red line
23
4.4
- noun
- /rɛd laɪn/
- Literature
:
línea roja
- - Do not cross the red line.
- cross the red line
Biden then redefined his red line as well.
- Biden then redefined his red line as well.
- That is a gigantic red line that no one should ever cross.
- NATO expansion is a red line for Russia, so why don't we stop that NATO expansion?
- Motorsport is about humans pushing themselves as close to the limit, as close to the red line as they can.
- I mean, wherever you stand on this issue, child detainment, child detainment, child detention should be a red line, right?
- You know, we Obama issued the red line in Syria and then famously didn't follow through.
Examples
-
Democrats also indicate that there is a red line relating to taxation on the middle class.
Blog text (23) -
Everyone else in the region wishes the United States would set red lines for Israel.
Blog text (27) -
- You went over the red line.
-
The big question is whether red lines are firm or whether they simply indicate talking points.
Blog text (23) -
Will the United States accept Russia's red lines in order to keep the reset on track?
Academic text (2010) -
In Netanyahu's speech, he made it clear that Israel has a red line for the Iranian nuclear program.
Blog text (21) -
We should ensure that the red line for protecting farmland is not crossed and strictly control land uses.
Blog text (13) -
The U.S. involvement in the Khurd case demonstrates its desire to mark its red lines in East Jerusalem.
Blog text (16) -
Consider also the red lines that Lindsay and Takeyh say would be essential for a policy of containment to work.
Academic text (2010) -
In the negotiations, the ambassador stated that the use of military force would cross a critical red line.
Synonyms
5
6.3
A clear, simple rule or limit used to make decisions, often in law
4
6.4
A limit that must not be crossed in talks or technical work
1
7.8
A clear rule that tells people exactly what to do
A marked or imaginary line that shows where it is dangerous to go
Antonyms
How Strict
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components 'red' (a color associated with danger/stop) and 'line' (a boundary) combine to give a metaphorical sense of a limit that must not be crossed, so the meaning is partly inferable to learners who know both words. However, this is a conventionalized political/negotiation metaphor rather than a literal composition, so many B1 learners may not predict the specific pragmatic meaning without prior exposure.
Etymology
Red line comes from the image of drawing a bright red line to mark a clear 'limit' you must not cross. Because red means 'stop' or danger, a 'red line' now means a firm boundary in talks that could cause serious trouble if crossed.