draw a line under

verb

To deem (a matter, especially a problematic one) to be now closed or concluded.

“I know we've had our disagreements in the past, but let's draw a line under that now.”

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Meanings

verbdraw a line under (third-person singular simple present draws a line under, present participle drawing a line under, simple past drew a line under, past participle drawn a line under)

present singular third person draws a line under · participle present drawing a line under · past drew a line under · participle past drawn a line under

  1. To deem (a matter, especially a problematic one) to be now closed or concluded.

    I know we've had our disagreements in the past, but let's draw a line under that now.

    1 more example

    But I drew a line under everything that happened to me the previous year, in fact I drew a line under everything that had ever happened to me: the army, my marriage and its break-up; my discovery of drugs; chemsex and the craziness that followed; waking up to find a stranger having sex with me; neglecting so many people who cared about me.

    2017, James Wharton, Something for the Weekend, Biteback Publishing, →ISBN

Translations

German einen Schlussstrich ziehen
  • einen Schlussstrich ziehendeem to be concluded
Polish uważać za zakończone
  • uważać za zakończonedeem to be concluded
Swedish dra ett streck över
  • dra ett streck överdeem to be concluded
Cite this entry
APA

draw a line under. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/draw%20a%20line%20under

MLA

“draw a line under.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/draw%20a%20line%20under. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “draw a line under,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/draw%20a%20line%20under.

Source: draw a line under on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.