"I saw it but I didnt ______ it"

[NearThere]

So here's the scenario,

New Year's Eve, a group of friends are playing a board game. Someone accidently flips a card with some word written on it and promptly flips it back. He asks "Did you see it?" I saw it, but didn't quite make out what's written on it (or did I intend to). So I answered, "I saw it, but I didn't ____ ..." No words came to mind.

What word would you use in the blank? Thanks a lot.

 

[5jj]

I'd probably say, "I saw it but didn't quite make out what's (or was) written on it ".

 

[NearThere]

Thanks for you reply. I appreciate it but I'm also eager to know if there's a one word verb to cover it? Thanks again.

 

[lauralie2]

Thanks for you reply. I appreciate it but I'm also eager to know if there's a one word verb to cover it? Thanks again.

I'd have said, "I saw the card, but didn't read it." But fivejedjon's suggestion (didn't quite make out) is a common phrase used in that situation.

 

[NearThere]

Thank you Lauralite for pointing out what would be a common phrase in that situation.

I don't mean to be pointlessly persistent. But I'm just curious, would "I didn't catch it", or perhaps "I didn't get it" mean something somewhat (or quite) different?

 

[lauralie2]

Thank you Lauralite for pointing out what would be a common phrase in that situation.

I don't mean to be pointlessly persistent. But I'm just curious, would "I didn't catch it", or perhaps "I didn't get it" mean something somewhat (or quite) different?

In the situation you described, no, those phrases wouldn't work. Use 'catch' for hearing, 'get' for understanding the meaning. What you described was seeing (a card): sight.

Given the situation you described, the question "Did you see the card?" actually means were you able to read the question on the card, which is why most people would answer, "No, I didn't see it" meaning, No, I didn't read it, not "Yes, I did (read it)."

 

[Rover_KE]

You could also say 'I saw it, but it didn't register.'

Rover

 

[birdeen's call]

You could also say 'I saw it, but it didn't register.'

Rover

Record?

 

[BobK]

Record?

:up: 'It didn't register' or 'I didn't take it in'. The trouble with the earlier suggestion 5jj's, I think, of 'I couldn't quite make it out' is that it suggests you tried - an implication that you presumably want to avoid in the context of a board game. You could say '... but not long enough to make it out', but even then I think it would be safer to say '... but not long enough for it to register'. Safer still would be lauralie2's suggestion - to say 'No'.

b

 

[NearThere]

Thanks to all the people who answered my questions. You inputs helped, thank you.

 

[opa6x57]

=============================
Not a teacher, 53-year-old American.
=============================

I saw the card, but not the contents.
I saw the card, but not the word(s).

I saw the card, but didn't recognize the word(s).

My opinion.