over the line

over the line

1. Beyond what is considered appropriate or acceptable. I know that it was a heated conversation, but you said a few things that were way too far over the line. I had to throw a few customers out of the bar because they had begun stepping over the line with the staff.
2. Having a successful outcome, but only by a narrow margin. The last-minute goal got Manchester United over the line for a place in the finals.
See also: line, over
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • turn out all right
  • work out all right
  • koshe
  • (something) is one thing, (something else) is (quite) another
  • it's one thing to (do sth), it's another thing to (do sth else)
  • it's one thing to (do sth), it's quite another to (do sth else)
  • it's one thing to do A, it's another to do B
  • it's one thing to (do something), it's another to (do something else)
  • the done thing
  • (one) has to draw a/the line somewhere
References in periodicals archive
Andrew Wood was their match winner, his haul of six wickets pulling Vale down for 132 when they looked set for many more, and enabling his side to scramble over the line by the narrowest of margins?.
NORTHUMBERLAND LEAGUES
"It's a great sign when your side is not playing 100 per cent and still gets over the line." Dutch skipper Peter Borren was left disappointed.
Four-wicket Tahir helps S. Africa survive Dutch scare
Jones was joined by Jenkins with the outcome very much in the balance, but the pair guided the Bay over the line with a clinching 133-9.
Bates fires Bay to Premier summit
The target was reached with 7.4 overs remaining as Cook retired with 52, a second consecutive half-century since taking the captaincy, and Prior (64no) guiding England over the line. There was another failure for Kevin Pietersen though.
England win; Sport briefs
Zimbabwe posted a below-par 197 batting first, but Nafees batted with poise and fluency to lead the visitors over the line with six overs to spare.
Cricket: Shahriar century
But Kane Williamson remained ice-cool with 45 to see his team over the line at 152-9 in 23.1 overs.
Dominant Aussies enjoy clear lead in Trans-Tasman battles
Summerskill and Ricordo Gordon smashed 44 in three overs to see Cambridgeshire over the line and leave Northumberland wondering what might have been.
Wicket-keeper turns matchwinner to see off Northumberland
When Snowdon fell, Maghull still needed 25 runs, and when Swiers was dismissed three runs short, Walters and John Murphy were left to drag Maghull over the line for a one wicket victory despite Oliver Jump taking 4-59.
Barlow bowls 'em over in Newton triumph
They succeeded in staggering over the line at 138-9 to claim an avenging 20-6 points victory in the gathering gloom, Hantam picking up 4-66 of 19 overs and spin ace Paul Jenkins 4-40 off 15 overs, five of them maidens.
Bay's design on title suffers blow
The Quetta academy, in reply, got over the line by making 160-4 in 19.3 overs.
Nasir stars as QG Academy seal third win
Alex Simpson (41) and Matthew Gill (38) top-scored but could not get Durham over the line as they were bowled out in 46.3 overs - 54 runs short of their target.
Teens are off to losing start; UNDER-17 CRICKET
Park finally got over the line in the 26th over with seven wickets down to move three points from safety The game between Orrell Red Triangle and Colwyn Bay was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Rainford Jump to the top after a comfortable victory over Wavertree
Kumail Abbas Jafri then contributed a 66-ball 53 (five boundaries) to enable Zone-IV get over the line at 190-9 in 49.3 overs.
Taha shines again as Zone-VI upstage Zone-I to stay unbeaten
Chasing 170 to win, the visitors needed 63 off the last five overs - only for Pollard, with 47 not out from 25 balls, and Jos Buttler, 34 not out from 14, to race over the line and claim a six-wicket win with five balls to spare.
Outlaws fail to rattle Sabres
In a game reduced to 38 overs per side, Karachi Whites managed 141 all out in 37 overs before Rawalpindi got over the line by making 144-4 in 36.3 overs.
Peshawar, Karachi Blues on cusp of U-19 semis