🗓️ Idiom: Put Your Foot Down (verb)
💬 Meaning
- To assert authority firmly and refuse to allow something.
- To make a strong stand when dealing with complaints or problems.
🧠 Example Sentences
- The manager put her foot down when employees complained about unrealistic deadlines.
- He finally put his foot down and refused to accept poor-quality work from the team.
- Parents often have to put their foot down when children complain about rules or limits.
🏛️ Origin
The idiom originates from the action of pressing your foot down to stop a vehicle or enforce control. In English, it evolved to mean asserting authority or making a firm decision, often in response to complaints or requests.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
When staff kept requesting extra breaks, the manager had to ________.
Answer
put her foot down
2. Multiple choice:
To “put your foot down” means:
a) Agree with everyone
b) Assert authority firmly
c) Avoid responsibility
Answer
b) Assert authority firmly
3. Change the sentence using “put your foot down”:
“The director refused to let the team ignore safety procedures.”
Answer
The director put her foot down and insisted the team follow all safety procedures.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
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👉 Idioms for Complaints
👉 Business English Idioms List
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