on tap 1. mod. having to do with beer sold
from a barrel or keg. Do you have any
imported beers on tap here? I like beer
on tap. The canned stuff tastes funny to
me. 2. mod. immediately available. I
have just the kind of person you’re talking
about on tap. The cook has any kind of
food you might want on tap.
on-targetmod. timely; exact; incisive.
Your criticism is exactly on-target. We
are on-target for a December completion
date.
on the back burnermod. out of the way;
aside and out of consideration. (See also
on the shelf.) We will have to put this
on the back burner for a while. She kept
her boyfriend on the back burner until she
decided what to do about him.
on the ball 1. mod. knowledgeable; com-
petent; attentive. This guy is really on
the ball. If you were on the ball, this
wouldn’t have happened. 2. mod. in one’s
head or brain; at one’s disposal. (Espe-
cially with have a lot.) He sure has a
lot on the ball. When you’ve got it on the
ball the way she does, things generally go
right.
on the bandwagonmod. with the major-
ity; following the latest fad. (Often with
hop, get, climb, or jump.) Come on! Hop
on the bandwagon! Everyone else is join-
ing. Tom always has to climb on the
bandwagon. He does no independent
thinking.
on the beam 1. mod. homing in on an avi-
ation radio beam. (No longer a major
navigational device.) The plane was on
the beam and landed safely in the fog.
I couldn’t get on the beam, and I f lew right
over the airfield. 2. mod. on the right
course or track. (From sense 1.) That
is exactly right. You are right on the beam.
You’re on the beam. You will finish this
with no problems. 3. and beamingmod.
under the effects of marijuana. (Drugs.)
Walter is on the beam again. How can
he hold a job? The only time that Bart
is happy is when he is beaming. 4. mod.
smart; clever. That was well done, Tom.
You’re on the beam. She is really on the
beam. Glad she came along.
on the beanGo to on the button.on the birdmod. available on the TV satel-
lite channels. There is a whole lot of
good stuff on the bird, but you need a re-
ceiving dish to get it. I get a huge book
every month listing what programs are on
the bird.on the bleeding edgephr. having the
most advanced technology; knowing
about the most advanced technology.
(Jocular. More advanced than on the cut-
ting edge.) This gadget is brand new. It’s
really on the bleeding edge. Tom is on
the bleeding edge when it comes to optical
storage technology.on the blink 1. mod. out of order; ill. (See
also on the fritz.) I was a little on the
blink yesterday and decided to stay at
home. My refrigerator is on the blink
again. 2. mod. alcohol intoxicated; on a
drinking spree. They all went out and
got on the blink. My brother is a little
bit on the blink this morning.on the button and on the beanmod. ex-
actly the right time or place. He was
there on time, right on the button. I
want to see you here at noon—on the
bean.on the chopping blockmod. in serious
and threatening straits. Our whole fu-
ture is on the chopping block. Until this
is resolved, our necks are on the chopping
block.on the DLmod.as a secret; secretly; on the
QT.(From down low.) He told me on
the DL, so keep it under your hat. She’ll
get in trouble because they did it on the
DL.on the doublemod. very fast; twice as fast.
(Originally military. Refers to double time
in marching.) Get over here right
now—on the double! She wants to see
you in her office on the double.on the flymod. while something or some-
one is operating or moving. I’ll try to
capture the data on the f ly. Please try
to buy some aspirin somewhere on the f ly
today.on the fly