below the line

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

below′ the line′, [Bridge.]

1. Games See under line ¹ (def. 31).

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

below-the-line adjective

1. denoting the entries printed below the horizontal line on a company's profit-and-loss account that show how any profit is to be distributed
2. (of an advertising campaign) employing sales promotions, direct marketing, in-store exhibitions and displays, trade shows, sponsorship, and merchandising that do not involve an advertising agency
3. (in national accounts) below the horizontal line separating revenue from capital transactions
   Compare above-the-line
4. denoting the area below an online post where viewers' comments are displayed