" caught our breath "

[Verb]  | "catch" | \ ˈkach \

1: to capture or seize especially after pursuit

2: to take or entangle in or as if in a snare

3: deceive

Origin: 13th century ;

 Middle English cacchen, from Anglo-French cacher, chacher, chacer to hunt, from Vulgar Latin *captiare, alteration of Latin captare to chase, frequentative of capere to take {mat|heave:1|};