trunk line

American  

noun

1. a major long-distance transportation line.

2. trunk.

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trunk line British  

noun

1. a direct link between two telephone exchanges or switchboards that are a considerable distance apart

2. the main route or routes on a railway

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Etymology

Origin of trunk line

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trunk line

A section of Sunset Boulevard could continue to be closed for days as crews repair a ruptured trunk line that inundated West Hollywood with about 17 million gallons of water last week.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

The rupture of a 3-foot-wide trunk line Thursday morning sent 17 million gallons of water into a West Hollywood neighborhood, from the Sunset Strip downhill beyond Santa Monica Boulevard.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026

A stretch of Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood remained closed Friday as crews repair a trunk line that ruptured early Thursday, sending thousands of gallons of water rushing down the famed Sunset Strip.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

Pike followed the main line — called the trunk line — which had hoses branching off in other directions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026

A contract for a trunk line from Canton to Hankow was negotiated in the latter part of 1898 by an American company.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 2 "Chicago, University of" to "Chiton" by Various