At work, busy, as in We've got three men on the job . [Late 1800s]
At work, busy, as in We've got three men on the job . [Late 1800s]
Paying close attention, alert, as in Trust Jim to find out the details—he's always on the job .
First recorded in 1935–40
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Dan Jarvis, the minister who took on the job of defence secretary, has just spent the last two weeks "refocusing" the DIP to take on more of the lessons from Ukraine and Iran.
From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026
“Immigrants, whether documented or not, work hard. They pay taxes, and sometimes they get injured on the job or their children get sick,” Becerra said during a debate last month.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2026
Now, it’s risen rapidly to become the No. 1 worry among workers — more than inflation or burnout on the job.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 24, 2026
Note: For CEOs on the job at least a year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026
“If he wants to take on the job, tell him to send one of you with his answer. I will then arrange a meeting with my client.”
From "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
