asleep at the switch
*asleep at the switch
Fig. not attending to one's job; failing to do one's duty at the proper time. (Alludes to a technician or engineer on a train sleeping instead of turning whatever switches are required. *Typically: be ~; fall ~.)
The security guard fell asleep at the switch and a robber broke in.
If I hadn't been asleep at the switch, I'd have noticed the car being stolen.
热门单词
- acknowledge (the) receipt of sth
- Adam
- affirmative
- a flash in the pan
- against all odds
- a harbinger of things to come
- a hard nut to crack
- aim to do sth
- alive and kicking
- all at once
- (all) at sea (about sth)
- allow for so or sth
- allow some elbow room
- all things being equal
- a long shot
- a lucky streak
- amble
- a mental block (against sth)
- a mile a minute
- amuck
- and this and that
