off guard

油断している、無防備な

起こることに気づいたり対応したりする準備ができていないこと。

やさしい英語で： Not ready to notice or deal with something that happens.

• Her question caught me off guard.
• He was off guard after a quiet morning.
• The team’s defense was off guard when the attack came.

使い方： be off guard (He was off guard when the interviewer changed the subject.); catch someone off guard (Her question caught me off guard.)

類義語： unprepared, unready

反対語： prepared, alert

よく使う表現： be off guard, catch someone off guard

不意に、不意をついて

予想していなかった相手を驚かせるように。

やさしい英語で： In a way that surprises someone who was not expecting it.

• The news took us off guard.
• His sudden arrival caught the guards off guard.
• Did that question catch you off guard?

使い方： take/catch someone off guard (The announcement took everyone off guard.)

類義語： by surprise, unawares

よく使う表現： take someone off guard, catch someone off guard