American, informal

to leave a place suddenly, especially in order to avoid an unpleasant situation.

He saw the police coming and took a powder.

• on the brink of
• on the brink of something
• on the bubble
• on the button
• on the case
• on the cheap
• on the contrary
• on the cutting edge
• on the cutting edge of
• on the cutting edge of something
• on the cutting room floor
• on the dot
• on the double
• on the edge
• on the face of it
• on the face of the earth
• on the factory floor
• on the fast track
• on the fence
• on the firing line
• on the fly
• on the fritz
• on the front burner
• on the front line of
• on the front line of something