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Business English vocabulary · Office Idioms and Phrases

Toe the line

Meaning in business english, with examples

idiomAdvanced term

In business english, toe the line means: To behave according to the rules or expectations of an authority.

In Turkish: çizilen kurallara uymak

How it is used

Informal, often implying pressure to conform. Write toe, not tow; the image is standing with one's toes at a line.

Example sentences

  1. The new manager expected everyone to toe the line and discouraged questions about the reporting process.

    Conformity is emphasized over discussion of the procedure.

  2. Suppliers must toe the line on our access rules even when a delivery is urgent.

    Urgency does not remove the expectation of following the rules.

Common collocations

  • expect staff to toe the line
  • refuse to toe the line
  • company policyAn official rule or set of rules that guides how employees should act in particular situations at work.
  • workplace cultureThe shared values, habits, and behavior that shape how people work, communicate, and treat each other in an organization.

More terms: Office Idioms and Phrases

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