blindside
blindside Lexical Profile
blindside Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To catch someone completely unprepared with an unexpected, difficult, or unpleasant event or piece of news.
"The committee was blindsided by the sudden resignation of the project director just days before the launch."
To hit, tackle, or collide with someone from an angle they cannot see, especially in contact sports.
"The linebacker sprinted around the edge of the formation to blindside the ball carrier before he could pass."
• noun
An unexpected, unwelcome event, criticism, or betrayal that catches someone completely off guard.
"The sudden corporate restructuring came as a complete blindside to the entire marketing department."
The side or direction away from which a person or player is looking, leaving them vulnerable to an unseen approach or impact.
"The left tackle's primary responsibility is to protect the quarterback's blindside during a pass play."
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in mid-20th-century American English, originally in gridiron football to describe a tackle coming from the direction opposite to where a player is looking.