[on the dole] <adv. phr.> Drawing unemployment benefits. * /When Jim lost his job he got on the dole and is still on it./
[on the dot] also [on the button] <adv. phr.>, <informal> Exactly on time; not early and not late. * /Susan arrived at the party at 2:00 P.M. on the dot./ * /Ben's plane arrived on the dot./
[on the double!] <adv. phr.> Hurry up! * /"Let's go! On the double!" the pilot cried, as he started up the engine of the small plane./
[on the eve of] <prep.> Just before (an event). * /On the eve of the election, the president proposed a plan to cut taxes./
[on the face of it] <adv. phr.> Apparently; as it seems. * /On the face of it, Joe's claim that he can swim five miles is true./ * /His statement that he is a millionaire is, on the face of it, false./
[on the fence] <adj.> or <adv. phr.> Not able, or not wanting to choose; in doubt; undecided. - Often used with "sit". * /Jack sat on the fence for a week last spring before he finally joined the track team instead of the baseball team./ * /Mrs. Jones has decided to vote for the Democrats, but Mr. Jones is still on the fence./ See: FENCE-SITTER or FENCE-SITTING.
[on the fly(1)] <adv. phr.> 1. While in the air; in flight. * /The bird caught a bug on the fly./ * /Joe was called out because the catcher caught the ball on the fly./ 2. <informal> Between other activities; while busy with many things. * /The president was so busy that he had to dictate letters on the fly./ * /John is very busy, and people who want to talk to him have to catch him on the fly./ Compare: ON THE GO, ON THE WING(2).
[on the fly(2)] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Busy; going somewhere in a hurry; going about doing things. * /Getting the house ready for the visitors kept Mother on the fly all day./ * /The housekeeper of our school is always on the fly./
[on the go] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Active and busy. * /Successful businessmen are on the go most of the time./ * /Healthy, happy people are usually on the go./ Compare: ON THE MOVE.
[on the heels of] <prep.> Just after; following (something, especially an event). - Often used with "hard" for emphasis. * /Hard on the heels of the women's liberation parade, homosexuals declared a "gay pride week."/
[on the hog] See: LIVE HIGH OFF THE HOG or EAT HIGH ON THE HOG.
[on the hour] <adv. phr.> Each time the hour has zero minutes and zero seconds. * /The uptown bus goes past the school on the hour./ * /The woman must take her pill on the hour./
[on the house] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Paid for by the owner. * /At the opening of the new hotel, the champagne was on the house./ * /Oscar was the first customer at the diner, so his lunch was on the house./
[on the increase] See: ON THE WAX. Contrast: ON THE DECREASE, ON THE WANE.
[on the job] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Working hard; not wasting time. * /Joe was on the job all of the time that he was at work./ * /The school paper came out on time because the editors were on the job./
[on the knees of the gods] See: IN THE LAP OF THE GODS.
[on the lam] <adj.> or <adv. phr.>, <slang> Running away, especially from the law; in flight. * /The bank robber was on the lam for ten months before the police caught him./ - Sometimes used in the phrase "take it on the lam". * /After a big quarrel with her father, the girl took it on the lam./
[on the level] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Honest and fair; telling the whole truth. * /Our teacher respects the students who are on the level with her./ * /Joyce wondered if the fortune-teller was on the level./
[on the line] See: LAY ON THE LINE or PUT ON THE LINE.
[on the lips] See: HANG ON THE WORDS OF or HANG ON THE LIPS OF.
[on the lookout] <adj. phr.> Watching closely. * /The little boy was on the lookout for his father./ * /Forest rangers are always on the lookout for forest fires./ * /The doctor is on the lookout for a new secretary./
[on the loose] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Free to go; not shut in or stopped by anything. * /The zookeeper forgot to close the gate to the monkey cage and the monkeys were on the loose./ * /All of the seniors were on the loose on "Senior Skip Day."/
[on the make] <adj.>, <slang> 1. Promiscuous or aggressive in one's sexual advances. * /I can't stand Murray; he's always on the make./ 2. Pushing to get ahead in one's career; doing anything to succeed. * /The new department head is a young man on the make, who expects to be company president in ten years./
[on the map] See: PUT ON THE MAP.
[on the market] <adj. phr.> For sale. * /In the summer many fresh vegetables are on the market./ * /The Goodwins put their house on the market in January, but they did not sell it till August./
[on the mend] <adj. phr.> Healing; becoming better. * /John's broken leg is on the mend./ * /Mary's relationship with Joan is on the mend./
[on die money] <adv. phr.> Exactly right; exactly accurate. * /Algernon won the lottery; the numbers he picked were right on the money./ Compare: ON THE NOSE.
[on the move] <adj.> or <adv. phr.> 1. Moving around from place to place; in motion. * /It was a very cold day, and the teacher watching the playground kept on the move to stay warm./ * /It was vacation time, and the highways were full of families on the move./ 2. Moving forward; going somewhere. * /The candidate promised that if people would make him president, he would get the country on the move./
[on the nose] <adv. phr.>, <informal> Just right; exactly. * /Stanley hit the ball on the nose./ * /The airplane pilot found the small landing field on the nose./
[on the other foot] See: SHOE ON THE OTHER FOOT.
[on the other hand] <adv. phr.> Looking at the other side; from another point of view. - Used to introduce an opposite or different fact or idea. * /Jim wanted to go to the movies; his wife, on the other hand, wanted to stay home and read./ * /Mr. Harris may still want a boy to mow his lawn; on the other hand, he may have found someone to do it./ Compare: ON ONE HAND.
[on the outs] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Not friendly; having a quarrel. * /Mary and Sue were on the outs./ * /Being on the outs with a classmate is very upsetting./ Syn.: AT ODDS.
[on the point of] <prep.> Ready to begin; very near to. - Usually used with a verbal noun. * /The coach was on the point of giving up the game when our team scored two points./ * /The baby was on the point of crying when her mother finally came home./ Compare: ABOUT TO, AT THE POINT OF.
[on the Q.T.] <adv. phr.>, <informal> Secretly; without anyone's knowing. * /George and Paul formed a club on the Q.T./ * /The teachers got the principal a present strictly on the Q.T./ (from quiet.)
[on the road] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. Traveling; moving from one place to another. * /When we go on vacation, we take a lunch to eat while on the road./ * /Mr. Smith is on the road for his insurance company./ 2. Changing; going from one condition to another. * /Mary was very sick for several weeks, but now she is on the road to recovery./ * /Hard study in school put John on the road to success./
[on the rocks] <adj. phr.> 1. <informal> Wrecked or ruined. * /Mr. Jones' business and marriage were both on the rocks./ 2. With ice only. * /At the restaurant, Sally ordered orange juice on the rocks./
[on the ropes] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. Against the ropes of a boxing ring and almost not able to stand up. * /The fighter was on the ropes and could hardly lift his gloves./ 2. Almost defeated; helpless; near failure. * /The new supermarket took most of the business from Mr. Thomas's grocery, and the little store was soon on the ropes./
[on the run] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. In a hurry; hurrying. * /Jane called "Help!" and Tom came on the run./ * /Modern mothers are usually on the run./ 2. Going away from a fight; in retreat; retreating. * /The enemy soldiers were on the run./
[on the safe side] <adv. phr.> Provided for against a possible emergency; well prepared. * /"Please double-check these proofs, Mr. Brown," the printer said, "just to be on the safe side."/
[on the shelf] <adv.> or <adj. phr.>, <informal> Laid aside; not useful anymore. * /When a girl grows up, she puts childish habits on the shelf./ * /Mr. Myron's company put him on the shelf when he reached the age of 65./
[on the side] <adv. phr.>, <informal> 1. In addition to a main thing, amount or quantity; extra. * /He ordered a hamburger with onions and French fries on the side./ * /His job at the hospital did not pay much, so he found another on the side./ * /The cowboys in the rodeo competed for prize money and also made bets on the side./ 2. or [on the --- side] Tending toward; rather. * /Grandmother thought Jane's new skirt was on the short side./
[on the sly] <adv. phr.> So that other people won't know; secretly. * /The boys smoked on the sly./ * /Mary's mother did not approve of lipstick, but Mary used it on the sly./
[on the spot] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. or [upon the spot] At that exact time and at the same time or place; without waiting or leaving. * /The news of important events is often broadcast on the spot over television./ * /When Tom ruined an expensive machine, his boss fired him on the spot./ Compare: AT ONCE, IN ONE'S TRACKS, THEN AND THERE. 2. <informal> also [in a spot] In trouble, difficulty, or embarrassment. * /Mr. Jones is on the spot because he cannot pay back the money he borrowed./ * /Bill is on the spot; he invited George to visit him, but Bill's parents said no./ Compare: BACK TO THE WALL. 3. <slang> In danger of murder; named or listed for death. * /After he talked to the police, the gangsters put him on the spot./
[on the spur of the moment] <adv. phr.> On a sudden wish or decision; suddenly; without thought or preparation. * /John had not planned to take the trip; he just left on the spur of the moment./ * /Mary saw a help-wanted advertisement and applied for the job on the spur of the moment./
[on the stage] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> In or into the work of being an actor or actress. * /John's brother is on the stage./ * /Mary went on the stage./
[on the strength of] <prep.> With faith or trust in; depending upon; with the support of. * /On the strength of Jim's promise to guide us, we decided to climb the mountain./ * /Bill started a restaurant on the strength of his experience as a cook in the army./
[on the string] or [on a string] <adv. phr.>, <informal> Under your influence or control; obedient to every wish. * /The baby had his mother on a string./ * /She was pretty and popular, with two or three boys on the string all the time./
[on the take] <adv. phr.> Bribable; corrupt. * /Officer O'Keefe was put on three months' probation because it was alleged that he was on the take./
[on the tip of one's tongue] <adv. phr.> About to say something, such as a name, a telephone number, etc., but unable to remember it for the moment. * /"His name is on the tip of my tongue," Tom said. "It will come to me in a minute."/