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

MSPs were granted a free vote on the proposals, meaning they were not whipped to vote along party lines.

From BBC

That was the beauty of the old party line telephone.

From Literature

He has been a registered Republican since adulthood, but his financial contributions have split party lines, public records show.

From The Wall Street Journal

Still, supporters say the housing measure offers Congress a rare chance to address an affordability issue that resonates across party lines.

From Barron's

But if the party line is some version of reforming the relatively young agency, nobody told Rep. Seth Moulton.

From Salon