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touchline

American  
[tuhch-lahyn] / ˈtʌtʃˌlaɪn /

noun

Rugby, Soccer.

  1. any of the outer lines bordering the playing field.

touchline British  
/ ˈtʌtʃˌlaɪn /

noun

  1. either of the lines marking the side of the playing area in certain games, such as rugby

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of touchline

First recorded in 1545–55; touch + line 1

Vocabulary lists containing touchline

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On the other side sits Perez's own preference: the grand manager, the aristocrat of the touchline, someone whose presence alone commands respect in the dressing room.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

Some members of the technical panels were concerned that simply stopping players from going to the touchline only fixes part of the problem.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

She deputised for manager Nenad Bjelica, who was serving a three-match suspension, during a 1-0 win over Darmstadt in January 2024 to become the first woman to lead a Bundesliga team from the touchline.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

She deputised for then-manager Nenad Bjelica, who was serving a three-match suspension, during a 1-0 win over Darmstadt in January 2024 to become the first woman to lead a Bundesliga team from the touchline.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

It came near the end of the game, as Muamer was chasing down a ball near the touchline, alongside a puddle that ran the length of the field just beyond the boundary.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.