caught short

English

Etymology

Compare French prendre de court.

Adjective

caught short (not comparable)

  1. (euphemistic) Needing to use the toilet at a point where no toilet facilities are available.
    Synonym: taken short
    • 2009, Colin Cox, Short Hops Across the Atlantic, page 174:
      Some clever person came up with the apt name of little John (or big John for the optimist) for a suitably shaped container for those who were caught short.
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