keep one's stick on the ice
To remain vigilant and ready for action.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Keep your stick on the ice and wait for the right moment.”
“The market is very unstable right now, so you should keep your stick on the ice until things settle down.”
“Even as the negotiations stalled, the diplomat kept his stick on the ice, prepared to intervene the moment a window of opportunity appeared.”
Derived from the sport of ice hockey, the expression is a literal instruction to a player to remain prepared for the puck. It has transitioned into general Canadian and American English as an exhortation to remain vigilant.
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026