catch sight of — see briefly
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutraloccasional
to notice or see someone or something for a short moment, often unexpectedly.
Say it like a native
Textbook I unexpectedly perceived him among the assembled crowd.
Native I caught sight of him in the crowd.
'Unexpectedly perceived among the assembled crowd' is overwritten; 'caught sight of' is normal.
Pattern: catch sight of + noun/pronoun
In use
- I caught sight of my friend across the crowded street.daily life
- During my trip to the mountains, I caught sight of a deer running through the trees, which was a really special moment for me.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ I caught sight on him.
✓ I caught sight of him.
'Catch sight OF someone', not 'on'.
Common collocations
catch sight of— of, suddenly, first, as soon as
Don't confuse it
Different from 'look at', which means to watch something on purpose.