on deck

1. Available, ready for action, as in We had ten kids on deck to clean up after the dance . [ Slang ; second half of 1800s]

2. In baseball, scheduled to bat next, waiting near home plate to bat, as in Joe was on deck next . [1860s] Both usages allude to crew members being on the deck of a ship, in readiness to perform their duties.

Example Sentences

For starters, from a purely practical, all-hands-on-deck position, I say if you can do the job, you should keep the job.

From The Daily Beast

This is a public health crisis that you might think would give us an all-hands-on-deck attitude.

From The Daily Beast

It will require an all-hands-on-deck effort combining hard work, political savvy, and even a dollop of good luck.

From The Daily Beast