see coming

see coming (third-person singular simple present sees coming, present participle seeing coming, simple past saw coming, past participle seen coming)

1. (informal, of a thing, person, or occurrence) To notice in advance, especially to recognise as a threat or problem; to foresee.

   The foul ball hit me on the head. I didn't see it coming.

   You're a perfect hitman; you look like a regular guy. Nobody sees you coming.

   My pension plan went broke. I didn't see that development coming.

   • 2014, Ingrid Michaelson, Trent Dabbs, busbee, “Time Machine”, in Lights Out‎, performed by Ingrid Michaelson:

     I should've seen it coming / It should've sent me running / That's what I get for loving you-oo-oo...

   • 2022 August 24, Kevin Roose, “We Need to Talk About How Good A.I. Is Getting”, in The New York Times‎, →ISSN:

     And tech-savvy propagandists could use the technology to churn out targeted misinformation on a vast scale, distorting the political process in ways we won't see coming.

   • 2022 September 23, Dan Shive, El Goonish Shive (webcomic), Comic for Friday, Sep 23, 2022:

     "'Effectively accelerates your own healing'... yeah, I should've seen this coming." "So I'm not burnt out?! I can use my magic again?!" "Um, I think so, but..."

2. (informal, of a person) To recognise (someone) as a potential victim to swindle or otherwise deceive.

   You were charged $1,000 for a car wash? They must have seen you coming!

• mesogenic