take one's eye off the ball

Questions

What does take one's eye off the ball mean?

To lose one's concentration on what is most important.

Where does take one's eye off the ball come from?

From general sporting advice to look continuously at the ball as it moves.

How to pronounce take one's eye off the ball

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “take one's eye off the ball”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “take one's eye off the ball”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “take one's eye off the ball” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.