catch (one) napping
1. Literally, to discover that one is sleeping when one is not supposed to be. A: "Why was Bill fired?" B: "I heard they caught him napping at his at his desk." Dude, if the boss catches you napping like this, you're gonna be in so much trouble. Make that lazy intern work the reception desk. You won't catch him napping there, not with the phone ringing nonstop!
2. By extension, to exploit or capitalize on one's inattention. We were able to sneak into the building because we caught the security guard napping. I scored a goal after I caught their defenseman napping. Yeah, that move could work, if you weren't going up against one of the best goalies in the league. Highly doubt you're gonna catch him napping like that.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.