[on faith]{adv. phr.} Without question or proof. •/He said he was twenty-one years old and the employment agency took him on faith./ •/He looked so honest that we accepted his story on faith./

[on file]{adv. phr.} Placed in a written or electronic file; on record. •/We are sorry we cannot hire you right now but we will keep your application on file./

[on fire] See: SET THE WORLD ON FIRE.

[on foot]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. By walking. •/Sally’s bicycle broke and she had to return home on foot./ 2. Being planned. •/The reporter said that a civil rights demonstration was on foot./ •/Plans have been set on foot for a party for Miss Jackson, because she is retiring./

[on guard]{adj. phr.} Watchful; watching. •/The police warned people to he on guard for pickpockets during the Christmas rush./ •/Two men are on guard at the door./ Contrast: OFF GUARD.

[on hand]{adv. phr.} 1a. Nearby; within reach. •/Always have your dictionary on hand when you study./ 1b. Here. •/Soon school will end and vacation will be on hand./ 2. Present. •/Mr. Blake’s secretary is always on hand when he appears in public./ 3. In your possession; ready. •/The Girl Scouts have plenty of cookies on hand./ •/Tim had no cash on hand to pay for the gas./ Compare: IN STORE.

[on high cotton] See: ON TOP OF THE WORLD also SITTING ON HIGH COTTON.

[on hold]{adv. phr.} 1. Left waiting while making a telephone call. •/"Sorry sir," the secretary said, "I’ll have to put you on hold for a minute."/ 2. Waiting; temporarily halted. •/"Put your marriage plans on hold, son, and wait until after graduation," his father said seriously./

[on ice]{adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {slang} 1. The same as won; sure to be won. •/The score was 20-10 in the last inning, and our team had the game on ice./ 2. Away for safekeeping or later use; aside. •/You will have to put your vacation plans on ice until your debts are paid./ •/The senator was voted out of office. He is on ice until the next election./

[on in years] See: ALONG IN YEARS.

[onion] See: KNOW ONE’S WAY AROUND(2).

[only] See: HAVE EYES ONLY FOR, IF ONLY.

[on occasion]{adv. phr.} Sometimes; occasionally. •/We go to New York on occasion./ •/On occasion we feel like celebrating and have a party./ Compare: ONCE IN A WHILE, FROM TIME TO TIME.

[on one hand]{adv. phr.} Looking at a thing in one of two possible ways; from one point of view. — Usually used with "on the other hand". •/John wants to be a printer or a teacher; on one hand, printing pays better; on the other hand, schools need good teachers./

[on one’s account]{adv. phr.} For your good; because you want to help or please someone. •/Barry studied hard on his mother’s account./ •/I hope you didn’t bring tea to the picnic just on my account./ •/The teacher stayed in school a little late on Tom’s account./ Compare: OF ONE’S OWN ACCORD, ON ACCOUNT OF.

[on one’s back]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Making insistent demands of you; being an annoyance or bother. •/My wife has been on my back for weeks to fix the front door screen./ •/I can’t get any work done with the children on my back from morning until night./ •/Jim could do a better job if his boss weren’t on his back so often./ Contrast: OFF ONE’S BACK.

[on one’s bad side] or [on the bad side of one] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Not liked by someone; not friendly with a person. •/Sally’s boyfriend got on Father’s bad side by keeping Sally out too late after the dance./ Contrast: ON ONE’S GOOD SIDE.

[on one’s behalf] See: ON BEHALF OF.

[on one’s chest]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Hidden in your thoughts or feelings and bothering you; making you feel worried or upset; that is something you want to talk to someone about. •/Jane looks unhappy because she has the quarrel with Susan on her chest./ •/"Well, Dave," said the coach, "You look sad — what’s on your chest?"/ Compare: ON ONE’S MIND. Contrast: OFF ONE’S CHEST,

[on one’s coattails]{adv. phr.} Because of another’s merits, success, or popularity. •/Bob and Jim are best friends. When Jim was invited to join a fraternity, Bob rode in on his coattails./ •/Many people vote straight for all the candidates in the same political party. Most people voted for President K., so Governor B. rode in on K.'s coattails./

[on oneself] See: TAKE ON ONESELF.

[on one’s feet]{adv. phr.} 1. Standing or walking; not sitting or lying down; up. •/Before the teacher finished asking the question, George was on his feet ready to answer it./ •/In a busy gasoline station, the attendant is on his feet all day./ Compare: TO ONE’S FEET. Contrast: OFF ONE’S FEET. 2. Recovering; getting better from sickness or trouble. •/Jack is back on his feet after a long illness./ •/Susan was on her feet soon after the operation./ •/The bank loaned the store money to get it back on its feet after the fire./ 3. See: LAND ON ONE’S FEET, STAND ON ONE’S OWN FEET, THINK ON ONE’S FEET.

[on one’s good behavior]{adv. phr.} Behaving right to make a good impression. •/While his father was around the boy was on his good behavior, but when the father left the boy soon got into mischief./ •/The minister is coming to dinner, and Mother wants us to be on our good behavior./

[on one’s good side] or [on the good side of one] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Friendly with someone; liked by a person. •/John thought that he would get a good grade if he got on the good side of the teacher./ •/Successful workers stay on the good side of their bosses./ Contrast: ON ONE’S BAD SIDE.

[on one’s hands]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} In your care or responsibility; that you must do something about. •/Mrs. Blake left her five children with me while she shopped. I could not get anything done with the children on my hands./ •/After everyone bought tickets to the dance, the club treasurer had over $100 on his hands./ •/The electricity went off while Mother was cooking supper, and she had a problem on her hands./ •/I had time on my hands before the bus came, so I bought a newspaper to read./ Contrast: OFF ONE’S HANDS. See: SIT ON ONE’S HANDS. Compare: HANG HEAVY or HANG HEAVY ON ONE’S HANDS.

[on one’s head] or [upon one’s head] {adv. phr.} On one’s self. •/When the school board fired the superintendent of schools, they brought the anger of the parents upon their heads./ •/Billy had been naughty all day, but he really brought his parents' anger down on his head by pushing his little sister into a mud puddle./ Compare: ABOUT ONE’S EARS.

[on one’s heel] See: TURN ON ONE’S HEEL.

[on one’s high horse]{adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Acting as if you are better than others; being very proud and scornful. •/Martha was chairman of the picnic committee, and at the picnic she was on her high horse, telling everyone what to do./ •/Mrs. Jones asked to see a less expensive hat. The salesgirl got up on her high horse and said the shop did not sell cheap merchandise./ 2. Refusing to be friendly because you are angry; in a bad temper. •/Joe was on his high horse because he felt Mary wasn’t giving him enough attention./ Contrast: OFF ONE’S HIGH HORSE.

[on one’s honor]{adj. phr.} Bound by one’s honesty; trusted. •/The students were not supervised during the examination. They were on their honor not to cheat./ •/The house father put the boys on their honor not to smoke in the dormitory./