clothesline

1 of 2

noun

clothes·​line ˈklōz-ˌlīn How to pronounce clothesline (audio)
 also  ˈklōt͟hz-
: a line (as of cord) on which clothes may be hung to dry

clothesline

2 of 2

verb

clotheslined; clotheslining; clotheslines

transitive verb

: to knock down (someone, such as a football player) by catching by the neck with an outstretched arm

Examples of clothesline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Left behind among the piles of trash are clotheslines made from barbed wire. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024 Avoid the clotheslines during peak pollen times; do your laundry indoors. Joe Mutascio, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Feb. 2024 Pettitt, like a lot of the trad wives who fill various social-media platforms with photographs of outdoor clotheslines, has an intense nostalgia for the postwar period. Sophie Elmhirst, The New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2024 Inspired by the real Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, this fictional version of the ‘80s series sees the pair work out their relationship through clotheslines and powerbombs. Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 30 Jan. 2024 It can also be used to tie down your ATV or as a clothesline. Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Anyone so frantically prolific was bound to run into the clothesline of public opinion at some point. Ian Volner, Curbed, 6 Mar. 2023 Frequent campers, backpackers, and cruisers know the benefits of having a reliable and easy-to-use portable clothesline. Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023 The eldest daughter, who is seventeen, wore only shorts and a sports bra, until one of the militants grabbed a t-shirt from a clothesline and handed it to her. Ruth Margalit, The New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2023
Verb
Kevin McHale famously clotheslined Kurt Rambis in Game 4 of the 1984 Finals and was called for a common foul. Shawn Windsor, Detroit Free Press, 19 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clothesline.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clothesline was in 1830

Dictionary Entries Near clothesline

Cite this Entry

“Clothesline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clothesline. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

clothesline

noun
clothes·​line
-ˌlīn
: a line (as of cord) on which clothes may be hung to dry
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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