Caught With Your Pants Down

Pants DownA scandal is when someone does something wrong, usually a well-known person such as a politician or a movie star. There can be many different types of scandals, including scandals involving sex. In today’s U.S. papers, the American press is reporting on a story about the Governor of the State of New York, Eliot Spitzer. Governor Spitzer is accused (is said to be guilty of) visiting a prostitute (a man or woman who provides sex in exchange for money) while on a trip to Washington DC. The governor has admitted to doing something wrong, and will probably resign (give up his job) very soon.

Sex scandals are nothing new to American politics, or probably the politics of any country. One newspaper ran (published) an editorial cartoon (a visual joke usually involving politics) showing the governor in his underwear with his pants down on the ground. We have an expression, “to be caught with your pants down,” which means to be discovered doing something wrong, often while committing the act. Although the expression relates obviously to a sexual situation, it can also be applied to any situation where you are discovered by other people doing something wrong.

So whatever you do today, try not to get caught with your pants down.


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11 Responses to Caught With Your Pants Down

  1. Jerry says:

    TO be caught with your pants down means to be discoverd doing something wrong!
    I remembered!
    One story and one expression! I think it is a good way to remember the words you never know!
    Thank you !

  2. Judicaël says:

    In my language (french) there is a similar expression “se faire attraper la main dans le sac” that means litteraly “to be caught with the hands in the bag”,

    Judicaël from Benin (West Africa)

  3. martin says:

    We have nearly the same expression in French: Se retrouver en caleçon and there is a similar expression in occitant ; the old language which was spoken in the south of France at the beginning of the 20th century.
    I like yours podcast very mutch . I think I can improve my english very fast.

  4. Ari Fernando Ramos says:

    It´s very interesting expression I´ve just learned and certainly I´ll memorize, considering today headlines of newspapers and televisions . I´ve learned that learning is to change the expected behavior. In a sense ESLPod has contributed a lot to change my expected behavior concerning my English Language learning process.

  5. Rafael says:

    I have seen briefly about the Governor Splitzer but I didn´t know what had happened.
    Reading your post I get to know the whole story. LOL

    This is an interesting expression! In Brazil we have a very similiar expression for this, it´s “Caught with short pants”.
    Thanks Jeff, very good post!!

  6. orlando nunez s says:

    Hy friends. it is very embarrassing what happened to n.y. governor. did you see his wife’s face. her expression speaks for itself.
    anyway, press is doing something wrong, destroying his family life.
    thanks again for this splendid page.
    yours truly

  7. emiliano says:

    It should be worst to be caught with his hands in the bag as many often happens with politicians or similar. But I do not agree that to be caught visiting a prostitute should be enough to destroy a man, or his career. I dislike this way of doing things. Because to be or not to be with a prostitute should be a matter that affects him, his life, or his marriage but he may be a fair fellow doing his work as politician.
    Private life doesn’f matter me, or it shouldn’t matter other people. I remember Clinton with Monika Levinsky, …… in Spain it was so funy to see the way of americans
    try this evens.
    We, mediterranean’s are more liberal people, and what happen about politician flesh pleasures doesn¡t have any trascendent. Lust is natural and some times very hard to content, so who are we to judge a person about this matter?. Ethic is different, and it is possible that this man has spoken a lot about moral, good customs, etc. etc.
    and now has been caught in the same thing he was talking against.
    Do what I say, but not what I do…..very old question.

  8. susan says:

    I remember the impression!

  9. Huicho says:

    I am writing to you from México.
    Firts of all, in my country there is also a expression which denotes a similar meaning and that is “lo/la agarraron con los calzones en la mano” (he/she was caught with his/hear shorts in hand).
    Secondly, it is always very interesting to see how politicians in the USA react to that kind of scandal. Here, in México, there have been similar (or worse) scandals recently (children’s corruption -that means having sexual relationships with children but with the latter’s consent- and proved corruption included) but nothing happens. Most of them (but not exclusively) have been members of the PRI which held the presidency of the Republic for more than 70 years.
    However, I can’t but agree with Emiliano when he says that this kind of matter (having sexual relationships with a prostitute) shouldn’t destroy a person’s career, specially when that person has had a very good performance.


  10. Phoebe says:

    I don’t feel good for Eliot Spitzer’s wife,she had to stand besides his husband when the desingenuous person was making appologizes to the pubic , to show that they’ were still together ,I mean ,it’s unfair for her,isn’t it ?I can totally understand if she shout out :you’re such a jerk!Of course, it’s not a decent way to express her anger,but acceptable.
    And ,recently ,I have found it weird that more and more politics were exposed that kind of sex scandle ,some prostitutes were even interviewed on TV ,revealing those shocking facts that Rich or powerful nobles and politics have contact with them ,moreover, they are very generous to pay the money .Further more,there ‘s also something lignominiou happened on the new governer of the state of NY,however,he exposed that himself,in my point of view,it’s mostly because he is afraid to be next “Spitzer” .

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