Meaning & use
redlines
Last updated
“redlines” is a form of “redline”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounpluralfigurative
Limits or conditions that one side in a negotiation or dispute states it will not cross.
Grammar: Usually plural: the two countries set their redlines.
Patterns
- redlines on something
- cross a redline
The union listed its redlines before the talks began.
Crossing the redlines would mean ending the treaty.
Both leaders repeated their redlines on border security.
nounpluralbusinesslegal
Edited versions of a document showing proposed changes, traditionally marked in red.
Grammar: Plural of redline: the lawyers exchanged redlines of the contract.
Patterns
- redlines of something
Our attorney sent back the redlines on Tuesday.
Please review the redlines before the next meeting.
The redlines of the lease showed three new clauses.
verbtransitive
Third person singular of redline: to mark text or refuse loans in certain areas.
Grammar: Third person singular: she redlines the draft.
Patterns
- redline something
She redlines every draft before it goes to the client.
Critics said the bank redlines poor neighborhoods.
He redlines the contract carefully.
Word forms
| singular | redline |
|---|
Common combinations
- cross redlines
- The envoy warned that crossing redlines would bring consequences.
- set redlines
- Negotiators set redlines before the summit.
- contract redlines
- The paralegal compared the contract redlines line by line.
- respect redlines
- Each side agreed to respect the other's redlines.
- firm redlines
- Firm redlines made compromise difficult.
Synonyms and how they differ
- limits
- This is a general word, while redlines suggests limits that are announced and serious.
- deal-breakers
- This focuses on points that would end an agreement, and it is more informal.
- markups
- This applies only to edited documents and not to negotiation limits.
- red lines
- This is the common two-word spelling with the same meaning.
Word family
Commonly confused: redlines or deadlines?
redlines vs deadlines
Deadlines are time limits; redlines are firm limits on terms or are edits in a document.
Practice
Before the talks, each delegation announced its ___ and said it would not accept anything beyond them.
Choose one answer.
Redlines are firm limits that a side refuses to cross; deadlines are time limits and do not fit the idea of refusing to accept.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “redlines”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.