English idiom

put your foot down

Register · Informal CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to assert your authority firmly

Why this phrase?

Planting a foot on the ground makes stopping impossible to ignore; firm refusal is pictured as a decisive step.

Example

“The parents put their foot down about phone time.”

Dictionary details

Component words

foot

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

foot in the door

an initial opportunity that may lead to bigger things

land on your feet

to recover safely from a difficult situation

put your best foot forward

to make a good first impression by showing your best side

make up one's mind

to reach a decision, especially for oneself rather than following others

not on your life

used to refuse a suggestion in the strongest possible terms

now or never

A moment when immediate action is necessary because the opportunity will not return.

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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