1
general::
By whatever means or in any way possible, as in There was no formal language program; one simply learned Spanish catch as catch can. This term, in slightly varying versions but with the same meaning, dates from the late 1300s.
American Heritage Idioms
2
general::
Phrase(s): catch-as-catch-can
the best one can do with whatever is available. • We went hitchhiking for a week and lived catch-as-catch-can. • There were ten children in our family, and every meal was catch-as-catch-can.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs