Dictionary

old-line en · ADJ

Etymology

From old + line (“stated positions of a political or religious group”). Attested from the 19th century, originally in the United States.

Meanings

1. Reactionary or conservative.
   • I am deliberately convinced that Mr. Filmore has not the least chance of success, and that if it be at all possible to defeat Fremont, the Democratic party, with their candidates Buchanan and Breckinridge, with the aid of the Union-loving Old-line Whigs, is the only party which has the least chance to do so. 1856, James B. Clay, “Speech of James B. Clay Delivered at the Union Meeting in Mason County, Kentucky”, in Old Line Whigs for Buchanan & Breckinridge, page 15:
2. Long-established.
   • Gay alcoholism in the Boston area has come out of its closet. Here and across the nation increasing numbers of us are working for the time when gay alcoholics will no longer be subjected to the discrimination and indignities that characterized old-line treatment programs until now. 1979 December 8, Dick Bowring, quoting Robert Connolly, “HATS Helps Gay Alcoholics”, in Gay Community News, volume 7, number 20, page 12:
   • One of the old line insurance companies said to me recently, that they never made anything out of their underwriting business, but made their profit out of the investments of the reserved fund 1908, T.D. O'Brien, “Mutual Insurance”, in Farm Implements, page 37:
   • I also started reading a great deal about Internet transactions and the impact of the Web on more old-line businesses 2000, George Alexander, quoting Chuck James, “Harvesting an e-commerce solution”, in Black Enterprise, page 118:

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