take+by+surprise
91take off guard — catch/take (someone) off guard to surprise someone by doing or saying something they were not expecting. One of the larger airlines caught its rivals off guard yesterday by suddenly announcing a cut in fares. When they asked me to babysit, I was… …
92take the biscuit — Vrb phrs. To beat all competition, to take all the honours, usually said ironically or with surprise. Informal …
93take someone unawares — catch/take/someone unawares phrase to surprise someone, often making them feel confused or embarrassed Burchill’s shot caught the goalkeeper completely unawares. Thesaurus: to make someone feel shocked or surprisedsynonym Main entry: unawares …
94take aback — verb a) To surprise or shock; to discomfit. I was rather taken aback by his angry reply. b) Of a ship: to catch it with the sails aback suddenly. The bad news took us aback …
95take aback — to (be) cause(d) a feeling of surprise or astonishment, often also with disappointment or dismay …
96take someone aback — shock or surprise someone. → aback …
97take advantage of — 1. Turn to account, make use of. 2. Impose upon (by some advantage of superior knowledge or of opportunity), catch by surprise …
98take aback — idi to surprise; disconcert …
99by surprise — See: TAKE BY SURPRISE …
100by surprise — See: TAKE BY SURPRISE …
