on-line

jargon 1. Ready for use. E.g. "The graph plotter's fixed

and on-line again".

2. Interactive as opposed to batch. Accessible via a

computer (or terminal), rather than on paper or other

medium.

3. Of a user, actively using a computer system, especially the

Internet. E.g "I haven't been on-line for three days."

"On-line" should be hyphenated because it is compounded from

two words but the hyphen is often omitted in names of

organisations or services.

(1998-12-22)