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.

Categories:

Source: A Dictionary of American Idioms

» In Russian

To section: O

Subscribe to: American Idioms

✉

Our RSS-channels

Show All

See as well

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

Recent updates

говорить под руку

[говорить под руку] {v. phr.} [govo`rit' `pod ruku] {literally} to speak to (at) someone's hand. To say […]

push the panic button

[push the panic button] {v. phr.}, {slang} To become very much frightened; nervous or excited, especially at a time of danger […]

put

[put] See: [HARD PUT] or [HARD PUT TO IT], [STAY PUT].

Austin O'Malley

(1858-1932), physicianhumorist Memory is a crazy woman that hoards colored rags and throws away food.