off balance

Out of equilibrium, unsteady, as in When learning how to ride a two-wheeler, it's easy to get off balance and fall, or She stood up and threw the canoe off balance. [Mid-1900s]

Surprised, unprepared, as in The teacher gives unannounced tests to keep the class off balance. [Second half of 1900s]

RELATED WORDS

lopsided, unsteady

Nearby words

ofcom, off, off again, on again, off and on, off and running, off balance, off base, off break, off broadway, off chance, off colour

Examples from the Web for off-balance

Libra The current cosmic climate brings temptation, potentially setting you off-balance.
Zodiac Beast: April 24-30|Starsky + Cox|April 23, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Indeed, Congress confronted this same problem in 1933, when it investigated the off-balance sheet transactions of that era.
The Dodd Wall Street Charade|Frank Partnoy|March 15, 2010|DAILY BEAST
The gaping hole in the bill involves a concept known as off-balance sheet accounting.
The Dodd Wall Street Charade|Frank Partnoy|March 15, 2010|DAILY BEAST
That people were allowed to have all these off-balance sheets was like having a second set of books.
The End Is Near!|Jeffrey Leeds|March 5, 2009|DAILY BEAST

Youre not yourself; youre over-strained and off-balance and Im so frightfully sorry all this has fallen upon you at such a time.
Adrienne Toner|Anne Douglas Sedgwick
Retief put out an arm as the vehicle rounded a corner, just catching the ambassador as he staggered, off-balance.
The Yillian Way|John Keith Laumer
Even when she was off-balance, her feet tapped out the elementary routine.
At the Post|Horace Leonard Gold
The second beam took Rynason in the left wrist and spun him off-balance for a moment.
Warlord of Kor|Terry Gene Carr

off balance

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Examples from the Web for off-balance