crossed line
Breached social boundary
A crossed line occurs when telephone connections accidentally merge, allowing callers to hear strangers' conversations or find themselves connected to the wrong party.
The phrase evokes the physical crossing of wires that once caused such mix-ups.
Figuratively, crossed lines or getting your lines crossed means a miscommunication or misunderstanding: There must have been some crossed lines—I thought we were meeting at noon.
- overlapPartial coincidence of coverage
- went too farExceeded acceptable bounds
- interruptionBreak in continuity
- bad connectionFaulty communication link
- wrong numberCall to unintended recipient
interference · transgression · confusion · violation · overstep · breach · threshold · social taboo · unwritten rule · personal space · impropriety · miscommunication · mixed signals · boundary · pushed it · misconduct · ambiguity · disconnection