to be on the ball
13
6.3
- idiom
- Informal
:
estar atento
- It's important to be on the ball during meetings so you can catch all the details.
- keep your eye on the ball
- keep your eye on the ball
- is really on the ball
Joe Biden was more on the ball than some anticipated.
- Joe Biden was more on the ball than some anticipated.
- Whoever teaching it there really was on on the ball.
Examples
-
Cassel's concussion means that Quinn needs to be on the ball.
Blog text (18) -
Eric is on the ball and understands what people are saying and doing.
Blog text (10) -
I need to be on the ball all the time.
-
Now they can prove that they were doing their jobs and were on the ball.
Blog text (16) -
You guys are on the ball.
Blog text (4) -
Our managers are on the ball
-
Joe Biden was more on the ball than some anticipated.
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Why can't you people be more on the ball around here?
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prMac is always on the ball whenever I need to get our PR out there.
Blog text (15) -
I might be Chief now, and I'm raising a kid, but I'm hip, I'm on the ball.
Synonyms
294
3.1
To be aware of what is happening
22
7.9
To understand current ideas and styles
15
6.7
To understand a situation or subject well
15
5.6
Pay attention to the main goal and avoid distractions
11
4.9
Understand what really happens in a situation, often when it is bad
9
5.6
Quick to notice and understand things
4
5.2
Able to think and answer quickly in surprising or difficult situations
3
8.2
Fully focused and ready to do your best
1
6.3
To stay alert and ready for anything that might happen
1
5.4
Fast to act or respond at the start of a situation
1
7.7
To be alert and ready to act
1
6.7
Able to understand new ideas very quickly
You are ready and alert to act quickly
Very quick to begin working on a task
Always alert and ready to react to news and events
Antonyms
How Alert
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal parts 'be' + 'on' + 'the' + 'ball' do not transparently yield the sense 'alert' or 'well-informed'—the connection depends on a sports-based metaphor (being 'on' a ball = ready/attentive) that is not obvious from the words themselves. This idiomatic, culture-bound extension is not reliably predictable by a B1 learner who only knows the constituent words and is therefore not transparent.
Etymology
The idiom be on the ball may come from simple ball games: if a player keeps their eyes on the ball and stays ready, they can notice and react quickly. So the phrase now means 'to be alert' or 'to pay close attention'.