lay it on the line
idiom
informal
: to speak very honestly and directly to someone
Let me lay it on the line (to/for you): if your work doesn't improve, you'll be fired.
Examples of lay it on the line in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After months of talk, the 26 people who have declared their desire to go to Congress via a South Florida special election have to lay it on the line — with cold, hard cash.
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Anthony Man, sun-sentinel.com, 9 Aug. 2021
Anthony Man, sun-sentinel.com, 9 Aug. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lay it on the line.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Lay it on the line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lay%20it%20on%20the%20line. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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