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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trunk line

Workers had already repaired the 3-foot-wide trunk line and were backfilling the area at about 8:30 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

When the trunk line ruptured early Thursday morning, millions of gallons of water gushed down Holloway Drive, inundating businesses and flooding underground parking garages.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 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

There are about 547 miles of trunk line underground across the city.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 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

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