Preventing something unpleasant from coming too near to you for fear that it will harm you. For Example: If a coach was asked why he doesn’t play a particular player very often, he might say, “I’m keeping him at bay, I think it’s in the best interests of the team to do so.”

A failing activity or attempt at something. For Example: If you’re running for public office but are trailing by 30 points in the polls, you are fighting a losing battle.

When you support something that is popular you are “jumping on the bandwagon.” For Example: the New York Yankees have a lot of fans because people jump on the bandwagon to root for them since they are usually a very good team.

To initiate momentum on a project or plan. For Example: A boss could say to an employee, “let’s get the ball rolling on the renovation project,” which would be indicate to the employee to shift their focus on the renovation project.

This phrase is used prior to the start of every American baseball game. It means to get started on something. For Example: “at the end of a meeting, a boss could tell his employers “play ball” as a way of saying “okay, go back to work!”