(down/along) the (track/road/line)
Meaning(s)
1. at an unspecified point in the future
Popularity
High
Professional
High
Social
How to Memorize
leave it for now, we'll deal with it further down the road/track/line
Analysis
A track, road or line all refer to ways vehicles can travel. Cars travel by road, trains run on a track, and trams or metros run on a line. When you say something is 'down the road', 'down the line', or 'down the track', you are talking about an event expected to happen at a later (unspecified) time. Usually, this expression is used when you don't want to deal with something now, but instead want to address it at a later time. You can also use these phrases to talk about your plans or aspirations for the future. For example, "I hope to go back to university down the line." If you say that something is 'along the line' or 'along the track', you might mean that you expect to do something at the same time as something else. "I am concentrating on my family at the moment but I hope to work from home along the line". These phrases are casual expressions, but you can hear them used in both social and professional contexts.
Professional Examples (Basic)
- This issue will not go away on its own. If we don't fix it now then we'll just have to deal with it down the road.
- Let's put the project on the back burner for the moment. We can get back to it further down the track.
- You might face some setbacks along the road, but if you persevere you will eventually succeed.
- Well, you said we'd discuss this further down the line. It's been two weeks since the project started, so I think it's time we talked about it.
Social Examples (Basic)
- We are driving to the South and I hope to visit my Aunt along the line.
- We are saving at the moment and hope to buy a house a year or two down the road.