Dl

Dl is an abbreviation for "download," which is information (typically a file) downloaded from the Internet, such as an application or video. Dl may also refer to the action of downloading a file, like when your web browser is downloading an image to your computer from a website.

There are many instances in which you might see the dl abbreviation. For example, your friend may ask you if you opened the dl they sent you via email. Or, your co-worker may message you to edit a document once the dl finishes. A fellow gamer may also ask about your dl speed when determining if your Internet speed is sufficient for gaming.

MLB fans use DL as shorthand for the Disabled List, which is a list players are put on when they are injured and unable to play. Placing a player on the DL allows a team to remove that player from their roster and add a healthy player instead.

Only the MLB uses the DL acronym. In other sports leagues, like the NFL and NHL, teams instead place players on injured reserve (IR). While some old-school fans may still use the DL acronym, the MLB officially changed the Disabled List's name to the Injured List in 2019. Therefore, you may now see fans refer to the DL as the IL.

DL is another way to say something is on the "down low" or private. People often use it in the context of "keep it on the DL," which means keep it secret or just between us.

For example, if your friend doesn't want his mom to know he skipped school, he might message you, "Keep yesterday on the dl in front of my mom." While people may use DL for anything secretive, such as a confession of theft or cheating, they may use DL to hide their sexuality. For example, a closeted homosexual man may say he's "staying on the DL."

Origin of DL

The abbreviation DL originated in the late-1990s as a quicker way to communicate online that something should be secretive. In the late-1990s and early-2000s, "down low" was popular, especially in the rap community, so it made sense to abbreviate it as DL to save time and space when typing.

If you are doing laundry away from your computer, you might message others that you are "DL." It may be confusing for some since other meanings are associated with the term, including "downloading" and "down low."

When online or texting, people may put in their status or an away message that they may not be able to quickly respond cause they are busy DL. For example, if you are messaging with a group of friends while leaving your computer every half hour or so to tend to the laundry, you might message, "Sorry for any delay, but I'm DL rn."