Behavior & Approach - Not Paying Attention

Master English idioms that relate to not paying attention, like "asleep at the wheel" and "brown study".

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[phrase]

to distract someone's attention or thoughts away from something, typically something stressful, worrisome, or unpleasant

Ex: Nothing could get his mind off the missing child.

[noun]

a state in which one is very deep in thought and not aware of one's surroundings

Ex: Do not ask him now ; he is in one of his brown studies.

[phrase]

to examine a thing or person very quickly

Ex: The nurse gave the child a once-over to make sure there were no bruises.

[sentence]

said to mean that what a person is searching for is right where they are, but they have failed to notice it

Ex: I searched the shelf for ten minutes, and the book was right there; if it was a snake, it would have bitten me.

[sentence]

used to tell someone that the zipper of their pants is open

Ex: The phrase XYZ is a discreet way to save someone from embarrassment.

[phrase]

used to say that a person is thinking about things that are unrealistic or impractical

Ex: I had my head in the clouds all morning and forgot the appointment.

[phrase]

not paying attention or not doing one's job properly, often resulting in mistakes or negative consequences

Ex: One missed email is forgivable, but the whole department was asleep at the wheel.

Behavior & Approach
Foresight & Prudence	Overreaction	Tact	Being Tactful
Improvisation & Compromise	Behaving Politely	Lack of Care or Consideration	Without Care or Thought
Reacting or Demanding	Conversational Responses	Showing Surprise	Paying or Getting Attention
Not Paying Attention	Offensive Behavior	Reaction & Response	Jealousy & Competition
Harsh & Strict Treatment