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.
Incoming Fed Chair Kevin Warsh was confirmed by the Senate with a vote of 54-45 on Wednesday afternoon, becoming the 17th person to take on the job.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
After asking Shoaib Bashir to learn on the job, England then turned to batting all-rounder Will Jacks for four Tests, with predictable results.
From BBC • May 11, 2026
Apple’s next CEO isn’t sharing his strategy just yet — but the company just made one notable change before he’s even started on the job.
From MarketWatch • May 1, 2026
Workers also aren’t given time to recover from injuries they suffer on the job, they said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
She was falling down on the job again.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
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.
