catch a glimpse — see briefly
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutraloccasional
to see someone or something for a very short moment, often by chance.
Say it like a native
Textbook I momentarily perceived a fleeting visual impression of her.
Native I caught a glimpse of her in the crowd.
'Momentarily perceived a fleeting visual impression' is absurdly formal; 'caught a glimpse of' is normal.
Pattern: catch a glimpse (of someone/something)
In use
- I managed to catch a glimpse of the famous actor as he left the restaurant.daily life
- During my trip to London, I caught a glimpse of the Queen as her car passed by, which was a very exciting moment for me.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ I caught a glimpse on the singer.
✓ I caught a glimpse of the singer.
'A glimpse OF something', not 'on'.
Common collocations
catch a glimpse of— of, only, barely, manage to
Don't confuse it
Different from 'look at', which means to look directly and for a longer time.