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line of scrimmage
noun phrase
: an imaginary line in football that is parallel to the goal lines and tangent to the nose of the ball laid on the ground and marks the position of the ball at the start of each down
Examples of line of scrimmage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Pass interference only occurs when a forward pass is thrown from behind the line of scrimmage.
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Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 14 Feb. 2025
This goes way beyond Hill and Waddle being jammed at the line of scrimmage to disrupt the timing of the short and intermediate passes, and then facing the two-high safety look to take away the deep passes.
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Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2025
Baltimore beat Pittsburgh at its own game and out-physical the team at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
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Antwan Staley, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2025
Hafley had three safeties lined up 25 yards off the line of scrimmage, meaning the Packers were almost playing 8 vs. 11.
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Rob Reischel, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
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Word History
First Known Use
circa 1909, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of line of scrimmage was
circa 1909
Dictionary Entries Near line of scrimmage
Cite this Entry
“Line of scrimmage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/line%20of%20scrimmage. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
line of scrimmage
: an imaginary line in football parallel to the goal lines and running through the place the ball is laid before each play begins
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