Meaning of take by surprise | Babel Free

Definitions

To occur to someone when unexpected; to surprise.

Equivalents

Examples

“Kazakhstan's shooting team was taken by surprise when a spoof national anthem from the film Borat was used at a medal ceremony in Kuwait.”

“Both the South Korean government and US forces in the region appear to have been taken by surprise by Trump’s declared suspension of joint exercises.”

“No substitute bus services could be organised, and it is almost as though the train operator has been taken by surprise by the non-attendance of staff who appear to have made themselves unavailable - whether or not the diagram concerned was covered by overtime.”

CEFR level