bottom line

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Noun 1.2.1 Derived terms 1.2.2 Usage notes

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

A reference to the literal bottom line of an income statement or other accounting record.

[edit] Noun

bottom line (countable and uncountable; plural bottom lines)

1. (accounting) The final balance; the amount of money or profit left after everything has been tallied.
2. (idiomatic, uncountable) The summary or result; the most important information; the upshot; the net-net.

   The bottom line is that there simply are not enough hours in the day to finish all there is to do.

[edit] Derived terms

• bottom liner

[edit] Usage notes

When somebody talks about increasing the bottom line, it means doing things to either increase the revenue or decrease expenses so the net income increases.