firing line

American  

noun

1. Military.

   1. the positions at which troops are stationed to fire upon the enemy or targets.

   2. the troops firing from this line.

2. the forefront of any action or activity, especially a controversy.

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firing line British  

noun

1. military

   1. the positions from which fire is delivered

   2. the soldiers occupying these positions

2. the leading or most advanced position in an activity

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Etymology

Origin of firing line

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

firing line

With bets on a hike rising, stocks are in the firing line, with all three main indexes on Wall Street in the red and Europe also taking a hiding.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

Meta may have been the target in this court case, but it has tried to bring the rest of Big Tech into the firing line.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

They said there was no current plan for the kind of complex escorts that in dozens of missions starting in 1987 put Navy ships directly in Iran’s firing line.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026

When he departed in September, it was welcomed by the majority but left Frank more in the firing line - and with a shield removed.

From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2026

And the remedial training is probably why Miss Preston wants to see me, anyway, so it ain't like I'm in any hurry to get to the firing line.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland