keep one's stick on the ice

verb

To remain vigilant and ready for action.

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Meanings

verbkeep one's stick on the ice (third-person singular simple present keeps one's stick on the ice, present participle keeping one's stick on the ice, simple past and past participle kept one's stick on the ice)

present singular third person keeps one's stick on the ice · participle present keeping one's stick on the ice · participle past kept one's stick on the ice · past kept one's stick on the ice

  1. idiomaticTo remain vigilant and ready for action.

Origin

In reference to the sport of ice hockey.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

keep one's stick on the ice. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keep%20one's%20stick%20on%20the%20ice

MLA

“keep one's stick on the ice.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keep%20one's%20stick%20on%20the%20ice. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “keep one's stick on the ice,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keep%20one's%20stick%20on%20the%20ice.

Source: keep one's stick on the ice on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.