be taken short BrE informal
be caught short BrE informal

You want to try working some villain over and being taken short just when he's coming up with a confession.

I wondered if he'd been taken short again.

If taken quickly the kick may be taken short to a full-back who has run into a wide position.

There're all kinds of actions which can be taken short of an indictment.

A third corner is taken short and - oooh - Fulham have a break on.

A drastic step, and not one to be taken short of necessity-but still a realistic alternative that would ensure prompt action.

Usually they were taken shorter distances each day, allowed periods to rest and graze both at midday and at night.

I was taken short.'

Rooney to take it... 55 min Corner is taken short, with no United players closing down Ramires.

One phrase, to "be short-taken" (meaning the sudden and unplanned need to find a restroom), appears to be borrowed from the British phrase, to "be taken short" or "caught short."

This is when ships coming from the westward omit to keep a good offing, or are taken short by contrary winds, and cannot weather the high land of Portland, but are driven between Portland and the mainland.

Built at the start of hostilities, facing the estuary, it was now used by playing children, courting couples, and the odd customers who, thanks to Knocker's cider, had been taken short and decided not to risk trying to get home in time.

The like is the danger to ships going northward, if after passing by Winterton they are taken short with a north-east wind, and cannot put back into the Roads, which very often happens, then they are driven upon the same coast, and embayed just as the latter.

Patients covered by programs like Medicare have been caught short.

Do you want to be caught short if someone is in trouble?"

I was caught short of time in both cases and had to improvise.

I have often been caught short and tried to get around it - but to no avail.

"We were caught short because the British government shut the supplier down."

He was irritated at being caught short on an incident like this.

Once upon a time, if you were caught short, there would be a convenience at your disposal.

Many a good man has gone to see the angels through being caught short on a bad night."

Still, she would be caught short without this one, and it will take all summer to order up a new one.

"They forced people to pay up," said one dealer who was caught short in the squeeze.

Omega was coming, and his group wasn't going to be caught short.

Best to take care; even a fringe dweller could be caught short.

"They made some investments, and some have been caught short."

He was not going to be caught short just because of lack of fundamental knowledge.

"We don't want to be caught short when certain sectors of the market rally," he said.

They were caught short, unable to meet their bills because the county could no longer return principal or interest to the fund's participants.

New statistics from the Tax Foundation show why they'll be caught short.

Surely at least one would have been caught short at some point during the operation.

With the banks closed, even some well-to-do people were caught short of cash.

The addict never wanted to be caught short, although the last thing he wanted to do was have to use it while out there.

Mid-season, the seconds were caught short and needed an extra player.

Early Warnings Some military men, though, were worried that the administration would be caught short.

But they were caught short in this particular instance."

The action could further destabilize the area, other traders said, and the market was nervous about being caught short.

Of course, the Red Sox could be caught short if the players strike.