take a firm stand
take a firm line

I believe one must take a firm stand against that.

"At the very least you want him to take a firm stand, one way or another."

For that reason, he said, it is important to take a firm stand now.

The time had come, she decided, to take a firm stand.

The question had come up early on, and several unions took a firm stand.

Adults, the experts say, should simply take a firm stand.

The only proper way of dealing with it is to take a firm stand.

Taking a firm stand on the stadium would be a good way to begin letting in some light.

"Maybe I can influence you to take a firmer stand."

Dauntless decided to take a firm stand in the matter.

Only if we are able to take a firm stand will we win.

It's important to take a firm stand, say "no," and mean it.

Ms. Rice said she was glad the department's leadership had taken a firm stand.

I hope you will take a firm stand on the removal of that entry ban.

It was certainly salutary to find the Union taking a firm stand on that occasion.

That decision set off a firestorm of criticism from those who wanted the institute to take a firm stand.

The chief also took a firm stand also against unnecessary shootings.

But schools adopting the bully courts are likely to be those in which teachers have already taken a firm stand against bullying.

Adults in charge need to take a firm stand against teasing, bullying and harassment.

In Sacramento, the President took a firm stand against busy signals on 911.

In the lift to his floor he thought how odd it was that taking a firm stand should make him feel so bad-tempered.

The league presidents as well as the commissioner should take a firm stand against this behavior.

A mother of two, Aida took a firm stand not to tolerate her husband's infidelities.

But they have taken a firm stand against following the Democrats' decision to bar lobbyists from annual legislative retreats.

For the past thirty years or more this Nation has consistently lacked a leadership that took a firm stand on individual liberty.

Margaret decided that she had to take a firm line with these people.

Perhaps tonight I could take a firmer line with him.

It also took a firmer line on the question of arms.

My mother took a firm line on smoking in bedrooms.

At the same, the Government is taking a firmer line with those who refuse to do either form of service.

"All the more reason for taking a firm line."

The only open course therefore had to be to take a firmer line with Portugal.

Stopping short of direction intervention, Carter had taken a firm line.

But the Young King was incapable of taking a firm line.

I think we'll see more organizations take a firmer line."

As far as steel is concerned, Europe must take a firm line.

"All these westerners - if you take a firm line with them, they are yours to command."

We must therefore take a firm line on these issues and adopt this motion for a resolution, in its amended form.

There are issues where the school needs to take a firm line and where no compromises can be tolerated.

We've taken a firm line on this.

Unions have pressed Obama to take a firmer line with China.

His mother and father should never have allowed it; they should have taken a firmer line with him.

Rather than taking a firm line for or against, he makes some salient points about the overuse of the term, by both press and theatre companies.

But I took a firm line.

Encouragingly, House Republican leaders took a firm line yesterday as the proposal heads for floor consideration next week.

At PCS we are taking a firm line to address the problems created by these announcements.

Henrietta encouraged Charles to take a firm line with Pym and his colleagues.

The Yugoslav and Serb authorities must naturally take a firm line in their dealings with the minorities.

It takes a firm line on human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir.

Parliament has taken a firmer line on this than it did at first reading, and I am pleased by the Council's willingness to accept that.