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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

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