redline
Mark for deletion
Redline has meanings that converge on critical limits.
In engines, the redline is the maximum safe RPM, marked in red on the tachometer: Don't redline the engine.
In racing or urgent situations, to redline is to push to that limit.
Historically, to redline meant drawing red lines on maps to mark neighborhoods where banks refused loans—typically Black or immigrant areas.
This discriminatory practice, outlawed but influential, extended to any systematic exclusion: Insurance companies redlined high-crime zip codes.
A redline in documents marks proposed changes or deletions, from the editing convention of red ink.
Point of beginning
- maximumGreatest permitted quantity
- capCovering for top
- ceilingRoom's upper surface
- tachometerRotational speed indicator
RPM · engine · speedometer · gauge · peak · cutoff · boundary · performance
Exposure to harm
- emergencySerious sudden danger
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- urgentNeeding immediate attention
- criticalExpressing disapproval or importance
tachometer · warning · overheat · overload · strain · threshold · burnout · overwork
Dwellings or protective covering
- mortgageSecured home loan
- lendingTemporary provision of resources
- segregationForced separation by group
- neighborhoodResidential area nearby
district · exclusion · bias · zoning · discriminatory · banking · insurance · disinvestment
Line negating text
- markupAdded percentage for profit
- revisionAltering to improve
- correctionFixing of mistakes
- deletionRemoval of content
annotation · amendment · draft · proofread · strike · redact · editor · manuscript
threshold
Point of beginning
tachometer · RPM · engine · speedometer · gauge · peak · cutoff · boundary · performance · pushback
danger
Exposure to harm
critical · tachometer · warning · overheat · overload · strain · threshold · burnout · overwork · exhaustion
housing
Dwellings or protective covering
- mortgageSecured home loan
- lendingTemporary provision of resources
- segregationForced separation by group
neighborhood · district · exclusion · bias · zoning · discriminatory · banking · insurance · disinvestment · mapping
strikethrough
Line negating text
- markupAdded percentage for profit
- revisionAltering to improve
- correctionFixing of mistakes
deletion · annotation · amendment · draft · proofread · strike · redact · editor · manuscript · contract
subway
Underground transit passage
rail · underground · tube · express · route · platform · station · transit · map · connection
cutoff
Point of termination
- finalLast and decisive
- non-negotiableCannot be altered
- firmSolid or resolute
drop-dead · absolute · immovable · milestone · schedule · ultimatum · crunch
- racingrace, racing, race track, racetrack, lap
- car culturecar meets, hot rod, muscle car, classic car, classic cars
- editingediting, cut, copy, paste, delete
- limitslimit, limits, limitation, upper limit, lower limit
- maximum effortall-out, full throttle, go all out, go hard, all in
- Pushing Limitsmax, peak, breaking point, threshold, overdrive
redlinegreenline
Color-coded transit line
fair lending · equal access · open housing · fair housing · equal opportunity
redlineidle
Without activity or purpose
idle speed · coast · cruise · lugging · rest
redlineapprove
Formally accept or authorize
greenlight · accept · sign off · rubber stamp · endorse