crack down on, to

crack down on (something)

To take action to control or punish someone or something more strictly or harshly, especially compared to the past. After years of leniency, the school is finally cracking down on plagiarism. The government has announced its plans to crack down on people taking advantage of the social welfare system. This issue is unjust, and as your mayor I promise to crack down on it.

See also: crack, down, on

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

crack down on, to

To take strong measures against someone or something, as in “The police are cracking down on drug dealers.” This colloquialism first appeared in the 1930s and caught on quickly, especially with reference to repression by authority figures.

See also: crack, down, to

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer