🤼 Catch As Catch Can: Where Anything Goes
catch as catch can - By any method that can be used; without any specific plan or order. Variants of this term go back as far as the fourteenth century (“Was none in sight but cacche who that cacche might,” John Gower, ca. 1394) and appeared in John Heywood’s 1546 collection of proverbs (“Catch that catch may”). More specifically, it is the name of both a children’s game and a style of wrestling (also called freestyle) in which the wrestlers may get a hold on each other anyhow and anywhere.
Synonyms
- By hook or by crook
- By any means necessary
- Grasping at straws
- Make do and mend
Antonyms
- Structured
- Methodical
- Organized
- Systematic
Related and Similar Terms
- Fly by the seat of your pants
- Play it by ear
- Ad hoc
- On the fly
Humor-Filled Quotes
“In catch as catch can wrestling, the only thing more exhausting than grappling with your opponent is trying to figure out where all the rules went.”— Anonymous
Proverbs and Inspirational Sayings
“Where there is a will, there’s a way” — A testament that determination can overcome lack of planning.
Literature, Books, Songs, Poetry, and Movies
- Book: “Catch as Catch Can: The Collected Stories and Essays” by Joseph Heller
- Movie: “Catch Me If You Can” – A thrilling portrayal of playing life by the rules of ‘catch as catch can’
- Poetry: “The Odyssey” by Homer – The ultimate tale of by-any-means-necessary action.
Farewell Thought
As you navigate through life, remember sometimes the grandest plans are laid to waste by the impromptu masterpiece sculpted by pure spontaneity. Keep an open mind, a steady heart, and dive headfirst into the unpredictable whirlwind that brings about the most extraordinary stories.
