Essential Idioms in English — on hand, and the hand family

on hand — available, nearby, ready

I always keep some extra money on hand in case I forget to get cash from the bank. The organisers arranged to have some security guards on hand in case there were any problems.

on hand = available, close by, kept ready to use. Works as a post-modifier (guards on hand) or after be/keep/have.

Collocations: staff/money/cash/help/doctors on hand.

The hand family — do not mix

idiom	meaning	example
on hand	available, nearby, ready to use	keep cash on hand
at hand	near in place or time (about to happen)	help was at hand · the exam is at hand
in hand	under control, being dealt with	the matter is in hand
by hand	manually, not by machine	written by hand
out of hand	out of control	the party got out of hand
hand in	submit	hand in your essay
give sb a hand	help them	can you give me a hand?

Test: ready to use → on hand. Approaching (time/place) → at hand. Controlled/in progress → in hand.

let up — slacken / ease off

If the rain doesn’t let up soon, we won’t be able to have our picnic. When Jane is working, she never lets up for a moment. Jane should let up (or take it easy), or she’ll get exhausted.

let up = slacken, lessen in intensity; relax/ease one’s effort.

intransitive — never takes an object: ✗ let up the rain
Sense 1 = physical intensity (the rain/wind/noise let up)
Sense 2 = a person eases off (she never lets up = works non-stop)
Related idiom: take it easy = rest, don’t overdo it
Neighbours: ease off, slacken off, let off (excuse/not punish)

idiom	meaning
let up	slacken in intensity · ease one’s effort
take it easy	relax, not overexert
ease off	slow down gradually

call on — ask for a response / visit

Jose didn’t know the answer when the teacher called on him. Last night several friends called on us at our home. Why don’t we call on Sally a little later?

call on sb = (a) ask them for a response (pick a student/meeting attendee), (b) pay a visit. Alternate for (b): drop in on = visit casually, unannounced.

✗ call to sb = shout for attention — different thing
Neighbours: call up = phone · call off = cancel · call for = require/go get

take for granted — appreciate-not vs assume-true, separable

Source

Essential Idioms in English deck (Mine::recomm::Essential Idioms in English). Ebot lesson 2026-09.