off guard


Also, off one's guard. Not watchful, easily surprised. It is often put as catch (or be caught) off guard, meaning “take (or be taken) by surprise.” For example, The securities analyst was caught off guard by that financial report, or With any luck the boss will be off guard when I come in late. [Late 1600s] The antonym, on guard or on one's guard, meaning “watchful or prepared, especially to defend oneself,” was first recorded in 1577. For example, In this crowd we must be on guard against pickpockets, or I'm always on my guard when I'm asked how I voted.

Words Nearby off guard

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

How to use off guard in a sentence

  • He hoped for a glimpse of the kangaroo-Gizl to see if he were as sincere off-guard as he had been during their interview.

  • Stillman knew at once that her ill-temper had caught her off-guard and she was already trying to crawl slowly back into his favor.

    The Blood Red Dawn | Charles Caldwell Dobie
  • Joy is a lady of the finest breeding, but she can be caught off-guard at times.

  • In his mind was the conviction that we had pretended to be harmless animals so that we could catch him off-guard and kill him.

  • I wouldn't trust myself with you one minute off-guard like that.

    The Tinder-Box | Maria Thompson Daviess