on one's toes

on one's toes {adj. phr.}, {informal}

Alert; ready to act.

The successful ball player is always on his toes.

Compare: HEADS-UP, ON THE BALL.

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Source: A Dictionary of American Idioms

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heads-up

[heads-up] {adj.}, {informal} Wide-awake; alert; watchful; intelligent. * /You must play hard, heads-up baseball to win this game./ Compare: [ON ONE'S TOES], [ON THE BALL]. A Dictionary of American Idioms

step on one's toes

[step on one's toes] or [tread on one's toes] {v. phr.} To do something that embarrasses or offends someone else. * /If you break in when other people are talking, […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

turn up one's toes

[turn up one's toes] {v. phr.}, {slang} To die. * /One morning the children found that their pet mouse had turned up his toes, so they had a funeral for […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

keep one's eye on the ball

[keep one's eye on the ball] {v. phr.} 1. To watch the ball at all times in a sport, usually in order to hit it or get it; not stop […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

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