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What is the origin of the idiom "on the line" and when to use it?
The idiom "on the line" originated from sports, particularly in tennis, where a ball is deemed "in" if it lands on the court boundary lines. Over time, it has evolved into a broader idiom, signifying a situation where something important or at stake is under consideration, decision, or risk. It is often used to describe circumstances where there is potential for consequences, commitments, or outcomes to be determined.
sur la ligne téléphonique
What is the origin of the idiom "on the line" and when to use it?
The idiom "on the line" has its origins in the era when telephones were first introduced and widely used. In early telephone systems, the physical connection between callers was established through a pair of electrical wires, which were literally referred to as "lines." When someone was making a telephone call or engaged in a conversation, they were considered to be "on the line" because the connection was created through these wires. Over time, the phrase has evolved to include modern telecommunications systems, and it is now used more broadly to describe someone who is actively engaged in a phone call or waiting for one.
