Meaning:
To spend time in sunlight, often by sunbathing.
Examples:
- I love lying on the beach and catching some rays.
- Now that it's sunny again after so many rainy days, we should get out and
catch some rays.
- The water's too cold for my liking, so I'll just catch some rays on the
beach instead.
https://www.thefreedictionary.com [edited]
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In my childhood memory, only a few days of apricity out of the whole year were
fit for catching some rays in Yannan, my hometown, on the edge of the North
China Plain. Spring was breezy and sandy, summer hot and muggy, and autumn busy
for reaping.
Winter was harsh and most dreaded by us kids, but hope kicked in soon after
solstice. People cited the solar terms such as minor cold, major cold, counted
the nines, i.e., the number of nine-day spells, and talked about spring in the
coldest days of the year as if studiously looking beyond them sped things up.
They'd say "I saw some geese yesterday," or "Look, Spring Festival's just two
months away."
Perfect days were rare so when one did come, townfolks took a lunch break,
breathed frosty air, basked in precious sunshine, looked for more warming signs
while still shivering in padded jackets, and reassured each other that winter
was on its way out.
