party line

American  

[pahr-tee lahyn, pahr-tee lahyn] / ˈpɑr ti ˈlaɪn, ˈpɑr ti ˌlaɪn /

noun

1. the authorized, prescribed policies and practices of a group, especially of the Communist Party, usually followed by the members without deviation; official philosophy or credo.

2. the guiding policy, tenets, or practices of a political party.

   The judge was chosen on party lines.

3. a telephone line connecting the telephones of a number of subscribers by one circuit to a central office, used in some rural areas.

4. the boundary line separating adjoining properties.

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party line British  

noun

1. a telephone line serving two or more subscribers

2. the policies or dogma of a political party, to which all members are expected to subscribe

3. the boundary between adjoining property

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party line Idioms  

1. The official policy of an organization or government, as in The current party line opposes legalized abortion in all cases. This term, dating from about 1830, was originally used for a political party's official policy but in the mid-1900s was almost exclusively applied to the rigid dicta of the Soviet Communist Party. Since then it has returned to looser use.

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Other Word Forms

• party-line
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of party line

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

party line

What it didn’t want was for his funeral to revive memories of an era when Chinese leaders were more willing to tolerate candor, debate and a measure of independence from the party line.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

“Transitory” went from a party line to a punchline, one the Fed is still trying to live down.

From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026

If the desire to be released from this Hell reaches across the party line — if it’s affecting everyone, everywhere — is there any escape at all, any way off this hamster wheel?

From Salon ● Dec. 21, 2025

Christians have long been pressured to join only state-sanctioned churches that are led by government-approved pastors and toe the party line.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2025

That was the beauty of the old party line telephone.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck