catch sight of

Related to catch sight of: A Sight for Sore Eyes

catch sight of (someone or something)

To see someone or something very briefly or suddenly. Wendy only caught sight of the burglar for a second, so she couldn't describe his appearance to the police. I didn't know what the bunny was running from, until I caught sight of the dog that was chasing it.
See also: catch, of, sight
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

catch sight of someone or something

 and catch a glimpse of someone or something
to see someone or something briefly; to get a quick look at someone or something. I caught sight of the plane just before it flew out of sight. Ann caught a glimpse of the robber as he ran out of the bank.
See also: catch, of, sight
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

catch sight of

See suddenly or unexpectedly, as in When I first caught sight of the Alps, I was overwhelmed. [First half of 1800s]
See also: catch, of, sight
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • catch sight of (someone or something)
  • catch a glimpse of (someone or something)
  • glimpse
  • describe (someone or something) to (someone)
  • describe to
  • be caught in the act
  • have (someone) by (something)
  • have by
  • struggle with
  • struggle with (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
After a left and then a right hand bend we catch sight of the mausoleum high on Kirk Hill to our left and our track then bends left to cross the beck.
Trail of two villages
As the trackway rises, we catch sight of Redcar away on our right and pass a wartime observation post before heading down the slope to join the Cleveland Way.
Walks: Moor with a view... Hutton Village and Gisborough Moor Distance: 5 1/2 miles
Onward by road to Senkele Sanctuary provides an opportunity to catch sight of the endemic Swayne's hartebeest, while the town of Arba Minch offers one of the best views in the entire country.
Travel: Silk Steps launches new 11-day itinerary
We first catch sight of the doctor in an immaculate white suit, chasing an uncooperative patient along the beach.
Dr. Akagi
So, thinking you look like Claudia Schiffer, you stumble out of there in an ill-fitting truss, only to catch sight of yourself two weeks later looking like the winner of a pie eating contest.
Lucy Sweet: MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL.
Park rangers will be taking visitors on a night-time wander to catch sight of bats, owls and insects.
Owl invited on night walks
You and your beady little eyes didn't catch sight of the delectable Diana until 20 months after Harry was born in September 1984.
James Whitaker's column: Father of all prattle
In the countryside you raise your eyes to the sky to catch sight of a hot-air balloon; he flattens it on the ground so that it looks like a gigantic carpet.
Name games
This season of Big Brother has completely passed me by (after Feltz, quite frankly, what is the point?), but I did catch sight of Jade on Sunday afternoon at Wimbledon watching the men's final.
Matthew Norman Column: Jade court out
Jennifer Pastor's sculpture inspires a giddy silence, the same gravid hush that occurs when we first catch sight of something truly strange.
Jennifer Pastor
DID YOU catch sight of the 'performance of the week'?
Des Kelly's column: Trees company, Roger
There is probably some German word to describe the peculiarly modern shock experienced at the zoo when you catch sight of an animal that's familiar to you from photographs but that you rarely encounter in the flesh.
Going Once: A Memoir of Art, Society, and Charity
And the brave postie was viciously punched five time when he managed to catch sight of his assailant.
Gun terror of star's brother