Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[stevenukd]

Dear Teachers,

1. If your daughter keeps on the same path, then you�ll have to step in and lay down the law.
- What does �lay down the law� mean?

2. Don�t back down from your decisions but make sure that both of you feel happy.
- �back down from your decisions� means �give up on your decisions�, right?

3. I don�t think you�re at all out of line by asking her to help with the move.
- What does �you�re at all out of line� mean here?

Thanks a lot to Teachers,

Stevenukd

[CP]

1. "Lay down the law" is an idiom that means make rules to be followed and enforce them.

2. "To back down" means to surrender or to yield to someone else; the opposite of sticking to your guns. If you back down from your decisions you are letting someone else change your mind.

3. "To be out of line" means to act inappropriately or break the rules somehow. "At all" just means "by any means" or "in any way." So this means, "I don't think that you are acting inappropriately in any way by asking her to help with the move," i.e., it's fine to ask for help.
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