Definition

1. Noun:

   • The act of taking something or someone by force or through skill: "capture" can refer to the act of seizing control, possession, or custody of a person, animal, or object.
   • The thing or person taken: "capture" can also refer to the person, animal, or object that has been taken.
   • A specific technical process: In physics and astronomy, it refers to a process where a particle or celestial body is acquired by another through a force like gravity.

2. Verb:

   • To take something or someone by force or skill: The most common meaning, involving seizing control or possession.
   • To succeed in recording, representing, or expressing something: "capture" can mean to successfully record a moment, feeling, or idea in a permanent form like a photo, video, or description.
   • To attract and hold attention or interest: To gain and keep someone's focus or affection.

Examples

• Noun:

  • The capture of the city marked a turning point in the war.
  • The photographer's most famous capture was a rare bird in flight.
  • Electron capture is a type of radioactive decay.

• Verb:

  • The army sought to capture the enemy fortress.
  • This painting perfectly captures the sadness of the moment.
  • Her story captured the imagination of the entire nation.

Advanced Usage

• "Capture the flag": A popular outdoor game where teams try to seize the opposing team's flag.

  • We used to play capture the flag in the woods as kids.

• "Data capture": The process of collecting information and converting it into a digital format.

  • The new software automates data capture from paper forms.

• "To capture someone's heart": To make someone fall in love with you.

  • He completely captured her heart with his kindness.

Variants and Related Words

• Captor (n): A person or entity that captures someone or something.

  • The captor demanded a ransom for the hostage.

• Captive (n/adj): A person who has been captured; or the state of being imprisoned or confined.

  • The captives were held for three years.
  • A captive audience.

• Recapture (v): To capture something or someone again.

  • The company hopes to recapture its former market share.

Synonyms

• Seize: To take hold of suddenly and forcibly.
• Apprehend: To arrest or take into custody (often used for people).
• Trap: To catch or ensnare.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Capture" is not commonly used with particles to form phrasal verbs. Its meaning is typically conveyed directly.)

Related Idioms

• Capture lightning in a bottle: To achieve something nearly impossible, like preserving a fleeting moment of genius or success.

  • The director captured lightning in a bottle with that low-budget film.

• A captive market: A group of consumers who have no choice but to buy a particular product or service.

  • The prison commissary has a captive market.

Noun

1. the removal of an opponent's piece from the chess board
2. the act of taking of a person by force
3. any process in which an atomic or nuclear system acquires an additional particle
4. a process whereby a star or planet holds an object in its gravitational field
5. the act of forcibly dispossessing an owner of property

Verb

1. capture as if by hunting, snaring, or trapping
   • I caught a rabbit in the trap today
2. take possession of by force, as after an invasion
   • the invaders seized the land and property of the inhabitants
   • The army seized the town
   • The militia captured the castle
3. bring about the capture of an elementary particle or celestial body and causing it enter a new orbit
   • This nucleus has captured the slow-moving neutrons
   • The star captured a comet
4. succeed in catching or seizing, especially after a chase
   • We finally got the suspect
   • Did you catch the thief?
5. attract; cause to be enamored
   • She captured all the men's hearts
6. succeed in representing or expressing something intangible
   • capture the essence of Spring
   • capture an idea