put one's foot down

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put one's foot down (third-person singular simple present puts one's foot down, present participle putting one's foot down, simple past and past participle put one's foot down)

1. To insist, demand, or refuse with finality.

   Synonyms: dig in one's heels, pound the table

   I finally put my foot down and demanded to talk to someone in charge.

2. (informal, literally) To make a vehicle go faster; accelerate.

   Synonyms: step on it, floor it, put the pedal to the metal

• See also Thesaurus:obstinacy