down-the-line

[ doun-th uh-lahyn ]

/ ˈdaʊn ðəˈlaɪn /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR down-the-line ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

complete, full, unreserved, or whole-hearted: a down-the-line endorsement.

adverb

fully; completely; whole-heartedly: Will you support it down-the-line?

Origin of down-the-line

First recorded in 1895–1900

Words nearby down-the-line

down-bow, down-easter, down-home, down-low, down-market, down-the-line, down-to-earth, downbeat, downburst, downcast, downcome

Definition for down the line (2 of 2)

line ¹

[ lahyn ]

/ laɪn /

noun

a mark or stroke long in proportion to its breadth, made with a pen, pencil, tool, etc., on a surface: a line down the middle of the page.

Mathematics. a continuous extent of length, straight or curved, without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point.

something arranged along a line, especially a straight line; a row or series: a line of trees.

a number of persons standing one behind the other and waiting their turns at or for something; queue.

something resembling a traced line, as a band of color, a seam, or a furrow: lines of stratification in rock.

a furrow or wrinkle on the face, neck, etc.: lines around the eyes.

an indication of demarcation; boundary; limit: the county line; a fine line between right and wrong.

a row of written or printed letters, words, etc.: a page of 30 lines.

a verse of poetry: A line in iambic pentameter contains five feet.

Usually lines. the words of an actor's part in a drama, musical comedy, etc.: to rehearse one's lines.

a short written message: Drop me a line when you're on vacation.

a system of public conveyances, as buses or trains, plying regularly over a fixed route: the northbound line at State Street.

a transportation or conveyance company: a steamship line.

a course of direction; route: the line of march down Main Street.

a course of action, procedure, thought, policy, etc.: That newspaper follows the communist line.

a piece of pertinent or useful information (usually followed by on): I've got a line on a good used car.

a series of generations of persons, animals, or plants descended from a common ancestor: a line of kings.

a department of activity; occupation or business: What line are you in?

Informal. a mode of conversation, especially one that is glib or exaggerated in order to impress or influence another person: He really handed her a line about his rich relatives.

a straight line drawn from an observed object to the fovea of the eye.

lines,

the outer form or proportions of a ship, building, etc.: a ship of fine lines.
a general form, as of an event or something that is made, which may be the basis of comparison, imitation, etc.: two books written along the same lines.
a person's lot or portion: to endure the hard lines of poverty.
Chiefly British. a certificate of marriage.

a circle of the terrestrial or celestial sphere: the equinoctial line.

banner(def 7).

Fine Arts.

a mark made by a pencil, brush, or the like, that defines the contour of a shape, forms hatching, etc.
the edge of a shape.

Television. one scanning line.

Telecommunications.

a telephone connection: Please hold the line.
a wire circuit connecting two or more pieces of electric apparatus, especially the wire or wires connecting points or stations in a telegraph or telephone system, or the system itself.

the line, Geography. the equator.

a stock of commercial goods of the same general class but having a range of styles, sizes, prices, or quality: the company's line of shoes.

an assembly line.

Law. a limit defining one estate from another; the outline or boundary of a piece of real estate.

Bridge. a line on a score sheet that separates points scored toward game (below the line) from points scored by setting a contract, having honors, etc. (above the line).

Music. any of the straight, horizontal, parallel strokes of the staff, or one placed above or below the staff.

Military.

a defensive position or front.
a series of fortifications: the Maginot line.
Usually lines. a distribution of troops, sentries, etc., for the defense of a position or for an attack: behind the enemy's lines.
the body of personnel constituting the combatant forces of an army, as distinguished from the supply services and staff corps.

an arrangement of troops of an army or of ships of a fleet as drawn up for battle: line of battle.

a body or formation of troops or ships drawn up abreast (distinguished from columndef 6).

the class of officers serving with combatant units or warships.

the regular forces of an army or navy.

that part of an administrative organization consisting of persons actively engaged on a given project. Compare staff¹(def 4).

a thread, string, cord, rope, or the like.

a clothesline: the wash hanging on the line.

a cord, wire, or the like, used for measuring or as a guide.

Nautical.

a pipe or hose: a steam line.
a rope or cable used at sea.

Slang. a small quantity of cocaine arranged in the form of a slender thread or line, as for sniffing.

Also ligne. a unit equal to 1/40 (0.025) inch (0.64 mm), for measuring the diameter of buttons.

Angling. a length of nylon, silk, linen, cord, or the like, to which are attached the leader, hook, sinker, float, etc.

Football.

either of the two front rows of opposing players lined up opposite each other on the line of scrimmage: a four-man line.
the line of scrimmage.

the betting odds established by bookmakers for events not covered by pari-mutuel betting, especially sporting events, as football or basketball.

Ice Hockey. the two wings and center who make up a team's offensive unit.

Fencing. any of the four divisions of the portion of a fencer's body on which a touch can be scored, taken as an area of attack or defense.

Textiles. the longer and preferred flax or hemp fibers. Compare tow²(def 2).

Fox Hunting. the trail of scent left by a fox.

a unit of length equivalent to 1/12 (0.0833) inch (2.12 millimeters).

Insurance.

a class or type of insurance: casualty line.
the amount of insurance written for a particular risk.

Australian Slang. a girl or woman.

verb (used without object), lined, lin·ing.

to take a position in a line; range (often followed by up): to line up before the start of a parade.

Baseball.

to hit a line drive.
to line out.

verb (used with object), lined, lin·ing.

to bring into a line, or into line with others (often followed by up): to line up troops.

to mark with a line or lines: to line paper for writing.

to sketch verbally or in writing; outline (often followed by out): We followed the plan he had lined out.

to arrange a line along: to line a coast with colonies.

to form a line along: Rocks lined the drive.

to apply eyeliner to (the eyes).

to delineate with or as if with lines; draw: to line the silhouette of a person's head.

Archaic. to measure or test with a line.

Verb Phrases

line out,

Baseball. to be put out by hitting a line drive caught on the fly by a player of the opposing team.
to execute or perform: He lined out a few songs upon request.

line up, to secure; make available: to line up support; to line up a speaker for the banquet.

Origin of line

before 1000; Middle English li(g)ne cord, rope, stroke, series, guiding rule, partly < Old French ligne ≪ Latin līnea, noun use of feminine of līneus flaxen (orig. applied to string), equivalent to līn(um) flax (see line²) + -eus -eous, partly continuing Old English līne string, row, series < Latin, as above

OTHER WORDS FROM line

lin·a·ble, line·a·ble, adjective line·less, adjective line·like, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for down the line (1 of 2)

line ¹

/ (laɪn) /

noun

a narrow continuous mark, as one made by a pencil, pen, or brush across a surface

such a mark cut into or raised from a surface

a thin indented mark or wrinkle

a straight or curved continuous trace having no breadth that is produced by a moving point

maths

any straight one-dimensional geometrical element whose identity is determined by two points. A line segment lies between any two points on a line
a set of points (x, y) that satisfies the equation y = mx + c, where m is the gradient and c is the intercept with the y -axis

a border or boundary the county line

sport

a white or coloured band indicating a boundary or division on a field, track, etc
a mark or imaginary mark at which a race begins or ends

American football

See line of scrimmage
the players arranged in a row on either side of the line of scrimmage at the start of each play

a specified point of change or limit the dividing line between sanity and madness

the edge or contour of a shape, as in sculpture or architecture, or a mark on a painting, drawing, etc, defining or suggesting this
the sum or type of such contours or marks, characteristic of a style or designthe line of a draughtsman; the line of a building

anything long, flexible, and thin, such as a wire or string a washing line; a fishing line

a telephone connection a direct line to New York

a conducting wire, cable, or circuit for making connections between pieces of electrical apparatus, such as a cable for electric-power transmission, telecommunications, etc
(as modifier)the line voltage

a system of travel or transportation, esp over agreed routes a shipping line

a company operating such a system

a route between two points on a railway

mainly British

a railway track, including the roadbed, sleepers, etc
one of the rails of such a track

NZ a roadway usually in a rural area

a course or direction of movement or advance the line of flight of a bullet

a course or method of action, behaviour, etc take a new line with him

a policy or prescribed course of action or way of thinking (often in the phrases bring or come into line)

a field of study, interest, occupation, trade, or profession this book is in your line

alignment; true (esp in the phrases in line, out of line)

one kind of product or article a nice line in hats

NZ a collection of bales of wool all of the one type

a row of persons or things a line of cakes on the conveyor belt

a chronological or ancestral series, esp of people a line of prime ministers

a row of words printed or written across a page or column

a unit of verse consisting of the number of feet appropriate to the metre being used and written or printed with the words in a single row

a short letter; note just a line to say thank you

a piece of useful information or hint about something give me a line on his work

one of a number of narrow horizontal bands forming a television picture

physics a narrow band in an electromagnetic spectrum, resulting from a transition in an atom, ion, or molecule of a gas or plasma

music

any of the five horizontal marks that make up the staveCompare space (def. 10)
the musical part or melody notated on one such set
a discernible shape formed by sequences of notes or musical soundsa meandering melodic line
(in polyphonic music) a set of staves that are held together with a bracket or brace

a unit of magnetic flux equal to 1 maxwell

a defensive or fortified position, esp one that marks the most forward position in war or a national boundary the front line

line ahead or line abreast a formation adopted by a naval unit for manoeuvring

a formation adopted by a body or a number of military units when drawn up abreast

the combatant forces of certain armies and navies, excluding supporting arms

fencing one of four divisions of the target on a fencer's body, considered as areas to which specific attacks are made

the scent left by a fox

the equator (esp in the phrase crossing the line)
any circle or arc on the terrestrial or celestial sphere

the amount of insurance written by an underwriter for a particular risk

US and Canadian a line of people, vehicles, etc, waiting for something Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): queue

slang a portion of a powdered drug for snorting

slang something said for effect, esp to solicit for money, sex, etc he gave me his usual line

above the line

accounting denoting entries above a horizontal line on a profit and loss account, separating those that establish the profit or loss from those that show how the profit is distributed
denoting revenue transactions rather than capital transactions in a nation's accounts
marketing expenditure on media advertising through an agency, rather than internally arranged advertising, such as direct mail, free samples, etc
bridge denoting bonus points, marked above the horizontal line on the score card

below the line

accounting denoting entries below a horizontal line on a profit and loss account, separating those that establish the profit or loss from those that show how the profit is distributed
denoting capital transactions rather than revenue transactions in a nation's accounts
marketing denoting expenditure on advertising by other means than the traditional media, such as the provision of free gifts, special displays, direct mailshots, etc
bridge denoting points scored towards game and rubber, marked below the horizontal line on the score card

all along the line

at every stage in a series
in every detail

do a line Irish and Australian informal to associate (with a person of the opposite sex) regularly; go out (with) he is doing a line with her

draw the line to reasonably object (to) or set a limit (on) her father draws the line at her coming in after midnight

get a line on informal to obtain information about

hold the line

to keep a telephone line open
football to prevent the opponents from taking the ball forward
(of soldiers) to keep formation, as when under fire

in line for in the running for; a candidate for he's in line for a directorship

in line with conforming to

in the line of duty as a necessary and usually undesired part of the performance of one's responsibilities

lay on the line or put on the line

to pay money
to speak frankly and directly
to risk (one's career, reputation, etc) on something

shoot a line informal to try to create a false image, as by boasting or exaggerating

step out of line to fail to conform to expected standards, attitudes, etc

toe the line to conform to expected standards, attitudes, etc

verb

(tr) to mark with a line or lines

(tr) to draw or represent with a line or lines

(tr) to be or put as a border to tulips lined the lawns

to place in or form a row, series, or alignment

Derived forms of line

linable or lineable, adjective lined, adjective linelike, adjective liny or liney, adjective

Word Origin for line

C13: partly from Old French ligne, ultimately from Latin līnea, n use of līneus flaxen, from līnum flax; partly from Old English līn, ultimately also from Latin līnum flax

British Dictionary definitions for down the line (2 of 2)

line ²

/ (laɪn) /

verb (tr)

to attach an inside covering to (a garment, curtain, etc), as for protection, to hide the seaming, or so that it should hang well

to cover or fit the inside of to line the walls with books

to fill plentifully a purse lined with money

to reinforce the back of (a book) with fabric, paper, etc

Word Origin for line

C14: ultimately from Latin līnum flax, since linings were often made of linen

Medical definitions for down the line

line

[ līn ]

n.

The path traced by a moving point.

A thin continuous mark, as that made by a pen, pencil, or brush applied to a surface.

A crease in the skin, especially on the face; a wrinkle.

In anatomy, a long narrow mark, strip, or streak distinguished from adjacent tissue by color, texture, or elevation.

A real or imaginary mark positioned in relation to fixed points of reference.

A border, boundary, or demarcation.

A contour or an outline.

A mark used to define a shape or represent a contour.

Any of the marks that make up the formal design of a picture.

A cable, rope, string, cord, or wire.

A general method, manner, or course of procedure.

A manner or course of procedure determined by a specified factor.

An official or prescribed policy.

Ancestry or lineage.

A series of persons, especially from one family, who succeed each other.

Scientific definitions for down the line

line

[ līn ]

A geometric figure formed by a point moving in a fixed direction and in the reverse direction. The intersection of two planes is a line.♦ The part of a line that lies between two points on the line is called a line segment.

Cultural definitions for down the line

line

A set of points that have one dimension — length — but no width or height. (See coordinates.)

Idioms and Phrases with down the line (1 of 2)

down the line

Also, all along the line. All the way, throughout. For example, We've found numerous errors down the line. The first term dates from the mid-1900s, the variant from the second half of the 1800s.

Also, down the road. At a future point or end. For example, Somewhere down the road I think he'll be elected to high office. [Second half of 1900s]

Idioms and Phrases with down the line (2 of 2)

line

In addition to the idioms beginning with line

line of fire, in the
line one's pockets
line up

also see:

all along (the line)
along the lines of
blow it (one's lines)
bottom line
chow down (line)
down the line
draw a line
draw the line at
drop a line
end of the line
fall in line
feed someone a line
firing line
get a line on
go on (line)
hard line
hold the line
hook, line, and sinker
hot line
in line
lay on the line
least resistance, line of
on line
out of line
party line
read between the lines
sign on the dotted line
somewhere along the line
step out of line
toe the line

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

down-the-line

adjective

adverb

Origin of down-the-line

Words nearby down-the-line

Definition for down the line (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used without object), lined, lin·ing.

verb (used with object), lined, lin·ing.

Verb Phrases

Origin of line

OTHER WORDS FROM line

British Dictionary definitions for down the line (1 of 2)

noun

verb

Derived forms of line

Word Origin for line

British Dictionary definitions for down the line (2 of 2)

verb (tr)

Word Origin for line

Medical definitions for down the line

n.

Scientific definitions for down the line

Cultural definitions for down the line

Idioms and Phrases with down the line (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with down the line (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

down-the-line

adjective

adverb

Origin of down-the-line

Words nearby down-the-line

Definition for down the line (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used without object), lined, lin·ing.

verb (used with object), lined, lin·ing.

Verb Phrases

Origin of line

OTHER WORDS FROM line

Words related to down the line

British Dictionary definitions for down the line (1 of 2)

noun

verb

Derived forms of line

Word Origin for line

British Dictionary definitions for down the line (2 of 2)

verb (tr)

Word Origin for line

Medical definitions for down the line

n.

Scientific definitions for down the line

Cultural definitions for down the line

Idioms and Phrases with down the line (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with down the line (2 of 2)