capture

 
Pronunciation: /ˈkaptʃə/

verb

[with object]
  • 1take into one’s possession or control by force: the island was captured by Australian forces in 1914
  • (in chess and other board games) make a move that secures the removal of (an opposing piece) from the board: Black cannot capture the knight
  • Astronomy (of a star, planet, or other celestial body) bring (a less massive body) permanently within its gravitational influence: Jupiter’s gravity captured a small percentage of these planetesimals
  • 2record accurately in words or pictures: she did a series of sketches, trying to capture all his moods
  • 3cause (data) to be stored in a computer: these allow users to capture, edit, and display geographic data
  • 4 Physics absorb (an atomic or subatomic particle): the free electrons were moving too rapidly to be captured by nuclei
  • 5(of a stream) divert the upper course of (another stream) by encroaching on its catchment area.

noun

[mass noun]
  • the action of capturing or of being captured: the capture of the city he was killed while resisting capture
  • [count noun] a person or thing that has been captured: figurative the player was a £2,200 capture from another team

Phrases

capture someone's imagination (or attention)

fascinate someone: the project has captured the imagination of the local public

Derivatives

capturer

noun

Origin:

mid 16th century (as a noun): from French, from Latin captura, from capt- 'seized, taken', from the verb capere