put (one) off (one's) stride

put (one) off (one's) stride

To disturb, distract from, or interfere with what one is doing, such that they are unable to do it well. It really put me off my stride to have my parents watching while I worked on my painting. The boxer tried to put his opponent off his stride by getting in his face right before the fight.See also: off, put, stride

put one off one's stride

 1. Lit. to cause one to deviate from a rhythmic stride while walking, running, or marching. A rabbit ran across the path and put me off my stride. 2. Fig. to interfere with one's normal and natural progress or rate of progress. Your startling comments put Larry off his stride for a moment. He was put off his stride by an interruption from the audience.See also: off, one, put, stride

put one off one's stride

Also, put one off one's stroke. Interfere with one's progress, distract or disturb one, as in The interruption put her off her stride for a moment, and she took several seconds to resume her train of thought , or The noise of the airplanes overhead put her off her stroke, and she missed the next ball . The first term, first recorded in 1946, alludes to the regular pace of a walker or runner; the variant, first recorded in 1914, alludes to the regular strokes of a rower. Also see throw off the track. See also: off, one, put, stride

put someone off their stride

BRITISHIf something puts you off your stride, it stops you from concentrating on what you are doing, so that you do not do it as well as usual. It was clearly a tactic designed to put his opponent off his stride. Note: The verbs knock and throw are sometimes used instead of put. Perhaps a few jokes during the game will knock Chris off his stride. Compare with put someone off their stroke.See also: off, put, someone, stride

put somebody off their ˈstride/ˈstroke

make somebody take their attention off what they are doing and stop doing it so well: All sorts of things can put a player off his stroke.See also: off, put, somebody, stride, stroke