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
[doun-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:
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
And again at 5-3, when Paul walloped a down-the-line forehand and Djokovic’s backhand on a 29-stroke point landed out.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 27, 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
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
They’re starting with an initial run of around 500 vinyl records, with plans to release the album on CD and cassette later down the line.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Going beyond that "creates all kinds of compounding problems that the Navy then has to deal with down the line."
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
They, too, are expected to keep interest rates on hold but to flag a risk of hikes further down the line due to rising oil prices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
"I'd just run the full-back down the line so it was a bit of a compliment from him. That's how I took it anyway."
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
We rode on in an endless agony of silence, but it was still a few hours before sunset when I heard voices calling “Grey- stone!” down the line.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
