Meaning
- alert to new trends, ideas, and methods
- knowledgeable and competent
- alert, in command of senses, attentive
- understands the situation well
- quick to understand and react to a situation
Example Sentences
- The mother is glad to know that her son is always on the ball to learn new things in class.
- I've been working for the last three days in a row, and now I am dog tired, so not really on the ball today.
- He was right on the ball regarding his assessment of the situation.
- I couldn't sleep well last night, so am not on the ball today.
- When his opponent tried to sneak in a pass, the defender was right on the ball and stopped it well.
- This mess wouldn't have happened had you been on the ball.
- "Are you alright? You don't seem on the ball today."
- This article about the current problems of the nation is right on the ball.
- He has been sick all week and wasn't on the ball when I met him.
- He has done a great job. He was really on the ball.
Origin
This phrase originated in sports, specifically in ball games where the players were asked to keep their " eyes on the ball." The current usage of the expression began in the 1900s and it is a shorter version of the original term, ' keep your eye on the ball.' This phrase is first seen in sports, such as baseball, cricket, and golf. The oldest citation in prints dates back to 1864.
