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Glite Dictionary
to put on the line

to put on the line

1 6.4
Risk something important, like money, life, or reputation
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : arriesgar
  • Starting his own business meant he was putting everything on the line, including his savings.

Examples

  • Our entire life was what we put on the line to start the restaurant business.

  • What are you putting on the line?

    Hope Springs (2012)

  • Our entire life was what we put on the line to start the restaurant business.

  • Well, what are you willing to put on the line said yes, please do tell.

  • You know what I put on the line here?

    Dark Waters (2019)

  • I realized then how earnest he was, how serious this was, and what I was putting on the line.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • They discuss with whom they prefer to wager against, as well as what they are more willing to put on the line.

    Blog text (24)

  • As an archaeologist who took part in a Secrets of Lost Empires episode on Roman baths that aired in 2000, I can personally attest that the producer liked conflict among the team of experts, as pet theories were tested and professional reputations were put on the line.

    Academic text (2003)

  • The athlete knew that competing in the championship game would put his reputation on the line.

  • She was willing to put her career on the line to expose the truth behind the scandal.

Synonyms

to risk
vsto put on the line
∞ 3.0

To do something that may cause harm or lead to loss

often implies exposing others or things, not only endangering personal valuables
to jeopardize
vsto put on the line
  • US
191 6.3

Put someone or something in danger of harm

suggests causing danger rather than choosing to expose personal important things
to take risks
vsto put on the line
56 3.2

Do things that might be dangerous to get something important

covers exposing major assets but also many smaller dangerous actions
to stick one's neck out
vsto put on the line
22 7.2

To take a risk by saying or doing something that may get you in trouble

is about exposing major things like life or reputation, not only opinions
to lay on the line
vsto put on the line
  • Informal
8 8.0

To risk losing something important, like your job or your reputation

is the common idiom for exposing major personal assets to loss
to run a risk
vsto put on the line
2 3.0

To do something that might lead to harm or loss

is used specifically for exposing important items rather than any small chance
to put one's ass on the line
vsto put on the line
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To take a big risk to help another person or group

focuses on exposing important assets rather than acting mainly for others

Antonyms

secure
318 3.2

Protected from danger or from people trying to break in

safeguard
61 4.0

A way to protect someone or something from harm

How Risky

to endanger
124 3.7
to put on the line
1 6.4
to jeopardize
  • US
191 6.3
to risk
∞ 3.0
to stake
56 5.3

Surface Forms

put on the line infinitive
put on the line past
put on the line past participle
putting on the line present participle
puts on the line third person singular

Morphology

put + on + the + line

The components 'put' and 'on' give a clear sense of placing something, which cues a physical-to-figurative mapping, but the sense of 'line' as a position of risk or exposure is metaphorical rather than the basic sense of a marking. Because the idiomatic reading ('to risk something important') depends on understanding 'on the line' as a conventionalized metaphor, an average B1 learner who only knows the literal meanings would not fully predict the idiomatic sense without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrase put on the line may come from old betting games where players would literally put money on a marked line to show their bet. So when you put something on the line today, you are 'risking something important'.