Meaning & use
cross the line
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Meanings
phraseidiomfigurative
To do something that goes beyond what is acceptable or polite.
Grammar: No object; the line stays fixed: he crossed the line, not crossed a line.
Patterns
- cross the line into something
- cross the line between something and something
His joke about her accent crossed the line.
Teasing is fine, but when it turns cruel you have crossed the line.
The reporter crossed the line by quoting a private conversation.
phraseidiomsport
To move across a marked line such as a finish line or a picket line, especially in a contest or a strike.
Grammar: Literal use: the runner crossed the line first.
Patterns
- cross the line first
- cross a picket line
The cyclist crossed the line three seconds ahead of the rest.
Some workers refused to cross the line when the strike began.
She crossed the line with her arms raised.
Word forms
| third person singular | crosses the line |
|---|---|
| past tense | crossed the line |
| past participle | crossed the line |
| -ing form | crossing the line |
Common combinations
- definitely cross the line
- Reading her diary definitely crossed the line.
- cross the line into
- Humor can easily cross the line into cruelty.
- cross a line
- He knew he had crossed a line with that email.
- cross the finish line
- She crossed the finish line in under four hours.
- cross the picket line
- Few employees were willing to cross the picket line.
Synonyms and how they differ
- go too far
- This is the plainest everyday way to say the same thing and is a bit less vivid than the line image.
- overstep
- Overstep is more formal and often refers to authority, as in overstepping your role.
- overstep the mark
- This British version means the same thing and keeps the picture of a boundary.
- push the envelope
- This has a more positive feel, meaning to test limits boldly, while cross the line implies wrongdoing.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: cross the line or draw the line?
cross the line vs draw the line
To draw the line is to decide on a limit and refuse to go past it, whereas to cross the line is to go beyond a limit.
Practice
The comedian's joke about a sick audience member really ___.
Choose one answer.
Crossed the line means went beyond what is acceptable. Drew the line would mean he set a limit, which is the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cross the line”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.