UNAWARES
ADJECTIVES
1936 — OFF BASE unawares, by surprise → US sl., orig. baseball usage
ADVERBS
1483 — UNBEWARES unawares → obs.
VERBS
1530 — TAKE A PERSON TARDY to overtake; to surprise; to come upon unprepared or unawares; hence, to detect, ‘catch’ in a crime, fault, error, etc. → obs.
1587 — CATCH NAPPING — TAKE NAPPING to take unawares → sl.
1742 — NAB to catch unawares in deceit, to catch out
1879 — DAP ON to pounce on, to take unawares → Eng. dial.
..20C — CATCH FLAT-FOOTED to catch off guard or unawares → Brit. colloq.
1905 — UNBETHINK to take unawares by word or conduct → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
Lexicophilia 