toe the line
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.05 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To abide by the rules or conventions; (politics, in particular) to follow the party line.
verb
To push boundaries imposed by an authority; to push the envelope; to flirt with crossing the line.
Example Sentences
- "Television shows these days do not always toe the line of decency and common sense."
- "The matter, therefore, necessarily became rather serious; and the whole gang of us being sent for on the quarter deck, we were ranged in a line, each with his toes at the edge of a plank, according to the orthodox fashion of these gregarious scoldings, technically called ‘toe-the-line matches.’"
- "JOHNNY. I dont know. You can draw a line and make other chaps toe it. Thats what I call morality. LORD SUMMERHAYS. Very true. But you dont make any progress when youre toeing a line."
- "“Well,” said Birkin, “I begin to think that you can’t live unless you keep entirely out of the line. It’s no good trying to toe the line, when your one impulse is to smash up the line. Winnie is a special nature, and for special natures you must give a special world.”"
- "BUILDER. [Staring at her across the table] You've got my temper up and you'll take the consequences. I'll make you toe the line. MAUD. If you knew what a Prussian expression you've got!"
- "Gob, Jack made him toe the line. Told him if he didn’t patch up the pot, Jesus, he’d kick the shite out of him."
Etymology
Unknown, with multiple competing etymologies and some theorizing the phrasing originated from the United States and others the United Kingdom.