leicy Santos toying with Rachel Daly after collecting Caicedo’s pass, before sweeping a dipping effort over a caught-out Mary Earps. It was a luscious finish and the crowd enjoyed it.

   2023 August 12, Suzanne Wrack, “England hit back to beat Colombia and set up World Cup semi with Australia”, in The Guardian

3. transitiveball gamesTo put a batsman out by catching the batted ball before it touches the ground.
4. USdatedintransitiveslangTo leave an area by jumping on a train; to ride the rails away.
5. slangtransitiveTo catch (someone); to detect an error or blunder on (someone's) part.

   The police caught me out on a lie.