crossing the limits

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "crossing the limits" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe actions or behaviors that exceed established boundaries or acceptable norms. Example: "His reckless driving was a clear case of crossing the limits of safety on the road."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Some considerable positive radon anomalies have been observed crossing the limits of X + 2σ before and after the earthquake of 4.7 and 5.5 magnitude.

Geoenvironmental Disasters

It must have been encouraged by 'adults who are either very irresponsible or really crossing the limits of decency.'.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Only one sample (Well no. 9) is crossing the limit 6 9.

Applied Water Science

Following ICMR standard, only 15% samples both in post- and pre-monsoon period are crossing the limit.

Applied Water Science

The 32-year-old tweeted  after the game that "sometimes people are crossing the limit", before adding: "I'm sure the club will sort it".

BBC

The limit of Mg content in drinking water has been set as 50 mg/L by both WHO (2011) and ICMR (1975) and accordingly 7 (35%) and 10 (50%) samples are crossing the limit in post- and pre-monsoon respectively.

Applied Water Science

Computational intelligence based approaches are used in tandem to design novel age-hardenable aluminium alloy, which would utilize the effect of all precipitate forming elements together, crossing the limit of the compositions defined within different series.

Materials & Design

Sometimes we all want to be noticed in a certain way, but you have to know when you're crossing the limit.

WikiHow

"Salman Taseer crossed the limits," he said.

The New York Times

We are deeply concerned that without serious debate, the United States has crossed the limits of acceptable practices in the treatment of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and other sites.

The New York Times

A student told her: "We are good Muslims, so when on campus boys cross the limits, we have to check them.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "crossing the limits" when you want to describe an action or behavior that clearly exceeds established boundaries or acceptable norms, often with negative consequences.

Common error

Avoid using "crossing the limits" when simply exceeding expectations in a positive way. Instead, reserve it for situations where boundaries are violated or ethical lines are blurred.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "crossing the limits" functions as a descriptive idiom, highlighting actions that exceed accepted norms or boundaries. Ludwig confirms that it is grammatically correct and usable, often implying negative consequences.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

67%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "crossing the limits" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe exceeding established boundaries, ethical standards or accepted norms, as validated by Ludwig. While the frequency is relatively rare, the phrase appears across both news and scientific domains, lending it a neutral register. Related phrases include "exceeding the boundaries" and "overstepping the mark", but it's important to reserve "crossing the limits" for situations involving actual transgression, not just positive achievements. Therefore the usage in proper context is pivotal to convey the desired meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

exceeding the boundaries

Focuses on the action of surpassing defined boundaries, similar to "crossing the limits".

transgressing boundaries

Formal alternative, emphasizing the violation of established rules or limits.

overstepping the mark

Emphasizes exceeding a certain acceptable standard of behavior or action.

going too far

Indicates that an action or statement has exceeded the bounds of acceptability.

pushing the envelope

Highlights innovation by extending beyond conventional constraints, implying a deliberate attempt to "crossing the limits".

overreaching

Suggests an attempt to do or achieve more than is realistically possible, or permissible.

stretching the rules

Suggests bending or manipulating rules to an extent that they are nearly broken or "crossing the limits".

exceeding expectations

Focuses on surpassing anticipated outcomes, often in a positive context but still implying surpassing a pre-defined "limit".

defying convention

Implies challenging or going against established norms, acting as to "crossing the limits" of social practices.

breaking the mold

Similar to defying convention, emphasizes a departure from standard practices and "crossing the limits" of traditions.

FAQs

What does "crossing the limits" mean?

The phrase "crossing the limits" describes actions or behaviors that exceed established boundaries or acceptable norms. It often implies a transgression or violation of rules, laws, or ethical standards.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "crossing the limits"?

Use "crossing the limits" when an action goes beyond what is considered acceptable, ethical, or legal. It's suitable when describing behaviors that infringe upon established boundaries.

What can I say instead of "crossing the limits"?

You can use alternatives like "exceeding the boundaries", "overstepping the mark", or "going too far depending on the specific context.

Is "crossing the limits" different from "pushing the envelope"?

While both phrases involve exceeding boundaries, "crossing the limits" usually implies a negative transgression, whereas "pushing the envelope" often suggests innovation or challenging conventions in a more positive or neutral light.