line of fire, in the

Idioms & Phrases

line of fire, in the

In the path of an an attack, as in Whenever Audrey and Jeff quarrel, I take care to get out of the line of fire. This expression, dating from the mid-1800s, originally referred to the path of a bullet or other projectile, a meaning also still current. Also see firing line.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Line of fire, in the is always a great word to know.
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