keep the show on the road

present singular third person keeps the show on the road · participle present keeping the show on the road · participle past kept the show on the road · past kept the show on the road

1. idiomaticTo be able to proceed with a plan or project, often in the face of difficult circumstances.

   This forced the company to focus on developing advanced projects on its books. And fast. All too often, it ended up selling out at an early stage just to get money in to keep the show on the road.

   2021 January 22, Joe Brennan, “Has Eddie O’Connor underestimated the value of his €1bn baby?”, in The Irish Times

   1 more example

   So what next? For now, at least, the prevailing wisdom in Europe is that people need something to divert them from the ongoing nightmares elsewhere. […] Best, some insist, to keep the show on the road and then duck and dive in the event of further Covid-19 issues.

   2021 January 12, Robert Kitson, “Is it morally right for rugby to host the Six Nations in a pandemic?”, in The Guardian