jargon 1. Ready for use. E.g. "The graph plotter's fixed
and on-line again".
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)