catch someone flat-footed

catch (one) flat-footed

To startle one; to come upon one unawares or unprepared. Usually used in the past tense. The security guard caught the thieves flat-footed. That essay question in the exam caught me completely flat-footed.

catch someone flat-footed

take someone by surprise or at a disadvantage. informal

The opposite of flat-footed in this metaphorical sense is on your toes (see toe).

1998 Field Farming and forestry were both caught flat-footed when fashion changed.

See also: catch, someone

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

See also:

cooking for one
give (one) the world
drive (one) out of office
force (one) out of office
force out of office
give (one) (one's) head
(something) pays for itself
be at (one)
as one door closes, another (one) opens
as one door closes, another one opens

Idioms browser ?

▲
catch on with (one)
catch one off
catch one's breath
catch one's death (of a cold), to
catch one's death (of cold)
catch onto
catch onto (something)
catch out
catch red-handed
catch sight of
catch sight of (someone or something)
catch some rays
catch some shuteye
catch some sun
catch some zeds
catch some Zs
catch some Z's
catch somebody in the act
catch somebody napping
catch somebody off guard
catch somebody on the hop
catch somebody red-handed
catch somebody with their pants down
catch somebody's eye
catch someone cold
catch someone flat-footed
catch someone napping
catch someone off guard
catch someone on the hop
catch someone red-handed
catch someone with their hand in the cookie jar
catch someone with their pants down
catch someone's eye
catch something
catch the big fish
catch the bug
catch the devil
catch the drift
catch the eye
catch the eye of (someone)
catch the next wave
catch the sun
catch the wave
catch to it
catch up
catch up in
catch up in (something)
catch up on
catch up on (one's) beauty sleep
catch up on (something)
catch up to (something or someone)
▼

Full browser ?

▲
catch somebody napping
catch somebody off balance
catch somebody off guard
catch somebody on the hop
catch somebody on the raw
catch somebody red handed
catch somebody red-handed
catch somebody some other time
catch somebody unawares
catch somebody up on
catch somebody with hand in the cookie jar
catch somebody with somebody's fingers in the cookie jar
catch somebody with somebody's fingers in the till
catch somebody with somebody's hand in the cookie jar
catch somebody with somebody's hand in the till
catch somebody with their hand in the cookie jar
catch somebody with their pants down
catch somebody's drift
catch somebody's ear
catch somebody's ears
catch somebody's eye
catch somebody's fancy
catch somebody's off somebody's guard
catch someone
catch someone at a bad time
catch someone bang to rights
catch someone by surprise
catch someone cold
catch someone doing something
catch someone flat footed
catch someone flat-footed
catch someone in the act
catch someone in the act of
catch someone in the cookie jar
catch someone napping
catch someone off balance
catch someone off guard
catch someone off someone's guard
catch someone on the flip side
catch someone on the hop
catch someone on the raw
catch someone red handed
catch someone red-handed
catch someone some other time
catch someone up on
catch someone up short
catch someone with
catch someone with hand in the cookie jar
catch someone with one's hand in the cookie jar
catch someone with someone or something
catch someone with someone's fingers in the cookie jar
catch someone with someone's fingers in the till
catch someone with someone's hand in the cookie jar
catch someone with someone's hand in the till
catch someone with something
catch someone with their hand in the cookie jar
catch someone with their hand in the till
catch someone with their pants down
catch someone's drift
catch someone's ear
catch someone's ears
▼

CITE

Site: Follow: Share:

Open / Close