party line

noun

1
: the policy or practice of a political party
2
: a single telephone circuit connecting two or more subscribers with the exchange

called also party wire

3
: the principles or policies of an individual or organization
also : the explanation or interpretation usually put forth
the party line that her mother was a saint Leslie Bennetts
party-liner noun

Examples of party line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The public's views differed considerably along party lines. S. Dev, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2024 But the new battles, about issues that don’t always break cleanly along party lines, have created a challenge for an administration trying to manage what is perhaps the nation’s most diverse school district. Troy Closson, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024 The Children and Families Committee voted 6-2 along party lines, with Democrats in opposition, to approve House Bill 2307. Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2024 The votes were along party lines, with Republicans supporting it and Democrats opposing it. Journal Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2024 Early results, however, showed that support fell along party lines: Many of the counties that voted against the measure are rural and also supported the effort to recall Newsom in 2021. Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024 But all of the votes on those amendments failed on party lines. Tax Notes Staff, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Lawmakers voted to advance the measure 81-39 along party lines Thursday. Jenna Barackman, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 Lawmakers spent nearly 30 minutes questioning Bivens about her daughter's situation before voting on party lines to pass the bill. The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'party line.' 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

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of party line was in 1837

Dictionary Entries Near party line

Cite this Entry

“Party line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/party%20line. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

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