capture
Definitions
To catch and hold a person or animal by force
捕获，俘获
To record or represent something accurately in words, pictures, or data
（用文字、影像、数据）记录，捕捉
To gain control of something, such as a market or attention
夺取，赢得（市场、注意力等）
The act of capturing, or the thing captured
捕获（行为）；俘获物
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedFrom capt- (capere's 'seized' stem) + -ure. The base meaning is to seize and hold. English then extended it: a camera captures a moment (seizes the image), a song captures a mood (pins it down), a brand captures market share (takes it). The grip is sometimes a hand, sometimes a lens, sometimes pure influence.
Root cap still carries 163 more wordsWhy It Means This
Capture started as taking a prisoner, but its most modern use is capturing data or moments — and the metaphor holds beautifully. To 'capture a moment' on camera is to seize fleeting reality and trap it in a frame so it can't escape. The same logic powers 'motion capture' and 'data capture': pinning down something that would otherwise slip away.
Common Collocations
- 1.capture the moment捕捉瞬间
- 2.capture attention吸引注意力
- 3.capture market share夺取市场份额
- 4.capture data采集数据
- 5.capture an image捕获图像
Example Sentences
- 1.
Soldiers captured the bridge after a fierce battle.
- 2.
The photographer captured the exact moment the wave broke.
- 3.
The startup quickly captured a large share of the market.
Easily Confused
capture vs catch — both mean to seize, but capture implies effort, force, or a deliberate process (capture a fugitive, capture data) and is more formal; catch is everyday and quicker (catch a ball, catch a cold). You capture a city; you catch a bus.