have loved nothing more than to have stopped for a rest. Cf.: need new legs —(also: need fresh legs) 1. be in need of rest: I think I need new legs from all the walking we did. 2. (Sport) need players who are young: We need new legs on the team. Veterans are great, but the youth has so much more potential. be the last leg—be the last part of a trip (separated from other parts by a period of rest, etc.): We were tired but this was the last leg of our journey. be on one’s own ground • stand on one’s native soil be on one’s own ground—(also: be on home ground) 1. be in the area where one works or lives (with the implication that it makes a person feel confident and secure): Whenever possible he liked to make a point of talking to drug users on their own ground . 2. be competent in a subject because one is thoroughly familiar with it (with the implication that it makes a person feel relaxed and comfortable): And where he is on his own ground , as in the chapters dealing with family life, he exercises his well-known mastery of observation. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase stand one’s own ground—(also: hold one’s ground) maintain one’s firm position in an argument, etc: Perry discov- ered that he could stand his own ground and still be respected. stand on one’s native soil—be in the land of one’s birth: I am looking forward to going back to France and standing once more on my native soil . be on overtime • be over one’s time be on overtime—work after the usual working hours: The men stayed locked up for two hours until their boss agreed they would repair the faulty central heating immediately— on overtime . be over one’s time—(of a woman) be late in menstruating (the usual implication being that of unwanted pregnancy): “A fine father and mentor you are. Don’t even realize that she is over her time ,” he cursed himself… be on pins and needles • have pins and needles be on pins and needles —(coll.) be in the state of agitated ex- pectancy: We had been on pins and needles all day long until we received her telegram. Note: a) The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase be on one’s pins—(coll.) be on one’s feet; be in good health: When I came home after a number of years, I was glad that mother was still on her pins . b) The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase be on the needle—(sl.) be addicted to injectable drugs: My brother’s on the needle , and I want to help him. have pins and needles —have a pricking tingling sensation in a limb: I have had pins and needles in my left hand for about two weeks now. be on the fiddle • fiddle about be on the fiddle—(sl.) be involved in illicit money-making activities: As it was day-time, everyone in the coffee bar was on the dole or on the fiddle . fiddle about—(coll.) mess about or waste time: I’ve been fid - dling about for ages trying to get the windscreen washers to work properly. be on the hop • go on the hop be on the hop—(coll.) 1. be very busy: I’d been on the hop ever since morning, for being in love with Anita was a stren- uous calling. 2. play truant; stay away from school, etc.: Re- member that day I was on the hop from school? I went down to the city that day… go on the hop— = be on the hop 2: Ronan used to go “on the hop ” (skipping school) when he was a teenager. Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase catch someone on the hop—(coll.) catch a person unprepared; take smb. by surprise: You’ve caught me on the hop , I’m afraid—give me five minutes to get ready. be on the look-out for something • look out for something be on the look-out for something—be watchful wishing to find or acquire smth.: Restaurant manager Jose Padilla is al - ways on the look-out for something new for his customers. look out for something —(also: watch out for something ) 1. be on the alert for smth. harmful or dangerous: There were signs everywhere warning people to look out for falling rocks. 2. = be on the look-out for something: I’ve been looking out for a new job for six months. 3. take care of smth.; protect smth. from harm: When this young man is away from his home, I look out for his property. See also: outlook for something / outlook on something. be on the mend • mend one’s ways be on the mend—1. be getting better after illness: He has been on the mend under the excellent care by his wife Phyllis. 2. (of things) improve: The economy has been on the mend since the data in the report was gathered. mend one’s ways—improve one’s behavior, work, etc.: He is unlikely to mend his ways unless he is forced to do so. be on the sick • be sick be on the sick —(coll.) be on sick list; receive sickness benefit: Dad used to be on the sick for a long time and couldn’t work. be sick—1. be unwell; be affected by illness: When she was sick he wanted her to get the best doctor. 2. (have an inclina- tion to) vomit: “Ouch!” said Joss and looked as if she would be sick again. be on the side of the angels • join the angels be on the side of the angels—be on the side that is morally right: His motivation to stop whaling is on the side of the an - gels and I share it. join the angels —(euph.) die: They were all children once. One day, sooner or later they will all join the angels beyond the garden of death. be on the top line • sweat on the top line be on the top line—(coll.) be in the highest state of perfec- tion, readiness, etc.: It cannot be but harmful to the patient to be attended by a doctor who through sheer exhaustion is not on the top line . sweat on the top-line —(sl.) be close to attaining or obtaining smth.: Here was I sort of sweating on the top line , and I finally got the offer about two days before my time at British Steel expired. be on the verge of something • verge on something be on the verge of something—be on the point beyond which smth. bad happens: The country was on the verge of ruin; the revolution was a matter of months. verge on something—1. border on a particular area: The rear of the park verges on the river. You can see the railroad bridge downstream…. 2. resemble smth.; be similar to smth.: To cling to this idea when it has been shown a thousand times to be erroneous verges on stupidity. be on the wire • be on wires be on the wire—(dated) be speaking on the telephone (also: be over the wire): He ought to have spoken to Nunez about the broken chain while he was on the wire . be on wires—(coll.) be in a state of nervous excitement or agitation: “I could not sleep,” began the Countess. “I was all, as you say, on wires .” be on one’s own ground – 40 –