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

The MetroCard, a scuffed yellow rectangle that lived in wallets, coat pockets and the bottoms of tote bags for more than three decades, is officially reaching the end of the line.

From Salon

So when Swift takes a phone call in the documentary and says, "Baby", the whole theatre erupts - knowing through pop culture osmosis exactly who is on the other end of the line.

From BBC

If you know that you can pay off your purchase within the introductory no-interest period, “that can be a phenomenal tool,” Blancaflor said, “But whatever the card’s specific intro period is, if you don’t pay it off between that time, you’re stuck with the interest at the end of the line.”

From MarketWatch

It lacked the energetic skipping and twirling one would find in, say, a schottische, but the birds managed to switch partners and hold their positions as each couple waddled its way to the end of the line.

From Literature

There was rustling on the other end of the line.

From Literature