in the line of fire

in the line of fire

In a position to encounter something unpleasant, such as punishment. You'll be in the line of fire if the boss finds out you signed off on that printing error.
See also: fire, line, of
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

line of fire, in the

In the path of an an attack, as in Whenever Audrey and Jeff quarrel, I take care to get out of the line of fire. This expression, dating from the mid-1800s, originally referred to the path of a bullet or other projectile, a meaning also still current. Also see firing line.
See also: line, of
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • come to a bad end
  • come to a bad/sticky end
  • have no stomach for something
  • have the stomach for
  • be tainted by (something)
  • be a fate worse than death
  • be in for
  • be in for something
  • in for
  • go through the wringer
References in periodicals archive
(The Lancaster office itself did not even provide abortions; simply offering family-planning services, including referrals for women seeking abortions, was enough to place it in the line of fire.) While most American women consider having an abortion at one time or another in their lives, the anti-abortion activists have succeeded in placing a surreal and alienating climate of fear around this very private, commonplace decision.
Same old CIA