toe the line
The idiom "toe the line" originates from contexts like military and athletics, where individuals were required to align their toes with a mark or boundary, symbolizing strict adherence to rules or expectations.
Definition
B2General
(common)To conform to rules or standards, often reluctantly or under pressure.
Example
- Employees are expected to toe the line if they want to keep their jobs.
C1Politics
(formal)To adhere strictly to a policy or guideline set by a political party or authority.
Example
- Party members must toe the line on key issues to maintain unity.
B2Sports
(technical)To stand at the starting line in a race, ready to begin.
Example
- The runners toed the line, waiting for the starting signal.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "toe the line":
cross the linefall in linewalk a straight linewalk the linetoe incrossing the lineon the linelay on the linestay in one's laneout of linedraw a line in the sandskate one's laneparty linetread on someone's toessail close to the windin lineput one's foot downtoe to toebattle lineline upstand one's groundpoint one's toesstick to one's gunsstand intiptoe around