ˌoff-ˈguard BrE AmE adjective [not before noun]
catch/take somebody off-guard to surprise someone by happening when they are not expecting something or prepared for it:
The sudden snow storm caught us all off-guard.
ˌoff-ˈguard BrE AmE adjective [not before noun]
catch/take somebody off-guard to surprise someone by happening when they are not expecting something or prepared for it:
The sudden snow storm caught us all off-guard.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. Longman - Словарь современного английского языка. 2012