down line

Noun

down line (plural down lines)

1. A railway line on which trains travel away from a major terminus.
   • The down line was cleared about midnight, or nine hours after the accident, but the up line was not in a state to admit of the traffic being resumed until one o'clock on the next day.1857, Alan J Day, Verena Hoffman, The Annual Register of World Events
   • The number of down-trains daily is fifty-one, and up-trains fifty; the ropes, therefore, travel 155.25 miles on the up-line, and 158.35 miles on the down-line, or altogether 313.60 miles daily.1842, Francis Whishaw, The Railways of Great Britain and Ireland Practically Described and Illustrated
2. the next and subsequent flights in an itinerary.
   • If you miss a flight, the airline will likely cancel the down line.
3. (attributive, often) A member or members of a multi-level marketing scheme recruited by another (their up line) and paying that recruiter a portion of their earnings.
   • I declared to everyone that I would concentrate on selling, not on recruiting, and build my downline slowly over time.1998, Charles F. Amick, Network Marketing: How to Play by Your Own Rules and Win, page 148
   • If we asked you why you invite Bart to dinner, you might say, “I never know when someone will decide to join my organization, although I'm not sure I'd really want Bart in my downline! […]2001, Zig Ziglar, John P. Hayes, Network Marketing For Dummies