break ranks

Idioms and Phrases

Fall out of line or into disorder; also, fail to conform, deviate. For example, The recruits were warned that they must not break ranks , or Harry was told to adhere to the party platform and not break ranks . This idiom uses rank in the sense of “soldiers drawn up in line,” and the term originally referred to their falling into disarray. The figurative usage dates from the mid-1800s.