by surprise

Idioms  

1. see take by surprise.

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Example Sentences

"Gomolava genuinely took us by surprise when our genetic analysis showed the majority of people studied were not only unrelated, not even their great-great-grandparents were. This was highly unusual for a prehistoric mass grave and not what we expect to find if they had all lived together in a village."

From Science Daily

The four-time champion spun off and crashed at Turn One on his first lap of the session when his rear axle locked, catching him by surprise.

From BBC

Judge Katz told the court he was satisfied the defendant was "taken by surprise" as soon as he put the vehicle in motion, and added it was accepted he used the accelerator, believing it was the brake.

From BBC

The war in Iran caught many people by surprise, including hundreds of traveling Americans.

From Salon

But what has taken the public by surprise is the fervor with which the audience has consumed Jacob Tierney’s adaptation of author Rachel Reid’s hockey romances – and rewatched those episodes, many times.

From Salon