fall line

noun

1. an imaginary line, marked by waterfalls and rapids, where rivers descend abruptly from an upland to a lowland.
2. Fall Line, (in the eastern United States) the imaginary line between the Piedmont and the Atlantic coastal plain.
3. Skiing. the path of natural descent from one point on a slope to another.

fall line

¹

noun

1. skiing the natural downward course between two points on a slope
2. the edge of a plateau

Fall Line

²

noun

1. a natural junction, running parallel to the E coast of the US, between the hard rocks of the Appalachians and the softer coastal plain, along which rivers form falls and rapids

fall line

/ fôl /

1. A line connecting the waterfalls of nearly parallel rivers that marks a drop in land level.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fall line¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

Upstream above the fall line lies the Piedmont, which draws vacationers attracted by bucolic destinations and wineries.

From Washington Post

It forms part of the Patuxent Formation — named after the eponymous Maryland river — running north-south along the fall line.

From Washington Post

On the hill, that translates to a ski that just seeks out the fall line, whether that means you’re carving short swing turns on corduroy or slinking your way through bumps.

From Outside Online

On Saturday, skiing the fall line of Crystal Mountain’s Right Angle Trees in Washington’s Cascade Range, I made turns without hitting bottom for the first time this season, and felt that perfect zero-G float of powder skiing.

From Outside Online

It also keeps your body and skis facing into the fall line—the most direct downhill path—which makes for controlled, efficient skiing.

From Outside Online

Great tracts of wilderness separated communities beyond the fall-line of the rivers.

From Project Gutenberg