catch and release
Short definition from Wiktionary
Noun
- A variety of angling where the fish are released after capture, as a conservation measure.
- The immigration policy of releasing illegal immigrants while they await a hearing, rather than detaining them.
- The practice of a patent holding company buying a patent, offering a license to its members, and then selling or donating the patent after a certain period.
- The practice by police of apprehending someone but then letting them go without making an arrest.
- The practice of replacing artifacts in their original location after examining and cataloguing them.
We haven’t written up catch and release yet: Simple and Standard meanings, examples and a quiz.