towing the line

Verb

tow the line (third-person singular simple present tows the line, present participle towing the line, simple past and past participle towed the line)

1. (nonstandard) Eggcorn of toe the line.
   • Some metaphors now current have been twisted out of their original meaning without those who use them even being aware of the fact. For example, toe the line is sometimes written as tow the line.[1946 April, George Orwell, “Politics and the English Language”, in Cyril Connolly, editor, Horizon, volume 13, number 76, London: Horizon, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 255