off guard

Idioms  

1. 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.

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Example Sentences

“Countries hit early may have been caught off guard and are scrambling to ramp up countermeasures,” Rajnarayanan said.

From Salon

If you know you’re overly reactive to certain conversations, let your partner know beforehand so that they aren’t caught off guard in the moment.

From MarketWatch

So when borrowers refinance more quickly than anticipated, bond investors can be caught off guard.

From The Wall Street Journal

European allies have been caught off guard by reports of the plan.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Republican congressional leadership was caught off guard after aligning their message with the president for the past few weeks and opposing the release.

From BBC