Etymology Journal ยท T
Toe the line
Meaning
- To conform to rules or expectations. It is about doing what you are told and not causing any trouble.
Authoritative, disciplined
Used in a sentence
- If you want to keep your job, you had better toe the line.
- The coach told the team to toe the line if they wanted to start the game.
- I was never very good at toeing the line.
The backstory
This stems from 18th-century military life, where soldiers were expected to stand perfectly straight with their toes touching a line on the floor for inspection.
Heard in
Nationwide
Vibe check