[Ads-l] Antedating of "Redline" (Verb)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Interesting topic, Fred. Redline was also discussed on this list in
January 2026. At that time, I posted a 1960 citation for the verb form
of redline, i.e.:
"they will no longer red line any district"

https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2026-January/168513.html

[Begin excerpt from previous message]

In the 1960 citation below "red line" appears as a verb with the
insurance-restriction sense in a Boston newspaper. The OED has an
entry for "red line" as a verb with citations beginning in 1973. In
this citation "red line" also appears in the phrases "Red Line Bill"
and "red line districts".

[Begin OED excerpt]
redline verb
1.c. transitive. Of a bank, etc.: to refuse to grant a loan or
insurance to (an area considered to be a significant financial risk,
or to a person living in or moving to such an area) or to offer these
services at prohibitively high rates.
[End OED excerpt]

Date: June 14, 1960
Newspaper: The Boston Globe
Newspaper Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Article: House Rejects Red Line Bill For Insurance
Quote Page 52, Column 8
Database: Newspapers.com

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-redline/190099175/

[Begin excerpt]
A bill to establish a state Division of Fire Insurance to provide
insurance covering for residents in "red line" districts was killed by
the House this afternoon. Yesterday the fire insurance companies
issued a statement that they will no longer red line any district and
bar property owners in wholesale lots from fire insurance protection.
[End excerpt]

[End excerpt from previous message]

Garson

On Sun, Aug 23, 2026 at 5:00 PM Shapiro, Fred
<00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> redline, v. (OED, 1.c., 1973)
>
> 1967 Detroit Free Press 30 Aug. 4-A/5 (Newspapers.com)
>
> In the northwest section, an area which includes Meyers and Seven Mile Rd., plus an area north of Outer Drive to Eight Mile Rd. from Livernois to Greenfield has been redlined.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org