[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."/

[on the town] <adv.> or <adj. phr.>, <informal> In or into a town to celebrate; having a good time or enjoying the amusements in a town. * /When the sailors got off their ship they went out on the town./ Compare: PAINT THE TOWN RED.

[on the track of] or [on the trail of] Hunting or looking for; trying to find; following. * /The hunter is on the track of a deer./ * /The lawyer is on the trail of new proof in the case./ * /Jim collects old stamps; he is on the track of one in Midville this afternoon./

[on the trail of] See: ON THE TRACK OF.

[on the trigger] See: QUICK ON THE TRIGGER.

[on the up and up] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Honest; trustworthy; sincere. * /We felt that he was honest and could be trusted. This information is on the up and up./ Compare: ON THE LEVEL.

[on the vine] See: DIE ON THE VINE or WITHER ON THE VINE.

[on the wagon] <adv. phr.> Participating in an alcohol addiction program; not touching any alcoholic beverage. * /Jim's doctor and his family finally managed to convince him that he was an alcoholic and should go on the wagon./ Contrast: FALL OFF THE WAGON.

[on the wane and on the wax] <adv. phr.> Decreasing and increasing. - Said of the moon. * /The moon is regularly on the wane and on the wax at regular intervals lasting half a month./

[on the warpath] <adj. phr.>, <informal> 1. Very angry. * /When Mother saw the mess in the kitchen she went on the warpath./ * /Betty has been on the warpath ever since she found out she was not invited to the party./ 2. Making an attack; fighting. * /The government is on the warpath against narcotics./ * /The police are on the warpath against speeders./

[on the watch] <adj. phr.> Alert; watchful. * /The customs inspector was on the watch for diamond smugglers./ * /Mary was on the watch for bargains at the auction./ Compare: EYE OUT, LOOK OUT(2).

[on the way] or [on one's way] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> Coming; going toward a place or goal; started. * /Help was on the way./ * /The train left and Bill was on his way to New York./ * /He is well on the way to becoming a fine mechanic./

[on the whole] <adv. phr.> 1. In the most important things; in most ways. * /On the whole, Billy did very well in school this year./ * /Everybody agreed that on the whole it was a good show./ Syn.: IN ALL(2), FOR THE MOST PART. 2. In most cases; usually. * /On the whole, men are stronger than women./ * /On the whole, children begin walking when they are about one year old./ Syn.: BY AND LARGE, IN GENERAL.

[on the wing] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. In the air; while flying. * /The duck flew away, but John shot it on the wing./ 2. <informal> In constant motion; always very busy. * /Susan was on the wing doing things to get ready for her trip./ * /Mr. Jones had a busy schedule and his secretary had to catch him on the wing to sign the letters./ Syn.: ON THE FLY. 3. <informal> Moving from one place to another; traveling; going somewhere. * /Mary's husband is a traveling salesman and he's always on the wing./ * /They stayed in France for a week and then they were on the wing again./ Syn.: ON THE GO, ON THE MOVE.

[on the words] See: HANG ON THE WORDS OF.

[on the wrong foot] See: GET OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT.

[on the wrong side of the bed] See: GET UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BED.

[on the wrong track] <adv. phr.> Lost; pursuing the wrong lead. * /Professor MacAlister confessed that his chemical experiments were on the wrong track./ Contrast: BARK UP THE WRONG TREE.

[on time] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. At the time arranged; not late; promptly. * /The train left on time./ * /Mary is always on time for an appointment./ Contrast: AHEAD OF TIME, BEHIND TIME. 2. On the installment plan; on credit, paying a little at a time. * /John bought a car on time./ * /You can buy things at the department store on time./

[on top] <adv.> or <adj. phr.>, <informal> In the lead; with success; with victory. * /The horse that everyone had expected would be on top actually came in third./ * /Although John had been afraid that he was not prepared for the exam, he came out on top./

[on top of] <prep>. 1. On the top of; standing or lying on; on. * /When the player on the other team dropped the ball, Bill fell on top of it./ * /That high hill has a tower on top of it./ 2. <informal> Very close to. * /The elevator was so crowded that everybody was on top of each other./ * /I couldn't find my umbrella and then I realized I was almost on top of it./ 3. <informal> In addition to; along with. * /Mrs. Lane had many expenses and on top of everything else, her baby became ill./ * /Mary worked at the store all day and on top of that she had to baby-sit with her brother./ 4. <informal> Managing very well; in control of. * /Although his new job was very complicated, John was on top of it within a few weeks./ * /No matter what goes wrong, Mary always stays on top of it./ 5. Knowing all about; not falling behind in information about; up-to-date on. * /Mary stays on top of the news by reading newspapers and magazines./ * /When he was in California, Mr. Jones kept on top of things in his office by telephoning every day./

[on top of the world] or [sitting on top of the world] also (Southern) [sitting on high cotton] <adj. phr.>, <informal> Feeling pleased and happy; feeling successful. * /John was on top of the world when he found out that he got into college./ * /When Ruth won first prize in the contest, she felt as though she was sitting on top of the world./ * /The girls were sitting on high cotton because their basketball team had won the trophy./ Compare: FLYING HIGH, WALK ON AIR.

[on trial] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. For testing or trying out for a time before making a decision. * /I was lucky that I had bought the machine on trial because I didn't like it and was able to return it./ * /Mother bought a new dishwasher on trial and was trying it out before deciding whether to keep it./ 2. In a court being tried for a crime before a judge or jury. * /John White was on trial for murder./ * /Mary was on trial before the Student Committee for spoiling school property./

[on words] See: PLAY ON WORDS.

[on your life] See: NOT ON YOUR LIFE.

[open] See: EYES OPEN, THROW OPEN.

[open and aboveboard] <adj. phr.> Honest. * /Jacob felt that the firm he was doing business with wasn't entirely open and aboveboard./

[open and shut] See: CUT AND DRIED.

[open arms] See: RECEIVE WITH OPEN ARMS.

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