unawares
pronunciation
How to pronounce unawares in British English:
UK [ˌʌnəˈweəz]
How to pronounce unawares in American English:
US [ˌʌnəˈwerz]
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- Adverb:
- without forethought or plan; inadvertently
- suddenly and unexpectedly
- at a disadvantage
Word Origin
- unawares (adv.)
- 1530s, "without being aware," from un- (1) "not" + aware + adverbial genitive -s. Meaning "without being noticed" is recorded from 1660s. Form unaware is recorded from 1590s.
Example
- 1. When japan slid into deflation in the mid-1990s bond investors were caught unawares .
- 2. The disease spread fast before being detected , in a city caught unawares .
- 3. Mr zuckerberg admits that twitter caught facebook unawares , though he plays down its significance .
- 4. Old age creeps upon one unawares .
- 5. The argentines have said subsequently that they were taken unawares by the attack .