The Word ‘Deadline’

We use the word Deadline in different professions to mean similar things.

When in business, we use the word deadline as a hard date. As a time point in which we have to get things done or in which we drop the project entirely. Perhaps if we don’t make the deadlines, we might get our projected dropped by whomever wants or requests it.

In the Electrical field, a deadline power cable or power cord is a line that is dead. In this sense, this means that a cable or power cord no longer holds power or electricity. That the power is cut or that the voltage differential potential is negligible.

In food and perishable goods, the expiry date is often referred to as a deadline. It’s a more common term used in some wine circles that discuss the dead line date of wines that are corked and uncorked. Deadlines can refer to times in which something goes stale or bad.

For Sailors or line handlers, there’s a live line and a dead line. Line handling involves dealing with lines or large ropes to manipulate and handle sea worthy vessels. When a line is live, it is under tension and has the potential to snap or whip around, as a safety rule many people are told never to walk over a live line. When a line is dead or deadline, that means that rope or line is no longer under tension and is no longer at risk to whip around. It can be very deadly and is a very serious bit of line handling to handle the lines and holdfast.

The last reference I have for the word deadline, is the line drawn around a person who is to be executed by firing squad. This dead line relates to the line that is drawn between the living and the dead, hence the deadline.

Epilogue,

I just wanted to put out there the different uses for the word ‘deadline’ and how it’s used in different contexts within the English vernacular. Hopefully this helps you grasp a more robust perspective and rounded perspective on the word ‘deadline’ and how it’s used.