Failing to act or respond immediately, not being attentive
Etymology:
- This idiom is originated for railroad back in the mid of 19th century. It was trainman’s duty to accurately switch the trains to change their tracks at exact time. If he fell asleep at the time of switching, train might get crash or go off the tracks. Nowadays, when someone do not pay attention and show carelessness when he/she is supposed to stay alert, this idioms is used for such situation.
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Submitted on February 25, 2019
Additional definitions for 'Asleep at the Switch':
| asleep at the switch | Neglectful of an important task, responsibility, or opportunity. |
Translation
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քնած է անջատիչի մոտ
tertidur di sakelar
sover ved bryteren
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"Asleep at the Switch." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 22 Dec. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/asleep-at-the-switch_44462>.
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