different between ketch vs undefined

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?t?/

• Rhymes: -?t?

Etymology 1

From Middle English catche, from cacchen (“to catch”). For the modern form with /?/, compare the pronunciation /k?t?/ of catch.

Noun

ketch (plural ketches)

1. A fore-and-aft rigged sailing vessel with two masts, main and mizzen, the mizzen being stepped forward of the rudder post.
   • 1720, Daniel Defoe, Captain Singleton, London: J. Brotherton et al., p. 313,^[1]

     […] to finish her new Habit or Appearance, and make her Change compleat, he ordered her Sails to be alter’d; and as she sailed before with a Half-Sprit, like a Yacht, she sailed now with square Sail and Mizen Mast, like a Ketch; so that, in a Word, she was a perfect Cheat […]

Translations

Descendants

• ? Dutch: kits

See also

• yawl.

Further reading

• ketch on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology 2

See catch.

Verb

ketch (third-person singular simple present ketches, present participle ketching, simple past and past participle ketched)

1. Pronunciation spelling of catch.
   • 1815, D. HUMPHREYS, Yankey in England, I. 21,

     I guess, he is trying to ketch mebut it won't du. I'm tu old a bird to be ketch'd with chaff.

   • 1865, Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend, II. IV. xv., page 287

     Wot is it, lambs, as they ketches in seas, rivers, lakes, and ponds?

   • 1883 [see KNUCK 2].
   • 1916, W. O. BRADLEY, Stories & Speeches 18

     You'll never ketch me hollerin' at no Republican gatherin'.

   • 1929, H. W. ODUM, in A. Dundes Mother Wit (1973), page 184

     If so you gonna ketch hell.

   • 1967, Atlantic Monthly, Apr. 103/1

     You heard about that joke a dollar down and a dollar when you ketch me?

   • 1968 S. STUCKEY, in A. Chapman, New Black Voices (1972), page 445

     Run, nigger, run, de patrollers will ketch you.

Etymology 3

From Jack Ketch, a hangman of the 17th century.

Verb

ketch (third-person singular simple present ketches, present participle ketching, simple past and past participle ketched)

1. (rare) To hang.
   • 1681, T. FLATMAN Heraclitus Ridens No. 14

     'Squire Ketch rejoices as much to hear of a new Vox, as an old Sexton does to hear of a new Delight.

   • n.d., Ibid;;. No. 18

     Well! If he has a mind to be Ketch'd, speed him say I.

   • 1840, Fraser's Mag., XXI. 210

     Ignorant of many of the secrets of ketchcraft.

   • 1859, MATSELL Vocab. s.v. (Farmer),

     I'll ketch you; I'll hang you.

Noun

ketch (plural ketches)

1. A hangman.

English

Etymology

un- +? defined

Adjective

undefined (not comparable)

1. Lacking a definition or value.
2. (mathematics, computing) That does not have a meaning and is thus not assigned an interpretation.

   The result of division by zero is undefined.

Synonyms

• (lacking a definition or value): indefinite, undefinable; see also Thesaurus:indistinct or Thesaurus:vague

Antonyms

• defined

Translations