Toe the line and coming up to scratch ?

[BRAVO1]

Where do these sayings originate from please.

[dundurn]

I was always told that both phrases cam from the days of bareknuckle prizefighting. At the start of a bout a line was scratched to mark the halfway point between the 'corners'. At the start of each round both fighters would stand with one foot touching the 'scratch' line i.e. toeing the line. A contestant was not knocked out until he was unable to return to the line after 1 minute's rest at which point he was said to have 'not come up to scratch'.

Like many phrases there are alternative answers.

[BRAVO1]

Great answers my friend !!.

So does whip round come from boxing too ?.

I know there were whip hands around the ring who encouraged the watchers to throw money in the ring, hence the whip round..

Am I correct ?

[fredpuli47]

Never read or heard of a 'whip hand' in boxing.The practice of 'nobbins' , throwing coins, certainly existed though.

[To 'have the whip hand', exists ,of course, and means 'to have got the upper hand, to be in control', presumably because someone with the whip in their hand would be in control of, have the mastery of, a horse or horse- drawn carriage :)]