what's the difference between "catch" and "hold"?
1) I held the boy by the arm / I caught the boy by the arm

2) I held the ladder / I caught the ladder ??

3) I held him by the scruff of the neck

Question

what's the difference between "catch" and "hold"?
1) I held the boy by the arm / I caught the boy by the arm

2) I held the ladder / I caught the ladder  ??

3) I held him by the scruff of the neck

Answer

Catch = the action of grabbing/capturing something that you didn't have before
"I caught the ball" = means you didn't have the ball before, and you now have it because you "caught" it.

Hold = you already had something and now you are continuing the action
"I held the ball" = you have already caught the ball, "holding" is the action of keeping it in your hands

Answer

Say the ladder was falling, you have to catch it. If the ladder was still then you would hold it.