draw the line
Establish a boundary
To draw the line is to set a limit on what you will accept or tolerate.
The phrase implies a boundary beyond which you refuse to go: I don't mind helping out, but I draw the line at doing his job for him.
You can also draw the line between things to make a distinction: It's hard to draw the line between genius and madness.
Covering for top
- ceilingRoom's upper surface
- maximumGreatest permitted quantity
- cutoffPoint of termination
- endpointFinal point reached
restriction · constraint · extent · threshold · tolerance · breaking point · final straw · enough
Formally disallow
- forbidDeclare not allowed
- vetoOfficial refusal to approve
- banOfficial restriction on something
- rejectDismiss as unsuitable
decline · say no · stand firm · object · oppose · disallow · block · stop
Outer edge or limit
- thresholdPoint of beginning
- limitMaximum allowed extent
- perimeterShape's outer edge length
- edgeBoundary or sharpness
frontier · partition · separation · distinction · cutoff point · marker · bifurcation · interface
Foundational moral beliefs
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- valuesPrinciples held worthwhile
- moralityRight and wrong principles
- normsExpected behavioral standards
integrity · scruples · conscience · code · propriety · decency · boundaries · convictions
cap
Covering for top
endpoint · restriction · constraint · extent · threshold · tolerance · breaking point · final straw · enough · last straw
prohibit
Formally disallow
reject · decline · say no · stand firm · object · oppose · disallow · block · stop · prevent
border
Outer edge or limit
edge · frontier · partition · separation · distinction · cutoff point · marker · bifurcation · interface · barrier
principles
Foundational moral beliefs
norms · integrity · scruples · conscience · code · propriety · decency · boundaries · convictions · ground rules
- decisionschoice, make a decision, choices, yes, no
- protest sloganssi se puede, enough is enough, rise up, resist, ban the bomb
- conflictclash, fight, war, battle, dispute
- assertiveness tipsspeak up, stand firm, be bold, say no, take a stand
- expressions about containmentboxed in, bottled up, hemmed in, penned in, locked in
- Enough Alreadystop, halt, cease, quit, enough
draw the lineanything goes
No restrictions apply
no limits · open the floodgates · carte blanche · blur the lines · make an exception
draw the lineturn a blind eye
Deliberately ignore something obvious
look the other way · take it all · let it go · grin and bear it · suffer in silence
draw the linesell out
Betray one's values
cave in · capitulate · give in · bend over backwards · look the other way
draw, line, drawing, drawn, drawer, drawers, draws, delineate, demarcation