down-the-line
adjective
complete, full, unreserved, or whole-hearted.
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down-the-line
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down the line
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.
down-the-line
American
[daun-thuh-lahyn]
/ ˈdaʊn ðəˈlaɪn /
adjective
adverb
down the line
Idioms
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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.
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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]
Etymology
Origin of down-the-line
First recorded in 1895–1900
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A cross-court pass followed by a down-the-line winner before a Muchova strike took an unfortunate clip off the net cord to float wide.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
The fact that gender representation in Judy's books is pretty binary, down-the-line binary as our sex educator Rachel Lotus says in the film.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2023
Martinez leading the inning off with a down-the-line double before advancing to third on a grounder from Jason Heyward.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2023
It lasted 75 seconds and contained 19 more strokes than the second-longest rally of these entire two weeks, culminating with a down-the-line backhand by Ruud that drew a netted forehand in response.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 9, 2022
When it ended with a down-the-line backhand from Nadal, he chucked his racket to the red clay he loves so much and covered his face with the taped-up fingers on both of his hands.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 5, 2022
The magnitude of this situation is obvious, as is the difficulty in finding a solution, and the potential for further trouble down the line.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
“At one point,” Newfield says, “a woman from my screening walked down the line and yelled: ‘It’s worth the wait!’”
From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2026
What Iamaleava lacks in height she makes up for with her intelligence, placement and angles that keep opponents guessing whether she will hit it down the line or crosscourt.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026
To Sankar, that leaves room for further buyback authorizations down the line.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026
John looked down the line of these armies of darkness, army upon army, and his soul whispered: Who are these?
From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
