switch (redirected from switches)

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: asleep

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: asleep, fall

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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: asleep

switch gears

shift gears

See also: gear