catch napping | Idiomator

Meaning: (transitive,idiomatic)To surprise; to take advantage of the lack of watchfulness of.2025February 10, Phil McNulty, “Manchester City 6-0 Chelsea”, inBBC Sport‎[1]:The rout started after four minutes when Chelsea werecaught nappingbyKevin De Bruyne's quick free-kick which leftRaheem Sterlingto fire in at the far post beforeAguero, who had already missed an open goal, curled a magnificent right-foot finish past the stretchingKepa Arrizabalagafrom 25 yards.1907January,Harold Bindloss, chapter 7, inThe Dust of Conflict, 1st Canadian edition, Toronto, Ont.: McLeod & Allen,→OCLC:Still, a dozen men with rifles, and cartridges to match, stayed behind when they filed through a white aldea lying silent amid the cane, and the Sin Verguenza swung into slightly quicker stride. If the Colonel Morales was to be caught at all he must becaught napping, and, as they knew, he usually slept with one eye open.

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