Meaning
Caught off-guard or slow, not ready.
Origin
From 20th-century America, tied to sports; 'flat-footed' meant unready, slang by 1910s for lag. A 1912 'Chicago Tribune' uses it for a caught player.
Variants
- Caught flat
- Flat-footed
Usage Examples
- He was caught flat-footed by the question.
- Caught flat-footed; she missed the cue.
- Flat-footed-didn't see it coming.