keep one's eye on the ball
Meaning: To stay focused on what matters.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “With exams coming, she's keeping her eye on the ball.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: The basic advice in ball games like baseball, cricket and tennis. The figurative use is common from the early 20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- Dutch: bij de les blijven — literally: to stay at the lesson
More idioms — Daily Life
- be cut out for something — To have the right qualities for something.
- go to bat for someone — To support or defend someone.
- pull the plug — To put a stop to something, especially by cutting off its support.
- clean house — To get rid of unwanted people or practices in an organization.
- kick it up a notch — To increase effort, intensity or excitement.
- under lock and key — Securely locked away.
More English idioms
- take matters into one's own hands — To act oneself because others have failed to.
- fight fire with fire — To respond to an attack with the same methods.
- all in one's head — Imagined rather than real, or a matter of attitude.
- stink to high heaven — To smell terrible; also, to seem very dishonest.
- the truth will out — The truth cannot stay hidden forever.
- on a silver platter — Given to someone without any effort on their part.