toe the line
Yes, it’s toe, not tow, a common mistake. Toe the line or mark is a metaphorical reference to either the start of a race, the runners conforming to the starter’s orders, or to soldiers and sailors standing in formation, often literally with their toes touching a line drawn on the ground to ensure the formation conforms to the proper standard. Many of the early citations are from the Royal Navy and this may be the source of the phrase, although this is not certain. From Hector Bull-Us’s (James Kirke Paulding’s) 1813 The Diverting History of John Bull and Brother Jonathan:
He began to think it was high time to toe the mark.
And we have this from William Glascock’s 1826 The Naval Sketchbook:
The brigades of seamen embodied to act with our troops in America, as well as in the north coast of Spain, contrived to ”ship a bagnet” on a pinch, and to ”toe” (for that was the phrase) “a tolerable line.”
(Source: Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition)
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Copyright 1997-2008, by David Wilton
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I believe that there was a certain type of formalized fist-fight, used to settle disputes between two men. Both men had to keep at least one foot close enough to the opponent to stay in the fight and keep from loosing. This was accomplished by tracing a line or mark in the sand or dirt, so that all could tell if one was backing up or not. Backing up away from this line was an attempt to lessen the severity of incoming blows, and therefore was breaking the rule designed to keep you in the fight. “Toe the line” is used like “stepping up to the plate” or is similar to “doing one’s duty” under even very unpleasant conditions.
I too have heard that the term comes from boxing, but in a slightly different way. Before matches were of a fixed duration, the fighters literally “fought to the finish” until one gave up or was rendered unable to continue. A mark or line was drawn on the ground, and
fighters would step up to and “toe” the line to indicate that they were ready to continue for another round. The expression having a very similar meaning
to the baseball-born “step up to the plate.” Meaning to do what is expected of one.