on someone's Idiom, Proverb
Dancing on someone's grave
If you will dance on someone's grave, you will outlive or outlast them and will celebrate their demise.
Hard on someone's heels
If you are hard on someone's heels, you are close to them and trying to catch or overtake them. ('Hot on someone's heels' is also used.)
Heap coals on someone's head
To do something nice or kind to someone who has been nasty to you. If someone felt bad because they forgot to get you a Christmas gift, for you to buy them a specially nice gift is heaping coals on their head. ('Heap coals of fire' is also used.)
Step on someone's toes
If you step on someone's toes, you upset them, especially if you do something that they should be in charge of.
Tread on someone's toes
If you tread on someone's toes, you upset them, especially if you do something that they should be in charge of.
piss on someone's fireworks
(UK slang) ruin the happy mood: "Don't go and piss on his fireworks by turning down the music. Let him have some fun."
cry on someone's shoulder
cry on someone's shoulder Tell one's problems to someone so as to gain sympathy or consolation, as in
When James had a problem at the office he generally cried on his sister's shoulder. It is also put as
a shoulder to cry on, as in
When Mom came home, Jane had a shoulder to cry on. [Late 1930s]
get on someone's good side
get on someone's good side Win someone's approval or support, as in
Kate offered to walk the dog in order to get on her aunt's good side. [c. 1930] Also see
in good with, be.
get on someone's nerves
get on someone's nerves Irritate someone, as in
His fidgeting gets on the teacher's nerves, or, as T.S. Eliot put it in
The Elder Statesman (1959): “How it used to get on my nerves, when I saw you always sitting there with your nose in a book.” [c. 1900]
hang on someone's words
hang on someone's words Listen very attentively to someone. For example,
You don't need to hang on his words—just remember the gist of it. It is also put as
hang on to every word, as in
Whenever Mother read their favorite book to them, the children hung on to every word.
on someone's
on someone's In addition to the following idioms beginning with
on someone's, also see under
on one's.
on someone's back
on someone's back Also,
on someone's case. See under
off someone's back.
on someone's coattails
on someone's coattails Also,
on the coattails of. Owing to another person's popularity or merits. For example,
He won the cabinet post by hanging on the senator's coattails, or
He was elected to office on the coattails of the governor. This expression, with its graphic image, dates from the mid-1800s, when coats with tails were in fashion.
on someone's nerves
on someone's nerves see
get on someone's nerves.
on someone's side
on someone's side In support of someone's views or interests, as in
I'm glad you're on my side in this debate, or
With the Canadians on our side, we should be able to persuade the Mexicans of a North American policy. [1300s]
right side, on someone's
right side, on someone's Also,
on someone's good side. In someone's favor. It is often put as
get or
keep or
stay on someone's right side, as in
We must get on Bill's right side if we're to get approval of our plans, or
Jane had a hard time staying on the good side of her difficult supervisor. The antonym
on someone's wrong side, means “in someone's disfavor,” as in
I got on her wrong side by opening my mouth once too often. Also see
wrong side.
on someone's
In accession to the afterward idioms alpha with on someone's, additionally Learn added on one's. Learn more: on