1. Home
2. Idioms
3. toe the line

toe the line

---

---

toe the line

to do what you are ordered or expected to do Not everyone was happy with the plan, but most of us toed the line.

Usage notes: sometimes used with a noun describing whose orders are being followed: They promised to toe the party line and vote with the leadership.

See also: line, toe

toe/tow the line

to do what you are ordered or expected to do He might not like the rules but he'll toe the line just to avoid trouble. Ministers who refused to toe the Party line were swiftly got rid of.

See take the line of least resistance, cross the line, draw a line under, draw the line, draw the line at, drop a line, fall in line, feed a line, lay it on the line, step out of line

See also: line, toe

toe the line

Also, toe the mark. Meet a standard, abide by the rules, as in The new director will make us toe the line, I'm sure, or At daycare Brian has to toe the mark, but at home his mother's quite lenient. This idiom refers to runners in a race placing their toes on the starting line and not moving until the starting signal. Its figurative use dates from the early 1800s.

See also: line, toe