have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel

colloquial A banana peel is often emblematic of uncertainty or instability, as it is commonly depicted in cartoons and comedies as causing people to slip if stepped on.

1. To be very close to dying. A: "What is she doing marrying that rich old man? He has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel!" B: "That sounds like an ideal partner to me, my dear—especially if you're looking to make money." I know I'm just your grandmother and that you kids think I basically have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana pee—but I really do have some good advice that you should listen to from time to time! Hey sonny, just because I move slower these days doesn't mean I have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel!

2. To be in a troublesome, uncertain situation; to be at risk of sudden, often calamitous change. I've managed to keep the company afloat, but it's felt like I've had one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel the whole time. Well, it feels like we have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel, because we can't resume our research until we find out if we've secured funding. Is anyone surprised layoffs are coming? The new CEO has basically had one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel since starting here.

See also: and, banana, foot, grave, have, on, one, other, peel

have one foot on a banana peel

To be in a condition of perpetual uncertainty or instability; to be at risk of sudden, often calamitous change. I've managed to keep the company afloat, but it's felt like I've had one foot on a banana peel the whole time. Well, it feels like we have one foot on a banana peel, because we can't resume our research until we find out if we've secured funding. Is anyone surprised layoffs are coming? The new CEO has basically had one foot on a banana peel since starting here.

See also: banana, foot, have, on, one, peel

keep (one's) eye(s) open (for someone or something)

To remain vigilant or carefully watchful (for something or someone). They should be arriving any minute, so keep your eyes open. Keep your eye open for a birthday gift we could give your mother. Tell everyone to keep their eyes open for the health inspector. We heard she'll be doing a surprise inspection someday soon.

keep (one's) eye(s) peeled (for someone or something)

To remain vigilant or carefully watchful (for something or someone). They should be arriving any minute, so keep your eyes peeled. Keep your eye peeled for a birthday gift we could give your mother. Tell everyone to keep their eyes peeled for the health inspector. We heard she'll be doing a surprise inspection someday soon.

keep (one's) eye(s) skinned (for someone or something)

To remain vigilant or carefully watchful (for someone or something). They should be arriving any minute, so keep your eyes skinned. Keep your eye skinned for a birthday gift we could give your mother. Tell everyone to keep their eyes skinned for the health inspector. We heard she'll be doing a surprise inspection someday soon.

keep an eye peeled (for something or someone)

To remain vigilant or carefully watchful (for something or someone). They should be arriving any minute, so keep an eye peeled. Keep an eye peeled for a Christmas present we could give your mother. Keep an eye peeled for the health inspector, we heard he'll be doing a surprise inspection someday soon.

See also: an, eye, keep, peel, something

peel away

To remove something (from something's surface) by peeling it. A noun or pronoun can be used between "peel" and "away." I love peeling away the protective plastic they put on the screens of brand new smartphones. Be careful when you peel those stickers away, or you could rip the paper.

peel back

To remove something partially or fully (from something's surface) by peeling it. A noun or pronoun can be used between "peel" and "back." I love peeling back the protective plastic they put on the screens of brand new smartphones. Be careful when you peel those stickers back, or you could rip the paper.

peel off

1. To remove the outermost layer of something, such as skin, paint, rind, etc., typically with one's fingers. Tommy! Stop peeling the bark off those trees this instant! That scrape is never going to heal if you keep peeling off the scab!

2. To remove a covering, layer, or thin piece from something. He peeled off the sweat-stained clothes and jumped in the shower. Let me peel off a sticky note for you so you can jot down the number.

3. To deviate or depart from a group's course or direction of movement. When he saw his parents approaching, Tom peeled off from his friends and ducked down a side alley. Why is that one plane peeling off from the rest?

4. Of a car, to accelerate to a very high speed after being stationary. After ramming into my rear bumper, the other car just peeled off and sped away out of view.

See also: off, peel

peel off from (someone or something)

1. To come off of someone or something in thin strips or pieces, as of skin, paint, rinds, bark, etc. As the sunburn started to heal, skin started peeling off me in the most disgusting way. The paint peeled off from the side of the house due to the intense heat of the sun.

2. To remove the outermost layer of something, such as skin, paint, rind, etc., typically with one's fingers. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "peel" and "off." Tommy! Stop peeling the bark off from those trees this instant! That scrape is never going to heal if you keep peeling the scab off from your finger!

3. To remove a covering, layer, or thin piece from something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "peel" and "off." He peeled the sweat-stained clothes off from his body and jumped in the shower. Let me peel a sticky note off from the pad so you can jot down the number.

4. To deviate or depart from a group's course or direction of movement. When he saw his parents approaching, Tom peeled off from his friends and ducked down a side alley. Why is that one plane peeling off from the rest?

5. Of a motor vehicle or its driver, to accelerate away from something or some place at a very high speed after being stationary. After ramming into my rear bumper, the other car just peeled off from the scene of the accident and sped away out of view. The criminal jumped onto a motorcycle and peeled off from the bank.

See also: off, peel

peel out

Of a car or its driver, to accelerate to a very high speed after being stationary, especially when resulting in the wheels spinning in place and leaving skid marks on the ground. After ramming into my rear bumper, the other car just peeled out and sped away out of view. Peel out as soon as we're in the car—we should have a few minutes to get clear of the area before the cops show up.

peel the onion

To expose the different various layers of something. Once the investigator started peeling the onion, he discovered just how many illegal operations the organization was involved in. You need to peel back the onion and find out what's really bothering Gina, because I doubt it's just the fact that you were late.

slip on a banana skin

To make a silly, embarrassing, or avoidable mistake. They were completely dominating the game until the quarterback slipped on a banana peel and threw an interception, which allowed the momentum to shift in the opposing team's favor.

See also: banana, on, skin, slip

keep one's eyes open (for someone or something)

and keep one's eyes peeled (for someone or something)

Fig. to remain alert and watchful for someone or something. (The entry with peeled is informal. Peel refers to moving the eyelids back. See also keep an eye out (for someone or something).) I'm keeping my eyes open for a sale on winter coats. Please keep your eyes peeled for Mary. She's due to arrive here any time. Okay. I'll keep my eyes open.

keep one's eyes peeled

(for someone or something) Go to keep one's eyes open (for someone or something).

peel off

(from something) [for one or more airplanes] to separate from a group of airplanes. The lead plane peeled off from the others, and soon the rest followed. The lead plane peeled off and dived into the clouds.

See also: off, peel

peel off (of) (something)

[for a surface layer] to come loose and fall away from something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) The paint is beginning to peel off the garage. The paint is peeling off.

See also: off, peel

peel out

[for a driver] to speed off in a car with a screeching of tires. Dave got in his car and peeled out, waking the neighbors. I wish he would stop peeling out!

peel something away (from something)

to peel something from the surface of something. Peel the label away from the envelope and place it on the order form. Peel away the label carefully.

peel something back (from something)

to lift something away from the surface of something. He peeled the sheets back from the bed and got in. He peeled back the sheets and got into the bed.

peel something off (of) (something)

and peel something off from something

to remove the outside surface layer from something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) She carefully peeled the skin off the apple. She peeled off the apple's skin.

See also: off, peel

keep one's eyes open

Also, keep one's eyes peeled or skinned . Be watchful and observant. For example, We should keep our eyes open for a change in the wind's direction, or Keep your eyes peeled for the teacher. The first phrase dates from the late 1800s; the second and third, both colloquial and alluding to the lids not covering the eyes, date from the mid-1800s and 1830s, respectively.

peel off

1. Remove an outer layer of skin, bark, paint, or the like; also, come off in thin strips or pieces. For example, Peeling off birch bark can kill the tree, or Paint was peeling off the walls. [Late 1500s]

2. Remove or separate, as in Helen peeled off her gloves and got to work, or Al peeled off a ten-dollar bill and gave it to the driver. [First half of 1900s]

3. Also, peel away. Depart from a group, as in Ruth peeled off from the pack of runners and went down a back road. This expression originated in air force jargon during World War II and was used for an airplane or pilot that left flight formation, a sight that suggested the peeling of skin from a banana.

See also: off, peel

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

slip on a banana skin

slip on a banana peel

BRITISH, INFORMAL

COMMON If an important or famous person slips on a banana skin or slips on a banana peel, they say or do something that makes them look stupid and causes them problems. Most of the nation would enjoy seeing mighty Manchester United slip on a banana skin in front of millions. You can be walking across Westminster Bridge full of noble thoughts at one moment and slipping on a banana peel the next. Note: You can also call something that causes someone to look stupid or have problems a banana skin or a banana peel. Insiders watched in horrified fascination as the President lurched from one banana peel to another. Note: Comedies and cartoons traditionally show a character slipping on a banana skin, falling over, and looking foolish.

See also: banana, on, skin, slip

keep your eyes peeled

If you keep your eyes peeled, you watch very carefully for something or someone. Keep your eyes peeled for a parking space. We're looking for Sally so keep your eyes peeled. Note: You can also keep your eyes skinned. I doubt if she'll come back here, but keep your eyes skinned anyway. Note: This expression refers to not blinking and so not missing anything that happens, however quick. The skin or peel of the eyes are the eyelids.

slip on a banana skin

make a silly and embarrassing mistake.

See also: banana, on, skin, slip

keep your ˈeyes open/peeled/skinned (for somebody/something)

watch carefully (for somebody/something): Keep your eyes peeled, and if you see anything suspicious, call the police immediately.

See also: eye, keep, open, peel, skinned

slip on a baˈnana skin

(informal) (usually of a public figure) make a stupid mistake: The new minister slipped on a banana skin before he had been in the job a week.

See also: banana, on, skin, slip

peel off

1. To strip some outer layer, surface, or covering away from something in thin strips or pieces: I peeled off the wrapping from my new CD case and took out the CD. You have to peel the skin off before you eat a banana.

2. To come off from a surface in thin strips or pieces: My skin peeled off after I got a sunburn. The labels peeled off from the file folders.

3. To take off clothes, especially when they fit tightly: It was so hot, we peeled off our jackets. Eventually, the campers peeled their shoes and socks off as they sat on the beach.

4. To leave a flight formation in order to land or make a dive. Used of an aircraft: The plane peeled off from the rest of the formation and did a trick.

5. To leave a group and move in a different direction: The members who voted against me peeled off and formed their own school.

See also: off, peel

peel out

To drive a vehicle away suddenly and quickly, especially by spinning and skidding the tires loudly: The angry teenager left the house quickly and peeled out of the driveway.

peel

in. to strip off one’s clothing. I had to peel for my physical examination.

keep your eyes peeled/skinned

Be particularly watchful; remain alert. This American expression dates from the mid-nineteenth century and presumably likens peeled or skinned to being wide open. An early reference in print occurs in J. S. Robb’s Squatter Life (1847): “Keep your eye skinned for Injuns.”