student asking question

What does "well caught" mean? I assume it has the same meaning as "good timing," but what does it really refer to? Paddington's notification for a key? Or Dr. Jafri's swift move to hold the front door?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

You are correct! "Well caught" in this scenario means "good timing" or "nice catch." When Paddington says "well caught," he refers to how Dr. Jafri caught the door before it closed on him. However, I am unsure if "well caught" will always mean "good timing," as it does in this scenario. I think it will depend on each scenario. We use "good timing" to mean that someone or something has the ability to do something just in time. "Well caught" is a phrase that's more common in Britain and Europe than in America. In America, we use "nice catch" instead. Ex: Wow! Great timing; we are just about to begin. Ex: Nice catch! I wouldn't have caught that. Ex: Your timing is perfect. Dinner is ready.

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