toe the line

English

Alternative forms

tow the line

Etymology

Unknown, with multiple competing etymologies and some theorizing the phrasing originated from the United States and others the United Kingdom.[1][2][3][4]

Pronunciation

Audio (AU) (file)

Verb

toe the line (third-person singular simple present toes the line, present participle toeing the line, simple past and past participle toed the line)

(idiomatic) To abide by the rules or conventions.
Synonym: walk the line
Television shows these days do not always toe the line of decency and common sense.
- 1831, Captain Basil Hall RN, Fragments of Voyages and Travels, reprinted from the London Literary Gazette in The Atheneum, 4th series, volume 1, page 188:
  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.’
- 2010, Jennifer Egan, “Out of Body”, in A Visit from the Goon Squad:
  Last week, he'd told her he was hiring a detective to make sure she ‘toed the line’ on her own in New York.
(idiomatic) To stand at one's mark before a footrace.
Alberto Salazar is one of the most famous athletes to have toed the line at this great race.
(Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) (nonstandard) To begin to cross the line, as if with one's toe; to test limits imposed by an authority, to push boundaries.
Synonym: push the envelope
- 2013 March 16, Olmstead, Christopher, “What Would Happen in a Vince McMahon vs. Dana White Match?”, in Bleacher Report‎, retrieved 24 March 2022:
  If you take anything away from this challenge, it should be that McMahon is still willing to go there. He is still willing to push boundaries and toe the line.

Synonyms

toe the mark
toe the plank

Coordinate terms

fall in line

Translations

to abide by the rules

German: an der Linie ausrichten, nicht aus der Reihe tanzen, linientreu sein

to stand at one's mark before a footrace

German: Aufstellung nehmen

References

Gary Martin (n.d.), “Toe the line”, in The Phrase Finder‎, retrieved September 13, 2020
Bryan A. Garner (2016), “toe the line; toe the mark”, in Garner's Modern English Usage, 4th edition, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, OCLC 965547281, page 913
Michael Quinion (December 18, 2005), “Toe the line”, in World Wide Words‎, retrieved September 12, 2020
“Nautical Terms and Phrases... Their Meaning and Origin”, in Traditions and Trivia‎, Naval Historical Center, October 19, 1997, archived from the original on 1998-07-03, retrieved September 13, 2020

[1] Gary Martin (n.d.), “Toe the line”, in The Phrase Finder‎, retrieved September 13, 2020

[2] Bryan A. Garner (2016), “toe the line; toe the mark”, in Garner's Modern English Usage, 4th edition, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, OCLC 965547281, page 913

[3] Michael Quinion (December 18, 2005), “Toe the line”, in World Wide Words‎, retrieved September 12, 2020

[4] “Nautical Terms and Phrases... Their Meaning and Origin”, in Traditions and Trivia‎, Naval Historical Center, October 19, 1997, archived from the original on 1998-07-03, retrieved September 13, 2020