to be on one's toes
- idiom
- As the game progressed, the players had to be on their toes to anticipate the opponent's moves.
Examples
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You need to be on your toes during the meeting to catch any unexpected questions.
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I gotta be on my toes.
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Be on your toes at all times.
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You have to be on your toes because I am not going to be grounded again!
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When you dance with Fred Astaire, you really have to be on your toes.
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Let's tighten up out there and be on our toes.
Fiction book (1990) -
They tell me you've been on your toes since you got here.
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If you want to succeed in this fast-paced environment, you must always be on your toes.
Synonyms
45
3.5
Alert and ready to act if danger or problems appear
36
3.2
Being careful and ready to notice danger or problems
7
6.3
Being ready to act quickly when a chance or danger appears
6
6.1
To answer or act quickly and clearly when something unexpected happens
5
4.4
Ready and alert to notice danger or problems
4
6.3
To notice things quickly and act to fix them
2
7.5
Always alert and ready to react to news and events
1
6.0
Watch carefully for something you expect to see
1
7.7
To be alert and ready to act
1
6.8
Be careful about people who might try to harm you
1
4.7
Alert and ready to deal with danger or problems
1
9.9
A state of being ready and watching for danger
1
7.4
To stay alert and think quickly in difficult or unexpected situations
You are ready and alert to act quickly
Able to think and answer quickly in surprising or difficult situations
Make someone stay alert and ready for surprises
Ready and careful about possible danger or problems
Antonyms
How Alert
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'to be alert and ready' is metaphorically related to the literal image of standing on one’s toes (poised to move), so a learner who knows the constituents can often infer the general meaning. However, the phrase is conventionalized and metaphorical rather than fully compositional, and its pragmatic range (e.g. temporary vigilance vs. sustained readiness) is not completely predictable without exposure.
Etymology
The idiom be on one's toes may come from the simple image of standing on the tips of your toes so you can move quickly. If you are literally on your toes you can react quickly, so the phrase means 'alert and ready'.