asleep

be asleep at the switch (American)

if someone is asleep at the switch, they are not ready to act quickly to avoid problems and do their job well. Let's face it, if employees were stealing all that money, then management was asleep at the switch.

See also: switch

fall asleep at the switch

be asleep at the switch - if someone is asleep at the switch, they are not ready to act quickly to avoid problems and do their job well. The Party was simply too confident of victory and fell asleep at the switch.

See also: fall, switch

---

asleep at the switch

not paying attention. Health experts were asleep at the switch when the disease began to spread rapidly again.

Etymology: based on the idea of someone going to sleep while they are responsible for operating the switch (= device) that allows a train to move from one track to another

See also: switch

asleep at the wheel

not paying attention. Why was our government asleep at the wheel when the crisis began?

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of asleep at the wheel (= sleeping while driving a vehicle)

See also: wheel

sound asleep

in a deep sleep. He knew she would be sound asleep after an exhausting day of work.

See also: sound