toe the line meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

toe the line

verb

Etymology Unknown, with multiple competing etymologies and some theorizing the phrasing originated from the United States and others the United Kingdom.

Idiomatic To abide by the rules or conventions; (politics, in particular) to follow the party line.

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.’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

4 more examples

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.1910, George Bernard Shaw, Misalliance:
“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.”1920 November 9, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, Women in Love, New York, N.Y.: Privately printed [by Thomas Seltzer] for subscribers only, →OCLC:
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!1921, John Galsworthy, A Family Man:
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.1922 February, James Joyce, “[12]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:

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.

Idiomatic, Followed by between To be on a boundary or in a grey area between two states.

Her stories often toe the line between fact and fiction.
Still other performers like St. Louis's Nelly or Long Beach's Domino toed the line between rapper and singer, defying easy categorization.2012, Dalton Higgins, Far From Over: The Music and Life of Drake, the Unofficial Story, Toronto, O.N.: ECW Press, →ISBN, page 98:

3 more examples

Although the ICA toes the line between good and evil, it is similar to many other espionage organizations in action films — including some recent ones.2015 August 20, Allie Funk, “All About The ICA In 'Hitman: Agent 47'”, in Bustle, archived from the original on 13 May 2016:
Monica flirted with her outrageously, but Deosil made a point of toeing the line between flirting and actually sleeping with festival folk. That never ended well.2017, Joseph D. Carriker Jr., Sacred Band, Maple Shade, N.J.: Lethe Press, →ISBN, page 85:
The conflicts between tradition and cultural change also play out in the protagonists' personal lives, and the show is not afraid to make its audience uncomfortable, especially when it forces characters to toe the line between being an insider or outsider.2019 April 9, Priya Arora, “An Indian TV Show Points the Way for a New Generation”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 25 Nov 2022:

Nonstandard To push boundaries imposed by an authority; to push the envelope; to flirt with crossing the line.

You were really toeing the line there with those comments.
"I happen to agree with you," he said. "But they don't want to leave themselves open to getting sued. And anyway, you're really sort of toeing the line with this video to start with. It's pretty risqué."2006, Adam Selzer, How to Get Suspended and Influence People, New York: Delacorte Press, →ISBN, page 80:

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Burgers, too, though enormous, are pricier than you'd expect at a lunch counter; at our last visit, one with fries and an iced tea cost $13.42—not prohibitive, but definitely toeing the line.2008, Robin Goldstein, editor, The Fearless Critic: Houston Restaurant Guide, Austin, T.X.: Fearless Critic Media, →ISBN, page 122:
"Even so, this is really toeing the line." / Lissandra was wrong. This wasn't toeing the line. This was across the line and 20 meters away. If she got caught, there was no way she would be able to explain it away.2013, Rowena Bowen, Get You Good, Detroit, M.I. […]: Thorndike Press, →ISBN, page 322:
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.2013 March 16, Christopher Olmstead, “What Would Happen in a Vince McMahon vs. Dana White Match?”, in Bleacher Report, archived from the original on 25 Mar 2022:
Ousted Attorney General Geoffrey Cox had toed the line, a bit - but he was also a keen defender of the legal system, and his legal advice on Brexit was a thorn in Prime Ministers' sides.2020 February 14, Dan Bloom, “Cabinet reshuffle: 7 reasons to be worried about Boris Johnson's power-grab new team”, in The Mirror, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Apr 2013:

Synonyms: conform, stay within the lines, toe the mark, toe the plank
Related terms: up to scratch
Coordinate terms: fall in line, draw a line