in a situation in which you may be severely criticized.

Maria was willing to place herself in the line of fire and accept the blame if the music festival failed.

Related vocabulary: on the firing line

Etymology: based on the literal military meaning of in the line of fire (= in the place where bullets are being shot)

• refresh memory
• refresh your memory
• regardless of
• regardless of something
• reign of terror
• rein in
• rein in someone
• rein in something
• reinvent the wheel
• relate to
• relate to someone
• relate to something
• relax the reins
• relieve of
• relieve of something
• relieve you of
• relieve you of something
• Renaissance man
• rent boy
• reopen old wounds
• rest assured
• rest in peace
• rest is history
• rest on laurels
• rest on your laurels