put your foot down

put (one's) foot down

To be unyielding or inflexible in one's position or decision. The kids complained and complained when we refused to get a puppy, but we had to put our foot down. As a manager, you have to put your foot down sometimes, or your staff will walk all over you.
See also: down, foot, put
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

put your foot down

COMMON
1. If you put your foot down, you tell someone forcefully that they must do something or that they must not do something. Annabel went through a phase of saying: `I can do my homework and watch TV.' Naturally I put my foot down. He had planned to go skiing on his own, but his wife put her foot down.
2. If you put your foot down when you are driving, you start to drive faster. Finding a clear stretch of the motorway, he put his foot down.
See also: down, foot, put
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

put your foot down

1 adopt a firm policy when faced with opposition or disobedience. 2 make a motor vehicle go faster by pressing the accelerator pedal with your foot. British informal
See also: down, foot, put
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

put your ˈfoot down

(informal)
1 drive faster in a car: If you put your foot down, we might be home by seven o’clock.
2 use your authority to stop somebody doing something: When she asked if she could stay out until midnight, I put my foot down and insisted that she come home by eleven at the latest.
See also: down, foot, put
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • put (one's) foot down
  • put foot down
  • put one's foot down
  • stand pat
  • stand pat (on something)
  • stand pat on something
  • soften
  • soften (one's or someone's) stance (on something)
  • soften stance
  • stance
References in classic literature
Put your foot down good and hard; the only way to manage a wife.
Awakening and Selected Short Stories
Suppose you boldly put your foot down, and say it is the hotel's business to pay its servants?
Tramp Abroad
You want to put your foot down, Rose, and put it down hard--for once in your life --if you can," she added, half under her breath.
Dust
All you've got to do is put your foot down and say no."
The Red One
Under the bonnet there's a 563bhp 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 engine that you cannot really hear unless you put your foot down to accelerate, when you will experience a reassuring but restrained roar as it 'glides' from zero to 100 kph in just 5.2 seconds.
ROLLS-ROYCE CULLINAN
"Being three shots back you have to put your foot down and go for it.
Nothing to lose for Rose after setback; GOLF
"A time comes when you just need to put your foot down. Identify a company and award tenders so the work can start," Raila said.
Put your foot down to change Nairobi, Raila tells Sonko at meeting
They hold you up and when they clear you tend to put your foot down and make up for lost time.
Speeding on the up Speeding [...]; ON THE ROAD
One passenger is seen telling the driver to "put your foot down, put your foot down, put your foot down".
City ace Samir Nasri hounded by livid Liverpool fans in dangerous car chase
To compensate, you may put your foot down harder, using more fuel.
WILLSON'S TOP TIPS FOR SAVING FUEL
PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN: Visitors to Dunchurch go for a spin and (right) John and Luke Berry stock up on ammo
YOUR events; Tanks for the memories..
The events - titled Put Your Foot Down on Carbon - are targeted for businesses with high carbon footprints and aim to focus on how smarter driving can help reduce fuel consumption, thereby significantly reducing costs and the size of an organisation's carbon footprint.
Firms can drive on the climate change agenda
Put your foot down. If he puts his ex-girlfriend's feelings before yours then I would remind him that as his wife-to-be he should put your feelings first.
He wants his ex at our wedding; Your Sex Doctor
Well, stop pussyfooting around and put your foot down. Just don't roar too loud or you'll sound like a desperate drama queen (or king).
Greetings from your home town ..
PUT your foot down when it comes to perfect winter footwear...
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