service line

American  

noun

1. Tennis. the rear boundary of a service court.

2. a line running parallel to the front wall in certain court games, as handball or squash, that marks a boundary of the service area.

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service line British  

noun

1. the line at the back of the court behind which the server must stand when serving

2. a line indicating the boundary of a permissible service, as on the backwall of a squash court

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Etymology

Origin of service line

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Somewhere on that paperwork will be a number to call — ideally for a life insurance agent who sold the policy to your parents, but it may be a more generic customer service line.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

When Brad Collett heard about Citi’s new Strata Elite credit card—with perks like airport lounge access and a dedicated service line for top-tier customers—he decided to splurge on his first premium card.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

"For instance, for lead, guided waves along the pipe are slower since lead bulk wave speeds are much lower than speeds of other service line materials."

From Science Daily • Mar. 7, 2024

Prosecutors allege that Hanson called the Fulton County government customer service line and left voicemails for the prosecutor and the sheriff about a week before the indictment was returned.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 30, 2023

She stood at the service line, bounced the volleyball a few times to get her rhythm, then tossed it into the air above her head.

From "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie