cross the line

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

cross the line (third-person singular simple present crosses the line, present participle crossing the line, simple past and past participle crossed the line)

1. (idiomatic) To overstep a boundary, rule, or limit; to go too far or do something unacceptable.

   Alternative form: cross a line

   Synonyms: go too far, overstep the mark

   Coordinate terms: push the envelope, toe the line

   I can tolerate a lot, but they really crossed the line when they broke the equipment.

   • 2012, Taylor Swift, “Girl at Home”, in Red‎, performed by Taylor Swift:

     I don't even know her
     But I feel a responsibility to do what's upstanding and right
     It's kinda like a code, yeah
     And you've been getting closer and closer, and crossing so many lines

   • 2020, “Monkey Business”, in Hotspot, performed by Pet Shop Boys:

     Bring me margaritas, champagne and red wine / We're gonna have a party / Where we all cross the line

   • 2021 October 5, Damien Gayle, quoting Kit Malthouse, “Climate activists crossed the line with roadblocks, says minister”, in The Guardian‎:

     Climate change protesters “crossed the line” between their right to protest and their responsibility towards the rest of the public when they caused huge tailbacks by blocking three key London roads on Monday, the policing minister, Kit Malthouse, has said.

2. To finish a race.

   Synonym: go all the way

   Antonym: fall at the last hurdle

3. To achieve completion of something.

   Synonym: go all the way

   Antonym: fall at the last hurdle

4. To cross the equator, as a vessel at sea.^[1]
5. (cinematography) To film from the opposite side of an imaginary axis on set in order to view the actors from the opposite direction.

• crossing the line

• draw the line
• step out of line

• cholesterins, cholinesters