Of American-English origin, the phrase to sign (on) the dotted line means:
– (literally) to formally agree to something by signing an official document;
– (figuratively) to make a firm commitment about something.
This phrase occurs, for example, in Country diary, by Claire Stares, published in The Guardian (London and Manchester, England) of Tuesday 21st February 2023:
It’s started—the blue tits are house-hunting
Langstone, Hampshire: They’ve been popping in and out of the nest box we put up, but there’s no guarantee that they’ll sign on the dotted line
This phrase refers to the noun dotted line, denoting a line of dots or small dashes on a form or document, used to indicate the space left for a signature.
The texts containing the earliest occurrences of to sign (on) the dotted line that I have found indicate that this phrase was originally used of life-insurance contracts—these early occurrences are as follows, in chronological order:
1-: From The Insurance Press: A Newspaper for Insurers and Insured (New York City, New York, USA) of Wednesday 7th August 1901:
“T. I. P.” POINTERS.
“The Next Day is Never so Good as the Day Before.”—Publius Syrus.
The agent who kicks is not the agent who sticks.
During these torrid days an occasional cool reception should be welcomed, and not tend to render the solicitor “hot under the collar.”
[…]
Look not upon the thermometer when it is high, for it heateth like a house afire and makes you sweatier and sadder. Look at the applicant sign “on the dotted line”—and keep cool.
2-: From the following advertisement, published in the St. Albans Daily Messenger (St. Albans, Vermont, USA) of Thursday 26th February 1903:
Beautiful hands are those,
which sign, the Insurance App. on the dotted line. A beautiful mind is that which will pay, the stated price on the stated day. Beautiful promise is that which decrees, that wife and child shall live at ease. Beautiful system which gives to man, the price of a lifetime just began. Also Annuities, Endowments, etc. 54th year, doing business in 35 states. Nat’l Life Ins. Co of Vt. (Mutual). ORGANIZED 1850. R. W. Hulburd, Gen’l Agt., Hyde Park, Vt.
3-: From an account of the meeting of the agents of the New York Life Insurance company that was held on Wednesday 27th May 1903 at the Phoenix branch office—account published in The Arizona Republican (Phoenix, Arizona, USA) of Thursday 28th May 1903:
The several agents present were asked to tell how they got signatures on the “dotted line.”
4-: From an advertisement for C. L. Mowder, published in The Braymer Bee (Braymer, Missouri, USA) of Friday 12th June 1903:
Don’t sign the dotted line for anybody until you learn what I have to offer you in life insurance.
5-: From the Moberly Evening Democrat (Moberly, Missouri, USA) of Friday 5th February 1904:
One little realizes how much suspenders have to do with our appearance in society. The same with insurance; it is an extra brace to keep the family together. The Travelers Insurance Co. has nearly one hundred and fifty million dollars of insurance in force. Is some of it coming to you or your family? If not, tell Tom Kelly to bring around an application and then, sign your name “on the dotted line;” and—DO IT NOW.
6-: From an advertisement for the insurance company Everett, published in The Yakima Herald (North Yakima, Washington, USA) of Wednesday 14th June 1905:
Wise Sayings.
Some conscientious wives object to their husbands’ buying insurance.
Right they are! It’s not right to cheat even an insurance company. We should never try to get something for nothing.
[…]
There is no better place to write your good intentions down than on the dotted line. Lower right-hand corner. Missouri State Life Application Blank.
7-: From the caption to the following cartoon, published in The Omaha Daily Bee (Omaha, Nebraska, USA) of Saturday 19th August 1905—this cartoon depicts a man wearing a suit and a bowler hat (probably the H. C. Smith mentioned in the caption), identified by a sheet of paper in his pocket as belonging to the National Life Insurance Co. U.S.A., handing out an application form to a peasant sitting on a fence; the peasant says “Why sartinly, why didn’t you come around afore?”:
OMAHA MEN AND THEIR HOBBIES
H. C. SMITH—Getting ’Em on the Dotted Line.
8-: From one of the unconnected paragraphs making up the column Items, published in The Investor’s Guide (Topeka, Kansas, USA) of Tuesday 12th February 1907:
There is just one correct way to insure your life—sign on the dotted line with “Pay to the order of” above it.
9-: From an article about the financial results of The Grand Junction agency of the Capitol Life Insurance company of Colorado, published in The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colorado, USA) of Saturday 6th April 1907:
W. E. Lagarten of Craig never sleeps and gets the names on the dotted line every week.
10-: From the following advertisement, published in the Springfield Daily Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts, USA) of Monday 3rd February 1908:
MUTUAL BENEFIT LIFE INS. CO
OF NEWARK, N. J.
“IDEAL LIFE INSURANCE”
An IDEAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY should have but two objects.
First, to furnish perfect protection.
Second, to furnish that protection at the lowest possible cost.
The Mutual Benefit’s New Contracts furnish the “most” perfect protection, at the lowest possible cost. Call and let us prove it to you. Sample Policies furnished at your age for any plan you may suggest.
If you sign the dotted line before you see the Mutual Benefit’s contract, you make the mistake of your life.
O. L. COWLES, Managing Agent,
Suite (15) 25 Harrison Avenue,
Springfield, Mass.
Agents wanted. Phone 140.
11-: From Our Local Lodges, published in the International Gazette (Black Rock, New York, USA) of Saturday 24th October 1908—this text seems to show the transition from the literal to the figurative meaning of the phrase to sign on the dotted line:
COURT DEARBORN NO. 270, F. OF A.
Another large attendance marked the first meeting of Chief Ranger Poutier. At his installation Worthy Chief pledged himself to open all meetings at 8 o’clock sharp. True to his promise, promptly at 8 on Tuesday evening his gavel dropped and matters of the Court were taken up and executed with expedition […].
[…]
By the way, Brothers, how about that new member you agreed to bring in. Get busy. Remember, somewhere there is a man waiting to sign the dotted line. Get after him and furnish him with the line. Ask the financial secretary.
word histories 