dotted line

noun

1. a line on a contract or similar document for a party's signature.
2. a line at which a sheet of paper is perforated or a piece of it is to be detached.

dotted line

noun

1. a line of dots or dashes on a form or document
2. sign on the dotted line
   to agree formally, esp by signing one's name on a document

Word History and Origins

Origin of dotted line¹

First recorded in 1770–75

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. sign on the dotted line, to agree fully to terms or conditions.
2. signature on the dotted line, full agreement to terms and conditions.

Example Sentences

That means, people walk into recruiting offices and sign on the dotted line to potentially serve in combat, risking their lives in the service of the country.

From Salon

“They’ve written that down, and they’ve signed on the dotted line. This reform is about making sure that those promises get fulfilled.”

From Los Angeles Times

Police said the guns seized in the US were a "dotted line" to people's wellbeing in Canada.

From BBC

The Burslem side are third from bottom and without a win in nine games overall, but three points tonight could, depending on other results, lift them very close to that dotted line.

From BBC

Psychiatrists need to think about it more carefully, he added, and consider special training “before we sign on the dotted line of such novel interventions.”

From New York Times