caught short

idiom

1

: not having enough of something

Make sure you stock up on supplies before you set out on your trip. Don't be caught short!

2

British, informal : having a sudden urge to use the toilet

Examples of caught short in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Jan Paul van Hecke gave Brighton an early lead, via an assist by Welbeck, from Valentin Barco’s corner, but they were caught short on the left side of the defence when Verdy counter-attacked to equalise through Yudai Kimura. —Andy Naylor, The Athletic, 28 July 2024

Many developers, spurred by the pandemic to invest money in new self-storage facilities, have been caught short by this drop in demand. —Martha C. White, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2024

Or reforming military procurement so we’re not caught short of ammo again? —John Seiler, Orange County Register, 23 Apr. 2024

Combining derivative creation in a new asset class with high leverage multiples can create a situation that can leave investors caught short in times of market uncertainty or downturns. —Sean Stein Smith, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024