gain line

noun

an imaginary line running across the pitch perpendicular to the touchline and passing through the breakdown or set piece. The subsequent phase is said to have passed "over the gain line" if the gain line at the subsequent breakdown is in front of the last, or "behind the gain line" if it is behind.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

noungain line (plural gain lines)

plural gain lines · alternative gainline

  1. ball gamesan imaginary line running across the pitch perpendicular to the touchline and passing through the breakdown or set piece. The subsequent phase is said to have passed "over the gain line" if the gain line at the subsequent breakdown is in front of the last, or "behind the gain line" if it is behind.
  2. alternativeAmerican footballAlternative form of line to gain.
Cite this entry
APA

gain line. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gain%20line

MLA

“gain line.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gain%20line. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gain line,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gain%20line.

Source: gain line on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.