party line: Meaning and Definition of

par•ty line

Pronunciation: (pär'tē līn' for 1, 2 pär'tē līn&sec for 3, 4), [key]
  1. the authorized, prescribed policies and practices of a group, esp. of the Communist party, usually followed by the members without deviation; official philosophy or credo.
  2. the guiding policy, tenets, or practices of a political party: The judge was chosen on party lines.
  3. a telephone line connecting the telephones of a number of subscribers by one circuit to a central office, used in some rural areas.
  4. the boundary line separating adjoining properties.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.