end of the line

Idioms  

1. Also, end of the road. The conclusion or final outcome. For example, The editorial pointed out that it was the end of the line for the President; he'd never be reelected, or It was obviously the end of the road for this television series. This idiom alludes to the point where a road or line stops. [c. 1900]

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Example Sentences

Several of the candidates mired near the bottom of polls — Antonio Villaraigosa, Xavier Becerra, Betty Yee — are probably looking at the end of the line if they lose this race.

From Los Angeles Times

Mom’s silence on the other end of the line twists my stomach into knots.

From Literature

But there’s nothing on the other end of the line, a silent chasm of nothing.

From Literature

“What I’m saying,” he continues, “is that when I call, I have no control over which operator is on the other end of the line. I couldn’t request one in particular. I couldn’t reach specifically you if I tried. So whomever this person was—this cretin? You’ll probably never have to worry about them again.”

From Literature

The barking voice on the other end of the line spoke in rapid-fire French.

From Literature