lay it on the line

idiom

informal

: to speak very honestly and directly to someone

Let me lay it on the line (to/for you): if your work doesn't improve, you'll be fired.

Examples of lay it on the line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

After months of talk, the 26 people who have declared their desire to go to Congress via a South Florida special election have to lay it on the line — with cold, hard cash. —

Anthony Man, sun-sentinel.com, 9 Aug. 2021

Cite this Entry

Style

“Lay it on the line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lay%20it%20on%20the%20line. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation