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According to the Free Dictionary, dropping someone a line means sending them a short message.

Is this correct? I always thought it meant phoning someone, the line referring to a telephone line.

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I find the answers here very interesting because, like @jdln, I had always used this to mean to phone someone. If I ever asked someone to drop me a line I was certainly expecting a call. – Andy F Nov 21 '11 at 15:16
To get someone on the line means to establish a telephone connection, and you can say the line dropped if that connection is lost involuntarily, but I've never heard drop a line used to mean contact by telephone. – FumbleFingers Nov 21 '11 at 15:50
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@FumbleFingers When used as "drop me a line", think of the "line" being drop/tossed in the direction of the person. – Izkata Nov 21 '11 at 18:57
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I can imagine how OP and Andy came to their understanding of the usage - I'm just saying I've never come across it before. Nor have the three people who've posted answers, apparently. – FumbleFingers Nov 21 '11 at 19:11
Sites like this one and this one show that's it's not unheard of. These are both from the first page of Google results for the phrase "drop us a line". I wonder if the confusion lies somewhere between a line of text and a telephone line. – Andy F Nov 21 '11 at 21:07
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4 Answers

up vote 9 down vote accepted

It refers to a line of text in a letter, so it means sending a short message (maybe with just one single line of text).

(If you drop the line during a phone call, that means you're hanging up)

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+1 for what's in the parentheses. – Terry Li Nov 21 '11 at 19:34
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History says the telephone was invented in 1876. I imagine A. G. Bell would be amazed at this Ngram (could he see it) if, indeed, it refers to telephone communication! ngram

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+1. But, what does it mean NOW? – Mr. Shiny and New 安宇 Nov 22 '11 at 1:41
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Drop me a line invites someone to write sth to you, a message, a note or a short letter. It probably has to do with the lines that comprise a piece of writing.

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I think you are confusing the line in "Hold the line" with the line in "a line of text". The statement you posted has the second meaning.

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