the line
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
In the British Army all regular infantry regiments except the Foot Guards, the Rifle Brigade, and the Marines are line regiments.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “the line” mean?
In the British Army all regular infantry regiments except the Foot Guards, the Rifle Brigade, and the Marines are line regiments.
Is “the line” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.