on the game—(UK sl.) involved in prostitution or stealing: Betty’s on the game , isn’t she? Has she got you at it too? See also: off one’s game / off the game. on one’s hind legs • on the back foot on one’s hind legs—(joc.) 1. standing up (to make a speech): Richard got on his hind legs and said that no decent man ought to read Shakespeare’s sonnets. 2. (coll.) very angry; enraged: “Don’t get on your hind legs but just listen to me,” returned Betty composedly. on the back foot—(UK) in a defensive position; preparing to retreat: For much of the campaign, he was on the back foot , criticised and scrutinised, his strategy derided. on one’s own hook • on the hook on one’s own hook—(sl.) on one’s own initiative; relying on one’s own efforts: St. Mary’s Hospital does not meet incoming flights with its own vehicle. Patients come on their own hook . on the hook—1. (of a telephone receiver) on its rest: Unless the telephone is on the hook , the subscriber cannot call or be called by the Exchange. 2. (coll.) attached to some habit; addicted to smth.: “He really is on the hook .” “The hook?” “This drug habit.” 3. (coll.) in smb.’s power: She had made me wretchedly conscious of my shortcomings; that is how she had me on the hook . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase on tenterhooks—in a state of suspense or strain because of uncertainty: Dealers said the market was on tenterhooks about the size of the German rate cut. See also: off the hook / off the hooks. on one’s side • on the side on one’s side—1. said of smth. giving a person an advantage and increasing his chances of success: He has youth on his side , and it is odds but he gets over it [disease]. 2. said of smb. supporting a person in an argument, etc.: The polluters often have a strong commercial lobby on their side , while the anti- polluters must rely on voluntary effort. on the side —1. said of work done in addition to one’s regular occupation: Norm decided to start looking at his hobby as a means of making a little money on the side . 2. said of smth. done secretly or illicitly: If I married him, I’d need a boy friend on the side to keep me entertained. Not for sex, for conver- sation. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase on the sidelines—used of smb. not participating in an activity, being merely a spectator: For most of this debate, I have sat on the sidelines , watching and listening with interest. on one’s toes • on tiptoe on one’s toes—1. stand or walk on the front part of the feet: His lips fall onto my left cheek. I stand on my toes , and he hugs me tighter. 2. (coll.) active and alert; ready for action: We need several more salesmen who not only know the busi- ness, but are on their toes . on tiptoe1. = on one’s toes 1: I had to stand on tiptoe in order to see over the fence. 2. (coll.) in the state of tense and eager anticipation: She is on tiptoe with curiosity about the present you’ve brought her. on order • on orders on order—1. said of smth. ordered or requested but not yet supplied: We have twenty F-16 planes on order with you. We placed that order five years ago. 2. in compliance with a request: They do it on order , and the only thing they check is to see that your bill with the other company is paid up. 3. according to orders received: The claim to be acting on order from a superior is not admissible as a defense against convic- tion. Note: The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with the phrase to order— = on order 2: Most of the items displayed are manufactured to order only. on orders—(also: under orders) = on order 3: When charged with withholding important information, he replied that he was only acting on orders . on someone’s case • on the case on someone’s case—1. investigating smb.’s crime: He has been able to avoid getting caught by every other detective on his case . 2. (U.S. sl.) harassing or criticizing a person in an annoy- ing way: “My sister was on my case about that joke all night,” he continued. on the case—1. = on someone’s case 1: The detectives on the case think the two things are tied in. The killing and the acid. 2. dealing with a particular problem or situation: The missions seem designed only as a chance for politicians to show they’re on the case . on someone’s good side • on someone’s side on someone’s good side—enjoying smb.’s favor or approval: This is a great way to show people that they need to be on your good side to earn all the information they want. on someone’s side—supporting and encouraging a person in a difficult and competitive situation: When he realizes that I’m on his side , he can much more readily do something about that very thing. on tap • on the tap on tap —1. (of beer, etc.) drawn from a cask: The high-den- sity drink is Geuze (so called when it is bottled, and Lambic when it is on tap ). 2. (coll.) available for immediate use: I don’t believe in investing every penny one has; I like to have a few hundred pounds on tap . 3. (coll.) said of smth. scheduled to happen very soon: More military and medical experiments are on tap for Atlantis astronauts today. on the tap —(sl.) begging for money, etc.; asking for a loan: She was a real moaner and always on the tap , borrowing sugar and milk. on tape • on the tape on tape—recorded on magnetic tape: When people spoke “live” or on tape it was often difficult to hear what they were saying. on the tape —1. = on tape: Magnetic patterns on the tape are translated by a tape-head into electrical impulses. 2. at the very end of a race: Wheeler regained the ground he had lost and just robbed the Hungarian of victory on the tape . on the back bench • on the bench on the back bench—1. (UK) said of members of Parliament who, because they do not hold office, are not entitled to a front-bench seat: His sojourn on the Back Bench will be short lived and he will return to the Front Bench soon. 2. (U.S.) said of the new members of Congress considered as a group: While Jim’s been on the back bench in Washington, I’ve been on the front lines here in Nevada. on the bench—1. said of a judge in the court of law: When a judge rules on a case in which his financial holdings are at stake, public trust is violated…. Conflicts of interest have no place on the bench . 2. said of a sportsman sitting among the substitute players during a game: The coach had to keep his star player on the bench with a sprained ankle. on the back of a postcard • on the back of an envelope on the back of a postcard—(in the phrase “fit on the back of a postcard”) said of the insignificant amount of one’s knowledge, – 251 – on the back of a postcard