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:
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
After Khachanov surged late in the third to make things slightly more intriguing, Ruud broke to lead 2-1 in the fourth, ripping a down-the-line forehand winner from the doubles alley.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 9, 2022
Originally, it was much more down-the-line slasher piece.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2022
A Williams return dropped just wide when she and Murray led 12-11, but she landed a backhand down-the-line winner to bring up another opportunity to close it out.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2022
Yet another lob produced yet another overhead, again back to Alcaraz’s left, and this time he came up with a down-the-line backhand passing shot that Ramos-Vinola volleyed into the net.
From Washington Times ● May 25, 2022
If you have lost three out of three, have scored three goals and have conceded nine, then banging on about points you might win down the line is an exercise in wishful thinking.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 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
To Sankar, that leaves room for further buyback authorizations down the line.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026
He said his example is “replicated” by his leadership team of 10 and then down the line.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
And on down the line it went again, now calming the rumble the lack of chicken breasts caused.
From "The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds
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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.
