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- keep eye on the ball
keep eye on the ball
keep one's eye on the ball
1. Fig. to watch or follow the ball carefully, especially when one is playing a ball game; to follow the details of a ball game very carefully. John, if you can't keep your eye on the ball, I'll have to take you out of the game. "Keep your eye on the ball!" the coach roared at the players.
2. . Fig. to remain alert to the events occurring around oneself. If you want to get along in this office, you're going to have to keep your eye on the ball. Bill would do better in his classes if he would just keep his eye on the ball.
keep your eye on the ball
(spoken) to give your compete attention to what you are doing or want to achieve We need to keep our eye on the ball and continue to encourage our students.
Related vocabulary: on the ballkeep your eye on the ball
to give your attention to what you are doing all the time You have to keep your eye on the ball in business.