catch-as-catch-can

adjective
UK: /ˌkætʃ əz ˌkætʃ ˈkæn/
US: /ˌkætʃ əz ˌkætʃ ˈkæn/

  1. Done without rules or restrictions; disorganized and chaotic.

    1. It was a catch-as-catch-can situation, but we managed.
    2. The early days of the internet felt like a catch-as-catch-can free-for-all.

Synonyms

unregulated uncontrolled free-for-all lawless
catch-as-catch-can noun

  1. A wrestling style with few rules.

    1. He trains in catch-as-catch-can.
    2. Catch-as-catch-can is a brutal sport.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "catch-as-catch-can" is /ˌkætʃ əz ˌkætʃ ˈkæn/ in British English and /ˌkætʃ əz ˌkætʃ ˈkæn/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "catch-as-catch-can": unregulated, uncontrolled, free-for-all, lawless.

Example usage of "catch-as-catch-can": "It was a catch-as-catch-can situation, but we managed.". More examples on the page.