Nautical Terminology #1: Toe the Line

Did you know that dressing down, over a barrel, under the weather, three sheets to the wind and footloose are all nautical terms?* This week I'm going to geek out procrastinate explore my love of etymology.

Toe the line
At parade, sailors and soldiers were required to stand in line, their toes in line with a seam of the deck.


*not to mention cut of his jib, taken aback, square meal, rummage sale, pipe down, in the offing, know the ropes, cunt splice (yes, that was cunt splice) and pooped.