unawares

caught unawares

To be surprised by someone or something. A: "Oh man, I was totally caught unawares when your mother showed up here this morning." B: "I figured as much when she told me that you answered the door in your robe and curlers!"
See also: caught, unawares
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

catch/take somebody unaˈwares

surprise somebody; do something when somebody does not expect it: Her sudden refusal took me unawares. You caught us unawares by coming so early.
See also: catch, somebody, take, unawares
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • catch/take somebody unawares
  • caught unaware
  • caught unawares
  • unaware
  • footed
  • be caught on the hop
  • flat-footed, to be caught/catch
  • be caught flat-footed
  • catch (one) by surprise
  • twist (something) off of (something)
References in periodicals archive
She was reportedly hit by several cars, whose drivers were caught unawares, and was killedon the spot.
Woman Dies Crossing Bulgaria Highway, Child Survives
Heavy rains flooded one underpass, catching motorists unawares. One SUV was flooded to its roof.
Powerful storms batter US east coast
Dozens of Teessiders were caught unawares when Individual Learning Accounts, designed to make learning accessible, were exploited.
Today
it's doubtful that too many of the easily offended will wander unawares into this untamed territory in the first place.
Nature calls
The 29-year-old, who was caught unawares by a paparazzi on Thursday, went out hiding behind the obligatory showbiz shades while out for her yoga session.
Imogen Thomas takes her 'baby' Mercedes out for bikram yoga session
CJ RUISE Royals honeymooned on Britannia MAKE MINE A JHALF Di waits at the bar in the mess SMILES n Happy and relaxed newlyweds HELLO SAILORS n Couple meet the crew CANDID J Diana, aged 20, snapped unawares
Amazing glimpse of Di on honeymoon
"Suddenly I swung out so far that the crew lost sight of me round the back of the sail as the sea came up on the boat and caught us all unawares.
Sailor's lucky escape
In 17th century Europe, by simply emulating a larch, elm or oak, it was possible (theoretically) to move up on one's quarry unawares. Of course, both your vision and movement were severely limited, and if you tripped and fell down in the damn thing, you'd probably end up thrashing around and swearing, alarming the game even more than might have been the case sans arboreal embellishments.
What is it?
One should come upon buskers unawares and be made happy.
Time to cut volume of city buskers; Views of the North
The council cannot come out with the usual excuse that the adverse weather caught it unawares as it was forecast well in advance.
So where are these gritters? VIEWPOINTS
"The BBC thing caught us unawares. They phoned me out of the blue one day.
Life in the fast lane; No sleep 'til Preston for young upstarts: INTERVIEW
As Tareq escorts Juliette around the city, they find themselves in the middle of a brief affair that catches them both unawares.
Cairo Time
Pair this with Lee Smith's article on page 14 of this issue and you should never be caught unawares again--until the airborne reroute, that is.
Get your clearance early
Either that or someone who got caught unawares in her underwear and grabbed the nearest bit of curtain to improvise.
dressed in thedark
With all the Bay players upfield and caught unawares, Sanna was left exposed and Jay Leitch-Smith went through the formality of scoring to make it 1-1.
Colwyn clocked by referee at Curzon