1 B2 neutral
To draw a line marking the boundary of an area or closing off a section.
"The groundskeeper lined off the penalty area before the match."
separable
line off
B2 neutral separable transitive
To separate or mark off a section or area with a drawn or painted line.
In plain English
To draw a line to show where one part ends and another begins, or to close off a section of writing.
What does "line off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 neutral
In accounting or writing, to draw a final ruled line under a column of figures or a block of text to indicate it is complete.
"The bookkeeper lined off the totals at the bottom of the ledger page."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To create a line that closes off or separates a defined area — transparent.
Actually means
To draw a line to show where one part ends and another begins, or to close off a section of writing.
Usage tip
Used in practical contexts like marking a field, road, or document. In accounting and bookkeeping, 'line off' or 'rule off' is used to draw a final line under a column of figures. Less common than 'mark off' or 'rope off'.
Words that pair with "line off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
section column road field area account paragraph
How to conjugate "line off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
line off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
lines off
he/she/it
Past simple
lined off
yesterday
Past participle
lined off
have + pp
-ing form
lining off
continuous
Hear "line off" in the wild
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Other ways to say "line off"
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