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

Soon after, the crowd chanted the name of another child - Chaya, a 14-year-old who put herself in the firing line to protect a stranger's children.

From BBC

Poland has been in the firing line since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and has taken in more than a million Ukrainian refugees who fled the fighting.

From Barron's

If England do need to take Smith out of the firing line, the only option is to give the gloves to Ollie Pope, but Pope has problems on his own…

From BBC

England have not brought a specialist back-up keeper, so Smith is likely to remain in the firing line.

From BBC

There is no specialist keeper in the senior squad to remove Jamie Smith from the firing line.

From BBC