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catch me off guard?what's the meaning

tinybroken

China

i often see it in the articles which i really don't know what it means. could anybody give me a clear example and explaination as well. waiting online

02:40 PM Jun 23 2008 |

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tiffintime

tiffintime

Sri Lanka

catch (or caught) me off guard could mean: to be discovered doing something when you did not expect it. For example, you are engrossed in an intimate phone call to another woman when your wife suddenly walks into the room.

It  could also mean the feeling you may have when you hear or read something that really surprises you.

10:40 AM Jun 24 2008 |

WiSe_GirL

WiSe_GirL

Qatar

the exact meaning of (catch someone off guard ) is :

 to surprise someone …by doing or saying something they were not expecting …

example :

I caught her off-guard when i asked about her ex-husband .. !

05:06 AM Jun 25 2008 |

aljensen

aljensen

United States

Or it can mean to interrupt someone at an inopportune time – like to ask someone to do something suddenly when they are unprepared. I think there is an element of "aha! I caught you!" (Like the man talking to the woman when his wife comes in)

09:50 AM Jun 25 2008 |

tinybroken

China

Thanks for all replies.

So I can use this phrase to express the feeling of being surprised/interrupted, right?

"She came into my office and caught me off guard" (she is the girl who I'm interested, that merely being surprised at her coming while not feel any annoyed) Can I say so?

01:32 PM Jun 25 2008 |

Englearn

Englearn

India

To make surprise someone by catching them when they are doing somthing they are trying to conceal.

 

For example:-


"I caught my girlfriend off guard in a coffee-cafe when she was dating with other guy" 

06:16 AM Jun 26 2008 |