[lbo-talk] apply for WBAI program director!

Dennis Claxton ddclaxton at earthlink.net
Mon Aug 15 14:18:27 PDT 2011


At 01:49 PM 8/15/2011, martin schiller wrote:


>Try 'tow a line'.

Try google:

http://www.google.com/search?q=toe+a+line&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/toe_the_line

In modern usage, this is sometimes carelessly written tow the line, which itself has taken on a new meaning as an eggcorn. This practice probably originated with people who heard the expression but were not familiar with the original spelling or meaning. With the spelling tow the expression naturally takes on a slightly more active meaning: not simply conforming to the rules, but helping to enforce or confirm them.



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