Keep me on my toes?

HI what is meaning of 'keep me on my toes'? thanks.:-):?:

It means to keep you alert and focused.

Or, simpler, to keep you ready; to keep you prepared.

In the English language, the phrase "keep me on my toes" is called a "clichè". A clichè is any commonly used slang English phrase with an inferred or implied meaning. Sometimes they are traceable to some popular historical event or historical cultural era, and sometimes they've been around for so long that no one is sure where they come from.

"Keep me on my toes" is a clichè that means "keep me alert, aware, and prepared" so you will not get caught off-guard (off-guard is yet another clichè.

Although I could not find this particular clichè in my dictionary of clichès, I recommend that anyone who speaks English as a second language obtain this dictionary of clichès. I included a citation of the dictionary below, although I did not use it in this reply.

I would not really call this expression a cliché. (If you are going to use the accent, it's an acute, not a grave accent).

Cliche - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary


ps. Welcome to the forum,Aya wagieh fawzi. :hi:

Common phrases are called "expressions". They often times do not mean what is literally said. As stated by others here, "keep you on your toes" does not actually mean that you would actually stand on your toes, it's an expression that means stay alert. However, a "cliché" also implies that the object is "over-used". When something has become "Cliché" it has become trite, "Cliché" is french for "stereotype".