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Reader question: Please explain “fall in line” in this sentence: “When a decision is taken, every member must fall in line with that decision.” My comments: In other words, when a decision is made collectively in an organization – be it a military army or a political party or any membership club – everyone must follow the decision without exception. And follow the decision in a straight line, without anyone straying off. This is what the phrase “fall in line” means and implies. That’s how any organization of many members can function – with all its members, like parts of a big machine, working in unison. Like it or not, individuals all with their own likes and dislikes, preferences and prejudices, quirks and idiosyncrasies must conform, i.e. do what all others do for the group to function properly as a whole. The individual cannot go off the grid, so to speak, and go about doing anything on his own. In other words, everyone must toe the line – the party line, soldier codes or membership guide, as the case may be. Anyways, you will understand the phrase “fall in line” better by watching soldiers march in procession. Everyone maintains his position in relation to others and, indeed, when everyone toes the line, one following another, the whole group will be able to move beautifully in a body, (as if they were) one big body. | 
