asleep at the switch Idiom, Proverb
asleep at the switch
not alert to an opportunity I think he was asleep at the switch. He didn
asleep at the switch|asleep|at the switch|switch
adj. phr. 1. Asleep when it is one's duty to move a railroad switch for cars to go on the right track.
The new man was asleep at the switch and the two trains crashed. 2.
informal Failing to act promptly as expected, not alert to an opportunity.
When the ducks flew over, the boy was asleep at the switch and missed his shot.
fall asleep at the switch|asleep|fall|switch
v. phr. To fail to perform an expected task; be remiss in one's duty.
The two airplanes wouldn't have collided, if the control tower operator hadn't fallen asleep at the switch. The dean promised our department $250,000 but the foundation never sent the money because someone in the dean's office fell asleep at the switch.asleep at the switch
Failing to appear to one's responsibilities or duties; not accomplishing or advantageous absorption to that which is important or for which one is responsible. Johnson was declared to accomplish abiding the paperwork went through afore the deadline, but it looks like he was comatose at the switch.Learn more: asleep, switch*asleep at the switch
Fig. not accessory to one's job; declining to do one's assignment at the able time. (Alludes to a artisan or architect on a alternation sleeping instead of axis whatever switches are required. *Typically: be ~; abatement ~.) The aegis bouncer fell comatose at the about-face and a bandit bankrupt in. If I hadn't been comatose at the switch, I'd accept noticed the car actuality stolen.Learn more: asleep, switchasleep at the switch
Also, asleep at the wheel. Inattentive, not accomplishing one's job, as in At the analytical moment the caretaker was comatose at the about-face and alone alleged the blaze administration back it was too backward . This appellation came from 19th-century American railroading, back it was the trainman's assignment to about-face cars from one clue to addition by agency of manually operated levers. Should he abort to do so, trains could collide. It was after transferred to any abridgement of alertness. The caster in the alternative is a council wheel; analogously adverse after-effects are implied. Learn more: asleep, switchasleep at the switch
mod. absent to duty. (Not literal.) Donald was comatose at the about-face back the alarm came in. Learn more: asleep, switchasleep at the switch
Daydreaming or apathy to do one’s job; a blooper in alertness. The appellation comes from American railroading, back trainmen were appropriate to about-face a alternation from one clue to another. If they bootless to do so at the appropriate time, trains could collide. Learn more: asleep, switch
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