off balance

1. 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]

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

Example Sentences

The breeze is just a little too strong, sometimes knocking me off balance or stealing my breath away.

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Because of the interconnectedness of an ecosystem, when any species is thrown off balance, the whole system is weakened and a chain reaction of failures is set in motion.

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Much, if not all, of it was held off balance sheets.

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But it’s five-foot-10, 228-pound Taylor who’s stirring the whole pot, keeping defenses off balance, opening up the passing game, and making Indianapolis a credible threat.

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In both cases, the results showed that serine communicates directly with the ISR -- a system that monitors when tissue conditions go off balance.

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