blue line

noun

|Updated on: 7 Aug 2018

Definition of blue line

: either of two blue lines that divide an ice hockey rink into three equal zones and that separate the offensive and defensive zones from the center-ice neutral zone

Recent Examples of blue line from the Web

The curtains were decorated with a pattern of blue lines that exactly resembled tire tracks.

— ian frazier, Outside Online, "Ian Frazier on the Freedom of His First #Vanlife Summer," 11 July 2018
This week is not about blue lines and high-sticking.

— BostonGlobe.com, "After working NHL playoffs, referee Garrett Rank qualified for US Open," 13 June 2018
This week is not about blue lines and high-sticking.

— terrin waack, chicagotribune.com, "From the ice to the green, NHL ref makes U.S. Open debut," 11 June 2018
This looks at short form video, with the blue line and daily time spent in China growing very rapidly.

— recode staff, Recode, "Full video and transcript: Kleiner Perkins’ Mary Meeker at Code 2018," 31 May 2018
Boughner describes his system as a detailed one that guys struggled to pick up early on — with a different philosophy to push the pace, different breakouts, rotating lines and defensive pairings and different expectations at the blue line.

— matthew defranks, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Panthers players, staff left searching, wondering after missing playoffs by one point," 10 Apr. 2018
But low-cost, veteran defensemen like Ian Cole or Calvin De Haan could make sense for the Panthers if Tallon can restructure the rest of the blue line.

— matthew defranks, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Panthers can plug secondary needs when NHL free agency opens Sunday," 1 July 2018
The Coyotes' only other pending UFA on the blue line, Luke Schenn, will test the open market and is not likely to re-sign with Arizona, according to a source.

— richard morin, azcentral, "Coyotes fortify blue-line depth, sign defenseman Kevin Connauton to 2-year contract," 27 June 2018
Cops call themselves the thin blue line between the law and anarchy, and sometimes that starts with the anarchy of one teenager.

— kevin fisher-paulson, SFChronicle.com, "Cops and copy editors keeping things orderly," 25 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'blue line.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.