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asleep at the switch |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Legal | 0.03 sec. |
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*asleep at the switch Fig. not attending to one's job; failing to do one's duty at the proper time. (Alludes to a technician or engineer on a train sleeping instead of turning whatever switches are required. *Typically: be ~; fall ~.) The security guard fell asleep at the switch and a robber broke in. If I hadn't been asleep at the switch, I'd have noticed the car being stolen. asleep at the switch not paying attention asleep at the wheel 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 How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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Nahai charged DWP with being asleep at the switch and said that even with the unprecedented high temperatures, DWP was caught off guard and failed to adequately communicate the situation to customers. You have to be sort of asleep at the switch not to be critical of it. I have fallen asleep at the switch and the train carrying a "Top Secret" cargo is off the tracks in unsecured territory and he is alerting me to stop transmission. |
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