off guard
The phrase "off guard" is often used to describe a state of being unprepared or surprised by an unexpected event.
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Definition
B2General
(informal)Not prepared or alert, leading to being surprised.
Example
- She was caught off guard by the sudden announcement.
- The unexpected question threw him off guard.
B2Emotion
(informal)Feeling surprised or confused due to an unexpected situation.
Example
- His unexpected visit left me off guard and unsure of what to say.
- I was completely off guard when they mentioned the promotion.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "off guard":
on guardoff balancecaught on the hopoff one's gameoff the clockon the back footoff targetlook offtaken abackon the defensiveoff keelout of sortsoff baseill at easeoff side